Chapter 59
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 59
Chapter Title: Countess Bella Sodrus (2)
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"...Amazing."
That was my impression upon seeing the maids of the household rejoicing that their [Gardening] skill had leveled up, thrilled to have earned the Perfect Chef title.
This world treated [game-like elements] as a matter of course.
Everyone on this continent took it for granted that people grew stronger through levels, skills, and jobs.
They felt no sense of dissonance about traits determining one's disposition or skills granting the immediate use of unknown techniques.
"Status Window."
Checking my own status, aside from a few basic spells, I had no skills or jobs whatsoever.
'As expected, transferring [Supernatural Abilities] proved impossible.'
When I possessed this world, I had inserted the data from the body I used at the academy. If it worked, I could become strong right upon entering this world.
The attempt yielded half success.
As a result of transferring data from the previous world, my body was far sturdier than it had appeared at the time of possession.
It wasn't the perfect body I used at the academy, but rather a partial application of the data accumulated there.
"Heading out in the morning, young master?"
"I need a place where I can swing a sword. Do you know of one?" I asked the valet by my side.
"There's a training ground in the inner courtyard, but... for you to want the training ground? That's unusual."
The elderly valet chuckled and led me to the training ground.
'Even partially applied, it's to this extent...'
That was my thought as I swung a steel greatsword in the family's training ground.
I could wield the heavy greatsword with ease, but that was all.
'All my [Supernatural Abilities] are gone...'
While sword stances and basic movements were ingrained in my body, I couldn't perform the flashy techniques from before.
Abilities nonexistent in this world seemed to be automatically excluded; all my [Supernatural Abilities] had vanished.
Since my strength relied heavily on those abilities, their lack of inheritance was a great regret.
'What a shame...'
The moment I set down the sword, a notification appeared.
[You have acquired Basic Swordsmanship (Lv. 1).]
[EXP required to next level: 500]
[Current EXP: 23040/500]
'Hm?'
Notifications flooded in: Your level has increased. In an instant, Basic Swordsmanship reached the next stage.
Swinging the sword again, I felt it move far more naturally than before.
'So that's how the transfer works...!'
The [Supernatural Abilities] gained at the academy weren't completely gone. When acquiring similar skills in this world, they converted to EXP, allowing instant mastery.
'It wasn't heavily trained, but with this much EXP...'
If I acquired skills of similar lineage here, with [Mind Manipulation]'s aid, I could reach mastery in a flash.
[Mind Manipulation] was a [Supernatural Ability] I had perfected in the previous world.
According to the initial info, this body had talents as a [Word Sorcerer] and [Black Mage].
A [Word Sorcerer] infused will into words to enact change... it meshed well with [Mind Manipulation].
With basic knowledge of word sorcery, I could manipulate minds as before.
I took all the money Rian had saved and headed out of the mansion.
To acquire the skill of dominating human hearts...
"Late again today, Rian Sodrus."
I hate this time when I send away the maids and valets, leaving just the two of us.
A parent who loves their child would cherish this time together, but not me.
I hold no affection whatsoever for Rian Sodrus.
Love your child because it's your child? That's an emotion I can't comprehend.
Since Rian was born, my life has been ruined.
My future as a great archmage, proudly etching my name in history, was definitively impossible after bearing this child.
Every time I see him, my stolen future haunts me, filling me with rage.
Moreover, though he's my child, he's truly pathetic.
His frame looks fine, but he lacks talent in magic.
No, as my child, he can't lack talent. The problem is his attitude.
That timid, passive demeanor... it frustrates anyone watching.
He does nothing until told, avoids all responsibility by never acting proactively...
To birth such a talentless noble mage with no passion or will for magic, my life ended.
If that were all, I wouldn't loathe him this much.
He was always pathetic, but lately, he's become even more loathsome.
The reason is clear. The once timid Rian has started acting bizarrely.
Skipping magic studies to swing a sword in the training ground, squandering his savings on the notoriously useless [Word Sorcery]...
Word sorcery, of all things? Isn't that an obsolete art?
A parlor trick that worked on ancients ignorant of mana, and he's pouring fortunes into studying it...
Even hobbies have standards, but I can't understand my biological son Rian Sodrus's choice.
After reading books like Basics of Word Sorcery and Word Sorcery and Mana for just a few days, he suddenly tried commanding me with it. I could only sigh.
What does he think I am?
To try crude word sorcery learned in a few days on a mage who's trained since childhood and reached a certain realm!
Even innocence has limits.
Common knowledge: the deeper one's understanding of mana, the more fortified the mind.
A mind scouted by the Magic Tower, brimming with archmage potential, wouldn't fall to such a trick.
Even years of investment might only sway a small dog, yet he tries it on people after days...
What's even funnier is how his attitude changed completely, as if his word sorcery actually worked on those around him.
After learning word sorcery, Rian became like a different person, his personality utterly transformed.
Strutting around like he owns the world—it's utterly ridiculous and pathetic.
To waste my life teaching magic to such a man... it just brings sighs.
I sighed, changed clothes, and emerged.
The routine for teaching Rian magic.
Removing the white shirt covering my chest exposed it fully, which was mortifying.
It's essential for helping Rian focus on magic lessons, but wearing such attire filled me with shame, flushing my face red.
My modest dress became the sort a street prostitute might wear, chest brazenly exposed.
The breeze through the window chilled my bare skin, naturally tensing me.
"Are you nervous, Mother?"
Rian eyed me up and down like appraising goods. His gaze licking the outline of my legs through the dress fabric was a bit frightening.
I tugged the skirt to hide my leg line, sat in the chair, and continued the lesson.
"Hmph. Focus on the lesson, Rian Sodrus."
The old me would never have worn such revealing clothes.
It looks like a brothel wench's outfit. A proper lady maintains modesty everywhere.
But it's a common incentive: "to heighten focus during magic instruction."
Like giving snacks based on test results—a basic teaching method.
And it's effective. Rian, who barely concentrated before, now focuses on me.
...Whether on my chest or the lesson, I'm not sure.
His magic learning ability has improved greatly; he now handles test assignments effortlessly.
Showing me his completed homework, Rian demands his reward as if it's natural.
"Really? This is your idea of a reward?"
I crossed my arms and glared at Rian.
"Do I... really have to do this to satisfy you, Rian Sodrus?"
Even if it's a deserved reward, it's still embarrassing.
The old Rian would have backed down at my cold, low voice, but now he's different.
"Yes, please, Mother." Lately more brazen, Rian smiled and boldly claimed his right.
"Haa..."
I placed both hands on my chest and approached Rian.
"10 seconds. You got all 10 questions right... so exactly 10 seconds."
Rian tugged my collar, exposing my breasts.
"Eut...! Hurry... up...!"
Rian examined my exposed breasts, then brought my nipple to his lips.
It was truly shameful, but Rian still couldn't wean.
This unspeakable embarrassment kept me letting him suckle.
"Eut...! Rian, how long... will you suck Mother's...!"
Truly pathetic. He wasn't like this as a child...
Back then, Rian didn't suck so lewdly.
He didn't tease the areola with his tongue or knead my breasts softly while suckling.
Back when Rian was little...
When he was little...?
Huh? Come to think of it, that's odd. Did I ever breastfeed Rian?
From birth, he was so resented. I left him to a wet nurse until weaning...
I have no memory of breastfeeding Rian...
"Rian...! Gently...! Hnng...!"
My thoughts cut off as Rian pressed hard, as if to leave teeth marks around my areola.
Without permission, he brazenly wrapped his arms around his mother's waist like a lover, roughly fondling her breast.
A grown boy embracing his mother's waist like a lover, still craving her milk—truly shameful and irreverent.
He suckled, tickling my nipple with his tongue as if coaxing nonexistent milk.
"Ten... seconds... are up...!"
I finally pried off the persistent Rian, but my mind went blank white; I couldn't recall my earlier thought.
After glaring once at the satisfied Rian, I dressed again and resumed the lesson.
I'm truly worried. Lately, Rian diligently finishes my assignments daily, so the reward intensity has risen a lot from the start.
At this rate, surely...
'What are you thinking, Bella...!'
Suppressing an emotion I couldn't tell was worry or anticipation, I focused on the lesson at hand.