Vacation (3)
Rrrrrr!
A helicopter lifted off, its rotors whipping the air into a roar. The aircraft climbed into that vast blue sky and, in the blink of an eye, carried us straight into Amethyst family territory.
"Welcome, my lady!"
"Congratulations on your return to House Amethyst!"
The moment the helicopter touched down at the landing pad, a line of muscular women in tailored suits parted the way for us, as if they'd been waiting for exactly this. They were the guards tasked with escorting us into the Amethyst estate as Kaya's bodyguards.
Women stood in ranks with builds so burly you'd mistake them for men — honestly, I thought a gang of thugs had come out to greet the madam of the house.
"Whoa, damn. Look at those physiques."
"They're bigger than you, Solis."
"If someone's bigger than me, that stops being a question of gender and starts being a question of whether they're even human, doesn't it?"
Ever since arriving in this world, I'd been quietly training my body alongside all the practice needed to get comfortable with the Divine Artifacts, steadily building my strength. She'd been blessed with a naturally impressive frame to begin with, and once I'd taken over this body, I'd only pushed it further. A physique that would make a born athlete weep with envy — no matter how much mana reinforcement helped, still…
"Please refrain from making sexist remarks."
"Ah. Right, sure."
That wasn't even what I'd been getting at, though. If anything, in this world only women could wield mana, so as far as I knew, while there might not be any sense of superiority floating around, it wasn't exactly my sex that got discriminated against.
Anyway — my words had apparently struck quite the nerve, because one of the guards beside us narrowed her eyes and struck a bodybuilder's pose. With a sharp grunt of exertion, cracks spiderwebbed through the tightly woven fabric of her suit, splitting it apart at the seams.
"Are our guards to your taste? If you'd like, I could arrange for one to be assigned to you."
"I'll pass. I like them soft and delicate."
A woman flexing her manly charms — I know tastes differ from person to person, but that just isn't my thing. Call me old-fashioned, but I like a woman who seems like she'd break if you held her too tight, yet is straight-backed and quietly strong at her core. Add a pretty face on top of that, and she's the full package. Purely my preference, of course. Hence the polite refusal.
And as a bonus, I pulled Marin, nestled in my arms, in a little closer. Ahh, this is what a woman should be.
"My, so you like them younger. Should I bring in some even younger ones, then?"
"That's a bit much. I get that the younger the better for some people, but I have a strict policy: twenties and up, or nothing."
Purity Academy was, in real-world terms, a university — which made me, currently, a college freshman. Eva and Chloe were the same, and I considered even them to be on the quite-young side of things. Before crossing over into this world, I'd been in my late twenties myself — military service done, corporate life done, a proper stretch of experience under my belt. The kind of guy passing kids called "mister" on the street. Anyone below college age was less a hurdle and more a social graveyard, whatever way you sliced it.
"Marin may look a bit frail, but she is a fully-fledged adult. By age, she's older than the Grand Magus."
"What a load of nonsense. My father is a Grand Magus — conservatively speaking, he's lived for thousands of years."
It's true, though. This kid is a weapon the God King forged before the age of creation, you know. I could understand the skeptical reaction from someone famous for putting on airs, but still.
"Anyway — twenties or older. Noted. If that's the minimum requirement."
Kaya glanced back at Eva walking behind us, then leaned in to whisper at my ear.
"What about my sister?"
"You mean Eva?"
"She's the leading candidate to become head of the family. No — at this point, I'd say it's all but decided."
Was Petra Amethyst actually trying to set me up with Eva? I hadn't expected her to be this blatant about pushing it.
"She's a good person. Even from a man's perspective, I'd say she's attractive."
"Word is you two get along well, so how about it? If you want, I can push things along for you."
Kaya gave my shoulder a cheerful couple of pats, grinning ear to ear, clearly waiting for my answer — as if all I had to do was flash an OK sign.
"Sorry, but I'll have to decline."
I shook my head in refusal. It was a flat, decisive no — and apparently that answer caught her off guard.
"Why not? Opportunities like this don't come around often. This is House Amethyst offering, of its own accord."
"House, schmouse — they don't have any interest in me that way, don't you see?"
I pointed back at Eva, still trailing behind us. Chatting happily with Chloe, she was practically glowing. It seemed she'd largely worked through the whole business of the Grand Magus's death, and she was even exchanging light nods with the guards she barely knew.
"My sister's will, you say. She certainly doesn't seem to see you as a man at all."
Kaya wore a dissatisfied frown as she watched her. Her brimming resentment, however, wasn't aimed at Eva — it slid past her to land squarely on Chloe at her side.
"I don't get why she clings to you like that."
It was a murmur that slipped out of her on pure instinct. Like water leaking through a crack, her words escaped before she could help it — and they scraped right across my sensitive ears.
Kaya was one of the people who knew Eva better than anyone else alive. Her younger sister, her lifelong companion — and, by happenstance, someone who'd also learned her sister's tastes. Yes, Kaya knew that Eva liked women. That was part of the reason she skipped greetings with Chloe and snubbed her outright.
"Understood. If that's how you feel, then allow me to change the terms."
Kaya sidled up and leaned against my side. She looped her arm through mine with the easy familiarity of a long-term lover and continued in a voice low but crisp, like ASMR.
"What about me? I'm confident I'm no less attractive than my sister — looks-wise, anyway."
I hadn't expected her to come on this strong, so I was caught off guard. I didn't let it show, but for a split second, my whole body went rigid.
"Get lost."
"Hyah!"
Marin, tucked in my arms, must have disliked the sight, because she shoved Kaya away. Knocked back, she was forced off me, and she shot Marin a grumbling scowl.
"What is with this child? Rude and mannerless."
"Not my problem. Solis, unlike Eva, this one's got a rotten personality."
"Excuse me?!"
Yeesh — two women, one man, and sparks flying between them. Just standing next to this, I could feel a cold sweat breaking out.
"Both of you, knock it off, yeah? We're almost there. Do you really want to show up fighting?"
As we walked and talked, we soon arrived at a place under heavy surveillance, with dozens of cameras swiveling their heads in every direction. When we reached the gates, the doorkeepers swung open the barrier that had blocked our way, and an interior steeped in antique elegance welcomed us.
"There you are, my daughter."
At the center of the room, a woman sat in a chair that embodied the authority of a noble house, bestowing a gentle smile upon Eva. Wrinkled skin, a gaunt face — and yet an elegant bearing through which her noble grace still shone. It wasn't hard to guess that in her youth, she'd been a beauty who turned the head of every man who passed her by. That said, she didn't much resemble Eva or Kaya, family though they were. She looked far more like their relative Pallad — the same hair color, the same eyes, the pale pink that marked one as carrying the blood of House Amethyst thick and true. Seeing this, I could confirm that what I'd read in the setting notes — that both daughters took after their father — was no exaggeration.
"I offer my greetings to the head of House Amethyst."
Eva stood before her and performed a proper curtsy, lifting the hem of her skirt ever so slightly. The sight was apparently quite striking, because Petra covered her mouth with both hands.
"Ooh, my daughter, greeting me — and with such manners!"
Throwing noble dignity to the wind, she scrambled up from her chair and hurried over to Eva in a flustered shuffle.
"I'm so glad I sent you to the Academy. You've changed so much."
"Hehe."
Eva gave an embarrassed little smile under the storm of praise. Even that must have been adorable to her mother, because Petra kept ruffling her hair and hugging her over and over, like someone doting on a beloved puppy — until—
"Oh my, look at me. I was so overjoyed I committed the rudeness of keeping our precious guests standing."
Collecting herself at once, she set Eva aside and turned her gaze to me, Marin, and Chloe.
"Welcome, everyone. I am Petra Amethyst, head of House Amethyst."
"Chloe Opal, offering her greetings to the head of House Amethyst."
"An honor to meet you, Lady Petra."
Her manner was kind and warm — less a family head, more the friendly lady of the neighborhood. Chloe and I each offered a proper bow.
"Pleasure to meet you, Chloe. I've heard about you from the Academy. Thank you for helping our inadequate daughter."
"I merely did what was asked of me."
The family head gave Chloe a brief nod of commendation, and Chloe answered in kind, lowering herself in a gesture of full courtesy.
And next—
"You're Solis, I take it?"
"I am."
So she was addressing me after all.
"I heard the stories from Lord Pallad. That you can wield mana, like my husband."
"Yes. It's thanks to that gift that I was able to enter the Academy at all."
"Hmm."
Petra's eyes swept over me from head to toe. As a member of the Amethyst family, she too possessed considerable skill — there was no way she could have missed the golden mana flowing from every inch of my body.
"It's true, then. This mana… it's the same as theirs…"
Lost in wonder, she stared at me for a long moment. Then she cleared her throat, met my eyes, and spoke.
"Let us get to the heart of the matter. Tell me — would you consider becoming my son-in-law?"
Truly the head of House Amethyst. Straight for the throat, huh. Forget accepting or declining — is the strategy here just to fire the shot and see what happens?
"Mother!"
Eva cried out, visibly startled. But as if she had no intention whatsoever of backing down, Petra ignored her daughter's protest and pressed on.
"As it happens, our daughter has come of marriageable age. If you please me, the family could formally offer you a place within it."
From a family head's standpoint, her decision was beyond reproach. A political marriage that secured power rivaling a weapon of war — a bargain no matter how you looked at it, and talented offspring to boot. Killing two birds with one stone, really.
Yeah, but that's not quite right, is it.
From the standpoint of a mother of a household, though, that choice was a disappointing one. Now I was in a bind. What should I say next? I spent a long while racking my brain for the right words — phrasing that could smooth things over and get past this moment without making an enemy of Eva's family.
Slip.
"Hm?"
Just then, Chloe, who had been silently watching, slid up quietly beside me and wrapped her arms around me from behind. This was the girl who flinched if a fingertip so much as grazed her — why on earth was she doing this—
"Lady Petra, I'm terribly sorry, but I don't think that's going to work."
"Chloe, whatever do you mean?"
Petra voiced her confusion — and in answer, Chloe dropped the bombshell.
"This man is dating me."
Who the hell are you supposed to be?