Chapter 107
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 107
Chapter Title: Merchant's Son (2)
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Unable to withstand the pressure closing in from all sides, Nathan finally shouted.
"I'm just going to step out for some fresh air!"
"N-Nathan!"
"I can't hear you! Don't try to stop me!"
He squeezed his eyes shut and bolted from the drawing room as if fleeing for his life.
- BAM!
Leaving the three women behind with his parents, Nathan vanished like the wind.
"Ahahaha, haha. Ah, my stomach hurts so much I might die."
Noah, the only one in the Kell family who knew the truth, barely stifled her laughter with choked giggles.
"Mom, Dad. Big brother didn't come here to announce a marriage."
"What? He's not?"
Tillian's face fell visibly at the denial of his dream.
"She's someone I have to protect as an immigration officer. That's why I brought her along."
"Protect... someone?"
Miriam steadied her pounding heart and spoke in a trembling voice.
"Ah, even so, how could someone like you... come here together?"
She had nearly fainted when the intelligence agents arrived, but now her son, back after four years, had brought a former saintess, a princess, and a dragon.
How on earth had he spent those four years to end up with this combination?
"...Not marriage news."
Tillian shook his head regretfully at the spot where Nathan had stormed off.
But the three women didn't contradict him.
"..."
"..."
"..."
Instead, their faces flushed slightly as they pretended not to hear.
Miriam bowed deeply to them.
"I-I'm so sorry. I didn't recognize you all and was terribly rude..."
"Ah, no. No no no! It's fine! Please lift your head, Mother... I mean, ma'am!"
"Uuuuugh!"
"I accept your apology."
Three different responses came back.
Only then could Miriam take a proper look at them.
The saintess with sky-blue hair, suppressing her aura yet still faintly emanating a golden glow.
The princess who only mumbled sounds, bearing the royal family's signature green eyes.
And... even the dragon affectionately stroking her head, the lady of this house.
Nathan's brought some truly unique women.
What on earth had he gone through to bring people like this? And so suddenly, on vacation no less.
Her son, whom she hadn't seen in so long, had grown beyond recognition.
Gone was the defiant boy of nineteen declaring he'd run away from home; in his place stood a fine young man returning proudly.
And... one more thing.
"...Thank you so much."
With Erzena's support, Miriam stood and bowed once more.
"Pardon?"
"Back then, my son was... well..."
What was the right word?
As she pondered, Noah chimed in.
"Cold. Calculating."
"Yes. The most merchant-like of anyone."
She still remembered.
- Do we need that?
- Anything inefficient gets cut. No exceptions.
- Fire them. I don't care about their circumstances.
Phrases Nathan always had on the tip of his tongue during his academy days.
No wonder his nickname back then was "Cold-Blooded."
His furrowed brow and sharply honed gaze, as if he saw the world only in numbers.
That was the Nathan Miriam had known.
"But today, his expressions have softened so much. It must be thanks to you all."
The face Nathan showed upon returning after four years was utterly different.
Laughing, annoyed, sighing, flustered.
It had been so long since she'd seen her son so full of life.
But Erzena shook her head.
"On the contrary, we're the ones grateful to you, ma'am."
"Pardon?"
"Without Nathan, none of us would be here."
"W-What do you...?"
Erzena smiled faintly and glanced at where Nathan had been.
"You said he was merchant-like. I'm not sure. I never saw that side of him. Right?"
"Ugh."
"Indeed."
Elaine and Mnatsil agreed matter-of-factly.
"The Nathan we know is..."
"Our guardian."
- Friend. And. Sole. Understanding soul.
"..."
As the two responded with words and a card, Erzena hesitated before answering.
"A p-precious person. And Nathan treats us preciously too."
Her holy power rippled subtly.
Noah murmured in slight surprise.
"...Erzena sis."
"O-Of course, as protection targets! Yes, exactly. That's the relationship."
Miriam watched her sudden fluster in silence, then spoke softly.
"I see... Nathan never sent a single letter. Just holiday and New Year's gifts."
"..."
"Is he doing well as an immigration officer?"
The mother curious about her son's life after four years away.
The father feigning disinterest but with ears perked up.
At the couple's consistent demeanor, Erzena couldn't help but smile faintly.
They're good people.
She could feel how much they loved their son.
She didn't know why Nathan had chosen immigration officer over merchant.
But even after four years, his mother welcomed him sincerely, and his father grumbled yet accepted him.
Perhaps that's why he stood unshaken.
Had they truly forced the merchant path, his odd ties to a saintess, princess, and dragon might never have begun.
So Erzena made her decision.
"This... might be a long story. Would you hear it?"
She'd tell them how they came to be with Nathan.
As parents, they deserved to know their child's life.
And more than that, Erzena wanted to grow close to this "Nathan's mother."
"Of course. I'd love to hear it."
"Hmph."
The tale wouldn't be short.
But they had time to spare.
Especially on this absolutely peaceful vacation.
It wouldn't always be cheerful or light.
Their first meetings with Nathan weren't comedies, after all.
But right now, it was.
So Erzena took a deep breath and began.
"Actually, I was selected as a key figure in a pilgrimage to the Great Cathedral in the south, and I branded Nathan—who tried to stop us—an heretic."
"Wh-What!?"
"Nghp!"
Of course, starting with such a bombshell nearly made Tillian and Miriam faint again—that was their little secret.
I didn't return home until I saw the sun setting.
And what I saw upon coming back for dinner...
"Um, ma'am. It's all baked—where should I put this?"
"Uuuuugh?"
"Mother, I smashed the pumpkin!"
Women I'd never seen set foot in a kitchen were earnestly cooking.
And my mother had perfectly adapted to the situation in less than three hours.
"Miss Erzena, that's for after the dish is done, so set it there. Nathan always sprinkled it on everything as a kid—he'll need it."
"Ah...! Yes! Got it!"
Erzena set down the cheese shaker as carefully as if it were a holy relic.
"Princess El... no, Miss Elaine. For cream soup, you have to stir at a steady pace nonstop for it to taste good. And it's Nathan's favorite, so we must make it right, yes?"
"!!! Uuugh!!!"
- Whiskwhiskwhiskwhisk.
The moment Mother's words ended, Elaine's eyes gleamed as she furiously stirred the pot with telekinesis.
"And Mrs. Mnatsil, you don't smash the pumpkin—you split it in half to stuff it. It's our family tradition, so let's be gentler?"
"Oh dear. Tradition it is, then. The Central Officer will like it."
"Of course. He'll love it."
Mnatsil carefully split the third pumpkin.
Mother was gleefully leveraging my name to put these exalted ladies to kitchen work.
"Nathan, you're back? Wait just a bit. Dinner will be ready soon."
"Uh..."
What the hell was going on?
Stunned by this utterly unforeseen—no, unimaginable—sight, I asked blankly.
"...How did you manage this?"
A question loaded with meaning.
Miriam smiled brightly.
"Your grandfather's words came to mind. 'Enjoy any situation.'"
Her eyes brimmed with pure joy.
"I decided not to think about their statuses or origins. They're guests in our home—that's all."
"..."
"Of course, special 'cohabiting women' guests brought by my son. But when they said they'd cook for you after so long, they all jumped right in."
She winked with the last words.
Ah, Mother.
Why do I see the Auditory Officer's sly grin overlapping with yours?
Even in this place far from the Immigration Control Office, where can I find peace?
I leaned toward Noah, who was peeking at the oven.
"...What happened while I was gone?"
"They talked with Mom and the sisters, then Mom's face changed. And suddenly she became the commander."
"Hold on, sisters?"
Why the new nickname?
Actually, she'd been doing it since yesterday.
Feeling my gaze, she shrugged.
"I decided to enjoy it too."
Right, you're a Kell too.
The finished meal was truly extravagant.
"Wow..."
Bacon-topped cheese bread, my favorite cream soup, head-sized pumpkin pies as a bonus, and Mother's special chicken cutlets...
Even for seven diners, the portions were intimidating.
"Come now, dig in. A wonderful day calls for a wonderful meal."
At Miriam's signal, everyone dove into the food.
They hadn't eaten since leaving the southern border.
As we ate voraciously, someone tapped my shoulder.
"Oppa. Oppa."
It was Noah.
She held out a perfectly golden cheese bread.
"Try this. Rate it."
No reason to refuse.
I took a bite.
Melty cheese, soft crumbling bread beneath, crisp bacon on top.
I couldn't hold back admiration.
I said sincerely.
"Munch munch... Honestly, sorry to Hanna, but it's the best bread I've ever had."
The response came not from Noah, but opposite.
"Really!?"
From Erzena.
Her golden eyes sparkled as she shot up.
Her suppressed holy power burst out briefly, then subsided.
A clear sign of joy.
"E-Erzena?"
"Ah, s-sorry. I'm sorry..."
Face beet red, she hastily sat and bowed her head.
"Ehehehe... What about this?"
With a cunning grin, Noah now offered cream soup.
Damn, can't resist.
My favorite food.
I gulped down the whole plate.
Hot, smooth cream sliding down my throat.
Bits of potato and meat inside.
Near perfection.
"...I feel grateful to be alive."
"What're you saying."
"It's freaking delicious."
I wiped my mouth and nodded in satisfaction.
"Nngh..."
Elaine twisted in her seat right after.
- Rumble rumble rumble.
The whole house shook suddenly.
"What? Earthquake?"
"E-Elaine! If this collapses, we're in real trouble...!"
Shocked parents, Erzena grabbing Elaine's shoulder and whispering.
Thankfully, the shaking stopped in under five seconds.
And finally...
"Oppa. Want some pumpkin pie?"
Our family tradition, the ultimate calorie bomb.
Mnatsil stopped face-planting into her plate and looked up sharply.
I took a bite.
"...Same as four years ago. Really good."
How were all these dishes perfect?
Mnatsil smiled very, very pleased.
"Hear that, Kirba? Your father... no, guardian says it's good."
Her tail wagged furiously, nearly lifting her off the ground.
Noah, watching it all, grinned.
"So."
"Yeah?"
"Which was the best?"
The sly little devil posed the final question.
Golden, red, and green eyes fixed on me.
All gleaming with subtle expectation.
"Ah."
Then it hit me.
Why they'd reacted so intensely to my ratings.
They hadn't helped Mother.
They made these themselves!
Mother's earlier words flashed by.
- When they said they'd cook for you after so long, they all jumped right in.
Not helping—taking the lead.
Oh my god.
That's why they were so sensitive to my judgment.
And now I had to rank them.
"W-Well, you see..."
"Rank them. First to third."
I'm screwed.
This damn girl set a trap.
I racked my brain.
What's the best move?
About two seconds later,
I shoved a bite of everything into my mouth and yelled.
"Tonight's dinner is all delicious!"
In the end, I ate 2.5 times my usual amount right there.
That was my best play.
How could I choose?
I couldn't handle it.
About twenty minutes later.
"Urgh..."
To survive, I panted heavily.
Is this a new torture method?
Filling someone's stomach to the limit with food—luxurious yet agonizing.
Of course, I didn't eat it all alone.
"O-Oppa... I-I'm so full... Can't breathe..."
Noah, with a similarly bloated belly, groaned beside me.
Damn sister.
Couldn't let me suffer alone, so I forced her to sit and eat the same.
Thus, the two siblings lay slumped over the table like pigs, immobile.
Then.
"Nathan?"
"Yes, Mother."
"Want to take a walk? To aid digestion."
Salvation's lifeline descended.
No reason to refuse.
My stomach felt ready to burst.
"Y-Yeah, sure..."
But I soon realized that wasn't her real intent.
Miriam Kell's face held no more playfulness.
"Son?"
Her gaze was gentle yet serious.
Exactly like four years ago, when I chose immigration officer over merchant.
Serious talk. Or something equivalent.
"...Where to?"
"Let's walk the inner courtyard. I have something to say."