Chapter 597
Chapter 597
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 597
Chapter Title: I'm Home (5)
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"It's taking longer than I thought."
Albireo had said she'd bring the twins soon, but even after ten minutes, then fifteen, she still hadn't returned.
There didn't seem to be any trouble, and if Si-woo went looking for them now, they might cross paths and miss each other. So he sat quietly in the drawing room, waiting.
"Nice sunlight."
He leaned back comfortably, basking in the warm spring rays streaming through the window.
Akula was an excellent submarine, no doubt, but this gentle sunlight was something you could only feel on the surface.
As a pleasant drowsiness began to creep in,
a hurried clatter of heels echoed from the far end of the drawing room.
But the inevitable thudding footsteps that should have followed were absent.
If it had been the twins, their cries of "Assistant!!!" would have started echoing from about 400 meters away.
"Haa... haa..."
Disheveled white hair from rushing, yet her refined beauty remained undimmed.
Like a countess reuniting with her husband long missing from the war.
There stood Deneb Jemernai, her eyes wide like a startled rabbit's.
It had been ages since they'd last met, back when they'd both been trapped in that fish tank.
It had been beyond their control, but they'd crossed forbidden lines multiple times, leaving Si-woo unsure how to act around her now.
They'd agreed to pretend nothing happened once they got out, but knowing it in his head didn't make his heart any less awkward.
The various feminine sides of Deneb she'd shown were still vividly etched in his memory.
"Hello...?"
Still, fumbling around would only make it seem like he was overthinking it.
He greeted her naturally—or tried to.
"Si-woo!"
The hem of her pristine white dress fluttered like something out of a movie, overflowing with grace and poise.
Deneb didn't charge in with the same momentum as her sister Albireo, kicking his shins.
Instead, she glided in like a swan and threw herself into his arms.
"You're safe...! Thank goodness.... Really, thank goodness..."
Her soft chest and slender frame pressed against him, just as he remembered.
Purple eyes glistening with tears, gazing up at him.
"D-Deneb."
He'd expected some gratitude, but not this intense a welcome.
It caught him completely off guard.
Her hands neatly placed on his chest like she was holding a precious lover, her lips trembling.
And from between them, along with the sweet scent of wine, came the words:
"I missed you..."
That was it.
He could understand.
After all, Si-woo had ended up in danger to help her escape.
Deneb, wracked with guilt, could very well say something like that.
"Really.... I was so worried..."
Maybe it was his imagination, but as her lips inched subtly closer, her long lashes fluttered like snow piling up.
From this angle, it looked unmistakably like she was going in for a kiss.
No way, right?
This was Deneb Jemernai.
She wouldn't lose her judgment that badly.
It was just an especially fervent hug, nothing more.
"Um, Deneb. Could you maybe step back a little...?"
He appreciated the warmth, truly, but if Albireo walked in on this, he was dead.
And he'd have no excuse for the twins either.
Only Albireo knew about verifying things from behind and recharging mana in the tank.
"Ah...!"
Deneb gasped, her eyes snapping wide open.
Clarity returned to her previously hazy gaze.
She jumped back as if she'd shown something unsightly, straightening her posture.
"S-Sorry."
"No, no, I'm grateful for the welcome."
She pressed her palms to her flushed, wine-reddened cheeks, flustered.
But that was as far as it went.
Seeing her greet him like this, it was clear she didn't know the full story.
"That said.... You might not have heard, but..."
Deneb was still his little mother-in-law, technically.
If she found out Si-woo had been leisurely enjoying submarine life instead of being in real peril—and even leveraged the Jemernai family's influence to get citizenship for Lurue—she'd probably raise hell like Albireo.
He silently bid a fond farewell to his sweet little mother-in-law.
"...that's what happened."
With a heavy heart, like a confession in the confessional, he quietly explained.
"I see. If there's something we can help with.... we should."
"Pardon?"
But once again, her reaction was utterly unexpected.
Deneb didn't get angry or kick his shins.
"You're not mad?"
"Should I be...?"
She even questioned him back.
"Well.... I mean, I was living it up leisurely, and on top of that, I brought her along?"
"You helped me escape and got captured by the deep-sea witch in my place. You couldn't have known how it'd turn out. You acted assuming the worst."
True enough.
At the time, Lurue had seemed terrifying, and he hadn't expected her to be such a pushover.
"What I'm grateful for is your intentions back then. Sure, dragging in a new woman this time is a bit much.... But make sure to take good care of the twins. Don't neglect them. And of course, you know not to let loose and cause harm to the household?"
"Yes, I'll keep that in mind."
Surprisingly, Deneb's scolding—which wasn't really scolding—ended at the level of mild chiding.
Was this the deep bond forged from sharing hardships?
He felt touched, if only for a moment.
"......"
"......"
Then an awkward silence fell, as they shockingly had nothing to say to each other.
It made sense—their usual dynamic was Deneb roasting him relentlessly while Si-woo floundered and took it on the shins.
Without her nagging, their conversation pattern derailed completely.
Saying "I'm glad" or "It's fine" a couple times would just make it stiff.
"Si-woo."
"Yes."
Deneb, who'd been standing there blankly, hesitated before speaking up.
Even after, she seemed to struggle for words, her gaze wandering as she kept her lips pursed.
"Mind if I ask one thing? It might be a bit personal."
"Sure, go ahead."
He answered lightly, but tensed up at her subsequent gestures.
Fussing with her hair, tucking it behind her ear.
Her eyes below, hesitant and alluring.
"Um..."
That was her little mother-in-law move when she felt deeply embarrassed.
He'd seen it enough times to be sure.
What on earth was she about to ask that had her like this? He worried.
"...How strong is your sex drive, Si-woo?"
"W-Why ask that out of nowhere?"
"Don't get the wrong idea! Who do you think I am? I-It's just, you brought another new woman this time too.... I was curious how starved you must be."
"Sorry about that, but..."
"And it's an important question, so please answer honestly."
"Hmm..."
He'd never fielded such a direct question before, so he hesitated.
Sex drive?
Unlimited if he smelled her scent; otherwise, average adult male levels.
But why was she asking, and was it okay to answer honestly? As he pondered,
Deneb jumped to her own conclusion.
"You're lacking, aren't you?"
"Huh?"
"Even with all those lovers around you, it's not enough, so you keep adding more.... Right?"
It had just happened by chance; it wasn't really about lust.
But Deneb spoke as if half-decided already.
She continued in a murmur before he could rebut.
"Scolding your frivolous womanizing at this point feels pointless."
"I really have no excuse."
"No, I'm not trying to scold you. Do you remember... that conversation we had before?"
"Which one?"
"Before we entered the tank."
Was it back at the twins' outpost, when she'd given him that cognac-led lesson?
"I said then, didn't I? One verification wouldn't be enough."
"You... did, yeah?"
Come to think of it, yes.
It had naturally gone undiscussed amid the situation where they'd have to keep relations going.
Her face from back then replayed in his mind: 'Wouldn't it be a problem if we didn't verify it thoroughly, double and triple?'
"......"
As she spoke, Deneb's cheeks flushed like wild strawberries—not just from the wine or sunlight.
So much had happened, so many changes.
She knew his nature was kind.
From his penniless slave days, he'd risked his life twice for the twins, and after surfacing, he'd dove into hunting public enemies when he could've stayed out of it.
Challenging one to a duel just because a friend was captured, stepping into danger for the rampaging Merigold baron.
He seemed like a total pushover, always risking himself for others, never himself.
Still, he was an infuriating son-in-law.
Not content with sweeping away her precious twins, women kept popping up around him.
And during verifications, he'd seen her in such unseemly states—and even left her with habits.
She couldn't look on him fondly.
Yet in the tank, Si-woo wasn't just that foolish son-in-law.
He'd been her sturdiest pillar, even sacrificing himself to the deep-sea witch for her sake.
For the Deneb who'd tormented him endlessly.
As days blurred in the tank with no guarantee of survival, Deneb had grown reliant on him, eventually crossing the line under her own seduction.
After escaping alone, self-loathing and guilt had kept her up all night.
Facing the twins—who didn't resent her—only made her more sorry.
Receiving their understanding while thinking of Si-woo, whose fate she didn't know, felt like facing a missing husband. Hating herself for those feelings toward her son-in-law was unbearable.
And on the day his safety was confirmed, Deneb realized.
Some emotions couldn't be shaken off, no matter the effort.
That she craved that embrace, even with cowardly excuses.
So, just once more, she'd act spoiled.
Blame the alcohol.
For the twins' safety until they inherited, she'd bear his lust instead—as an excuse.
And thoroughly verify the backdoor relations—as another excuse.
"So..."
If he refused or looked troubled, she'd laugh it off as testing her son-in-law....
"I'll take care of your desires instead..."
"Assistaaaant!!!"
"Whoa! It's Assistant! Assistant!"
But Deneb's words didn't reach him.
"Odil! Odet!"
The twins, spotting Si-woo, came barreling in and flung themselves into his arms.
Seeing them nestle against him like puppies greeting their owner, Deneb swallowed her words.
Her chest stabbed with guilt anew as she watched them laugh joyfully, tears of relief washing away their gloom.
Si-woo hugged the twins tight as they rubbed cheeks and showered him with kisses, glancing awkwardly at Deneb.
"Deneb, what were you about to say?"
Of course, it was impossible.
Deneb let go of her last lingering hope.
"Nothing."
Even if some emotions couldn't be shaken off, they didn't have to be expressed.
Sometimes, you had to silently bury them in your heart.
"Have a good time, you rascals! No naughty business, or you'll get it!"
"“Yes, Master!”"
In this long life, there were still things to learn.
Deneb flashed a faint smile and stepped aside for the three of them.