The Worst Meeting with My Favorite
"Yaaawn..."
It was early morning, and even though I'd gotten used to it, a hazy drowsiness lingered, leaving me gaping blankly as I let out a yawn. Stretching languidly atop this now-familiar bed, my arms trembled with the effort. Back in the day, the moment I woke up, I'd check under the pillow and inspect the sheets for any bloodstains from overnight. But now, seeing no traces at all, a smile crept across my face unbidden.
"Good morning!"
My mood bubbled up cheerfully. I knew exactly what day it was! Today was the day we'd head to the Northern Duke's territory—the day I'd finally lay eyes on the Northern Duke herself, the one I'd longed to meet!
"Hehe~"
Just thinking about it made laughter spill out. In my past life, the character I'd mained the most was none other than the Northern Duke. My ultimate fave, as they say. She boasted insane resistance to all sorts of deadly poisons, shrugged off elemental magic like it was nothing, and bulldozed through terrain so frigid even the Hero struggled—all with her overpowered prowess! Truth be told, I liked her way more than the Hero.
Mm-hmm. The Hero was basically a self-insert for the player, so she had this stoic, dialogue-less setup. But the Northern Duke's charisma...!
"Eugh...!"
Those thoughts set my heart racing already. I hopped off the bed, threw on a simple robe, and dashed out of the room. Skipping down the hall, I screeched to a halt in front of a certain door. Grunting as I shoved it open, I burst inside with a goofy grin.
"Mommyyy!"
"...Kael, you're awake."
"Yesss! Hehe~ It's today, right? We're going today, right?!"
Mom was in front of the full-length mirror, adjusting her front bangs. Her poised elegance put my mind at ease just watching her. As I ran over giggling, she caught me effortlessly with that familiar look, pulling me into a soft, natural embrace. Her signature cozy scent and familiar perfume wafted over me. I buried my face in her ample bosom, then popped my head up.
"That's right. It's today."
Mom, who'd been silently watching me, let out a soft chuckle and gently stroked my hair. Come to think of it, lately she'd been smiling more than usual—ever since that day I wore Dad's clothes. She hadn't reacted much back then, but her frequent smiles now made me happy.
"You're up unusually early for you. That excited, huh?"
"Yeah! I really wanna go! It's the North! Super famous on the continent... and your old friend the Northern Duke's there too!"
"You know your stuff. But did the Lich tell you all that? I don't remember teaching you."
"Ah! Uh, um... I picked it up naturally from history lessons! Skull-teacher shared all sorts of behind-the-scenes stories..."
Mom's lips twitched upward ever so slightly, her brow furrowing.
"Oh? Chatting about other things during history time... I'll have to have a word with him later."
Erp... I'd accidentally sold out Skull-teacher, but what choice did I have? Sure, his usual history and general studies classes were boring as heck... but I'd paid attention! He'd cut me some slack for that, right? Grinning like nothing happened, I hugged Mom's waist tight. She gazed down at me for a moment, then scooped me up lightly and headed to the bed.
- Plop.
She set me down carefully on the edge of the bed. 'A bit firmer than mine...' My bed was super soft, fluffy, and warm, but Mom's felt unexpectedly firm and stiff. As the only boy in the family—and a sickly one at that—I probably had the best one available.
I nodded to myself, satisfied with the logic, then looked up at Mom as she fussed with my hair. Her hands moved awkwardly. She tried parting it a few ways, lifting strands to style them, but it felt off somehow. Servants usually handled this.
"Hey now, hold still. I'm still fixing it."
"Don't the maids usually do it?"
"I wanted to do it this time. If it's not up to par, feel free to say no. I'm a woman, after all, and women aren't as practiced at grooming as men."
"No way, I love it. Hehe. Feels nice having you touch my hair like this. Do it again sometime?"
"...Alright."
Mom paused, lips pressing together as her hands stilled at my words. Then she quirked her lips awkwardly and got back to work.
......
Preparations dragged on like that for a while. As the sole son of House Elion, heading to one of the Empire's most powerful ducal houses in the North, this level of primping was essential. Knowing that, I bit my lip and endured the ticklish discomfort as they fussed over me.
The dark elf maid, straightening my clothes and brushing off the hems, clapped lightly with a bright smile.
"You look stunning, young master! You're the picture of the Empire's most beautiful man!"
"Th-that's... not what I wanted to hear...?"
"Something else? Ah! You're so cute!"
"..."
Not quite, but hey—if she's saying that, my outfit must be fine. I scratched my cheek sheepishly. Tossing my head with a sigh, I checked myself in the full-length mirror.
Thick clothes suited for the North. A bit warm in this mild weather, but I'd heard it got brutally cold up there—this might even be too light. Sure, I was sweating now, but for my frail body, it was necessary prep.
'This cloak's ridiculously long... longer than me...' Was I gonna drag it on the ground?
"No worries about the cloak. Our expert mages have enchanted it—no speck of dust will touch it."
"Oh, really? That's amazing..."
"Ahem. Trust your servants completely."
The elf puffed out her chest proudly, practically glowing. Anyway, she looked thrilled. Dazedly fiddling with the cloak's hem, I stood and headed to my sister watching from nearby.
"Looks good on you."
"Yeah? Hehe, hearing that from you puts me at ease. They say siblings always match, right?"
"Uh, y-yeah...? Honestly, it suits you so well I'm shocked. Your eyes fit the North perfectly."
Serdi crossed her arms, blinking before shrugging. She carefully stroked my hair to keep it neat.
"You're not coming, right, Sis? Hiiing... I'll miss you..."
"It's just a week—what's with the pouty face? Geez."
"I love you, Sis! You're the best. You're the only one who plays with me at home."
"...Kael? Sis has something important to tell you—promise you'll remember? Don't go saying you like girls or love them in front of them, okay? Got it?"
Serdi raised a finger sternly, eyes locked on mine. Tilting my head, I replied.
"Duh, I only say that to family~ I wouldn't to anyone else. Mom and Skull-teacher drilled it into me: don't say stuff like that to girls."
"...I don't really see you as a little brother..."
"Huh? What? You said it too quiet—come again, Sis?"
"N-nothing!"
Serdi shook her head, startled. "You look pretty! Suits you great! Be good up North, no foxing around trying to charm girls!" She poked my cheeks, clenched a fist with a cough, then grinned and pushed my back.
- Bonk.
"Ow."
"......"
I lightly bumped my head into what was ahead. Soft and warm, but the thick clothes dulled it—such a shame.
"...It suits you well."
"Yeah? Hehe, I'm super cool, right?!"
"Cool... Well, pretty, beautiful, cute, and very much the man of Elion."
"...Tch."
Even Mom wouldn't call me cool, huh. A bit disappointing, but unavoidable? At least she said I looked good—good enough. Pouting slightly, I nodded. Mom wore a similar outfit, but on her it looked sturdy and imposing. Reliable and handsome—I nearly gasped. Was this the Hero vibe? Seeing the North-exclusive costume from the game in real life was way cooler than expected.
"...Hold on."
She approached, knelt on one knee, and reached out. Fussing with my rumpled clothes and accessories, she nodded in satisfaction.
...Whoa. That pose is insanely cool. One knee down—total badass. How is this my mom? I'm losing it.
"Why are you staring like that? Something on my face?"
"N-no... You're just so cool... Mom's so cool..."
"...You're quite lovely yourself. My precious son."
Mom faltered briefly, then gently rubbed my cheek. Warmth seeped through her white glove, thick with affection.
......
And so we arrived at the Northern Ducal House. As expected, it stood amid a raging blizzard on the snowy mountains. No place in the game had harsher conditions. Seeing it firsthand hit different. I'd grinded quests just to glimpse the Northern Duke, slot her into my party. Now here I was, jostling in a carriage, gazing at the dazzling snowscape.
Worried about the cold? Insulation magic made it a non-issue. Magic really was the best—feeling its value anew.
"We've arrived, Lady Aurelia. Young master."
The frozen half-dragon coachman announced. Mom alighted first, offering her hand. As I took it to step down—
"Eh, wha?"
She scooped me up entirely and carried me out. Set gently on the ground, she straightened my clothes. I turned my head.
"Whoa..."
A massive castle sprawled before us. Towering walls stretched endlessly. I couldn't help but gasp...
"What do you think, seeing it in person?"
"It's huge! Bigger than our house, right?!"
"...Ours is still the biggest. Enough gawking—let's move."
As I took Mom's hand to go—
"Oh, Aurelia, you made it! I was waiting with bated breath. Seeing your face after so long brings back memories!"
A voice called from afar. I whipped my head around. Blue hair, near-black eyes.
'No freaking way...!! It's her...!!'
The real Northern Duke! My eyes sparkled as I stared. For real! She's real! I wasn't even this hyped seeing Mom. How is she this cool?! My heart pounded! Wooow! Stomping excitedly, she looked down at me and chuckled.
"Oh, so you're the son I've only heard about? Quite the rare sight. Heard you were sickly, but you look better than expected."
She'd heard of me!! This is ultimate fan bliss?! So hype—
"Now that you have a daughter around the right age, we should talk betrothal, no? We promised back then, Aurelia. If we had kids, we'd marry them off."
"You're still on about that?"
"Of course~? A promise with my dearest friend? How could I forget?"
...Wait, what? Betrothal?!