Chapter 298
Chapter 298
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: Introducing Mother to the Lovers
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"What what what... so cool...."
"I-is it... really true? Really?"
"Why can't any of you believe me? Have I been that untrustworthy up until now...?"
Everyone staring at me with their own shocked reactions.
Seeing that, I couldn't help but think they were overreacting.
Sure, it was a bit surprising, but wasn't this too much?
"Mom and I could date, you know. Dad's passed away anyway, and we're only ten years apart."
"Ah, even so, that's...."
"...kinda not right, isn't it?"
"Huh."
Why?
Why were they all reacting like this was so absurd?
How could anyone not develop feelings for someone as attractive as Rozalin?
Even if I'd been a girl from the start, I definitely would have fallen for her.
Whether I became her daughter or not, even if we were blood-related, I still would have felt pretty much the same way about her.
"Is it really that weird for me and Mother to date?"
"...Honestly, it's a bit shocking. I sometimes think you're a little strange... but yeah, it's really shocking."
"Eeeh...."
Even Ella, who's been with me since we were kids, wasn't buying it.
Who would've thought something like this would happen?
I was the one who ended up feeling baffled.
"But we've been family for like ten years now...?"
"We still are family."
"So seeing someone like that as a romantic partner is just... disconcerting...."
"Dating seven people isn't disconcerting?"
"Ah...."
Honestly, to me, dating seven beautiful women seemed way more socially scandalous than dating Rozalin.
That was my serious take on it.
"Anyway, Mother's my girlfriend too. So give her a warm welcome, everyone. She was actually my first girlfriend, so maybe I should be the one deferring to her?"
As I said that, I glanced over at Rozalin.
Hmm.
Her face flushed bright red, completely buried in her hands out of embarrassment. It was quite the sight.
To think someone in her late twenties could look that cute.
She really was the best.
........
"...Haha."
"Haha...."
"Hmm...."
They all glanced around at each other, then at me, back to Rozalin, then at each other again.
Was it really that shocking...?
Given everything I'd done before, I figured they wouldn't be too surprised.
I'd already done far worse things, so I didn't expect this level of shock.
Seeing them struggle more than I thought, I started to worry a bit myself.
"Mother. Come over here."
"...Do I have to go right now?"
"Yes, right away."
So I pulled Rozalin over to my side.
After all, to help her bond with my other girlfriends, I'd have to take the lead.
Ashley... she'd probably get along fine on her own.
But Rozalin was having extra trouble because of her role as my mother.
That's why I decided to force the issue a little... and resolve it.
"...Camellia? Why are you suddenly pushing me this way...."
"Hehe."
"Wait, daughter...? Don't you think we should talk about this first...?"
"It's fine. You'll warm up to each other if you just chat slowly."
I started guiding Rozalin, who had been standing next to me, toward the table where my peers were sitting.
She put up a weak resistance as I placed my hand on her shoulder and led her along, but....
It wasn't a problem.
.......
"Everyone, say hi. This is my girlfriend, Rozalin Leonhardt. Yeah... she has the same last name as me, but just treat her casually. Chat like you're at a tea party or something?"
I sat Rozalin in the empty chair and said that to my girlfriends.
Ashley was still sitting a bit apart, grinning like she was watching an entertaining play, while Lize watched with her usual expression.
And the other girlfriends....
"...Ah, hello. Sh-should I call you... Madam?"
"...Just call me comfortably."
"Ah, um... you can speak casually to us too...!"
"I-is that okay......."
"Y-yes! It'd actually be weird if you spoke formally to us... um... haha...."
Hmm.
At least they were starting to talk.
That was a relief. If they couldn't even begin a conversation, that would've been the real problem.
"...Hmm."
"...Miss Ivana, you say something toooo...!"
"I've never met Madam that often...."
"Th-that's right! Ella's been to the mansion the most...! You talk...."
"Ah, no way... this is how you guys are gonna be!?"
"S-sorryyy...."
...It felt a little chaotic, to say the least.
But it'd probably get better with time.
Rozalin had a really great personality, after all.
Plus, the others were all younger than her... they'd manage.
Yeah.
Worst case, if talking didn't work...
I could always offer myself up in bed like last time.
A 7-to-1 was still a bit scary for me.
But if it'd bring everyone closer, I'd definitely give it a shot.
"...Madam, are you really... dating Camellia? Like, for real?"
"...Yes."
"You're not just... acting because Camellia said something weird, or going along with it...? Actually...?"
"We're really... dating."
"...Wow."
"..Whoa."
With Ella—who'd talked to Rozalin the most—leading the way, the conversation finally picked up.
I sat down next to Ashley on the sofa where she lounged alone and watched.
I even had Lize, who'd been standing, take a break over here.
"Umm.... Could I ask one question too, if that's okay?"
"Of course... Miss Grace."
"Ah, yes...! So does Madam like Camellia too...?"
"I love her. Yes, that's real too."
"Not just as a mother...."
"Of course I love her as a mother, but also as a woman.... Um... hahaha...."
Surprisingly, the conversation was flowing better and better.
Whenever the girls hesitantly asked questions, Rozalin would blush like a schoolgirl and answer each one thoughtfully.
"It's fun, right?"
"Yeah."
"What do you think, Lize?"
"You're as mischievous as ever, Miss."
"Pfft, true enough. But this seemed like the best way."
We watched from behind.
I did plan to introduce Ashley to the others eventually, since she'd never met them.
But for now, getting comfortable with Rozalin took priority.
As for Ashley, she was basically like Pet A, snoozing comfortably somewhere in whatever room I was in. That was fine.
She'd get used to them on her own if she kept showing up in my room.
And Lize had known everyone since academy days.
"...May I ask how it happened?"
"Miss Ivana, speak comfortably. You don't have to talk like I'm your superior or anything."
"...Yes, got it."
"Hmm... how we ended up in this relationship...."
Hearing Ivana's question, Rozalin sat quietly and pondered.
Wonder how she'd explain it.
Was she going to spill everything about how I... kidnapped her, imprisoned her... raped her?
They were my girlfriends who liked me, but hearing that might shock them even more than learning I was dating Rozalin.
Of course, I had no intention of denying what I'd done back then.
It was my mistake, my fault, and I still felt guilty toward her... but if I could go back, I'd do it all over again.
To have Rozalin, I'd do anything.
No matter what future lay ahead, she was mine, period.
"Hmm.... Well, we'd have to go way back. Yeah. This is something I haven't told anyone else, but since you're all part of Camellia's harem.... Yeah, it's fine."
She seemed about to talk about her past, her origins.
She'd never shared that with anyone else.
It just showed how serious she was about our relationship.
"I'm not just the youngest daughter of the Rose Family—I was illegitimate. So from a young age... I faced a ton of discrimination and bullying in the family. That's how it was."
As Rozalin spoke, everyone shot Ivana looks like 'Why'd you ask that?'
It was... pretty dark stuff, after all.
"Then I ended up coming to the Leonhardt Family. From the very first day, I met Camellia. And from then on, she was so... good to me. Even as a stranger, she treated me like her real mother, gave me nice gifts, went out with me whenever I suggested it."
Rozalin kept going.
She was talking to the girls, but every now and then, she'd glance at me.
Each time, she'd give me that loving look.
"She was like a daughter who adored me... showering me with love. Yeah, back then it felt... different from now. I'd never felt that happy before, never had anyone cherish me like Camellia did. So I really started seeing her as my cute little daughter."
She even started giving me these grateful looks.
Totally different from when I'd first sat her down with the girls—soft and warm.
"A year passed, then two. My love for Camellia grew with each one. Of course, back then it was just as a daughter. At the same time... our relationship? Maybe obsession is the word? It was the first bond that tight in my life. I started wanting to be with her always... yeah, a little."
...As Rozalin spoke to the girls, no one interrupted.
They just focused entirely on her story, completely immersed.
Like watching a play or listening to a bard's tale.
"We went through the academy, Camellia built up her business like crazy, then the family head passed away suddenly, and she became an adult. Then... out of nowhere, Camellia confessed. Not just any confession—it was hot, deep, from so far down in her heart you couldn't even see the bottom."
"Wooow...."
"Wow...."
...I did confess.
But wasn't that during the kidnapping-imprisonment-training-blackmail phase?
"At first, I only saw her as a daughter, so I refused. But Camellia kept confessing. So earnestly. Watching that, my heart slowly opened up. After that.... Hehe."
"Wow.... That's so... so romantic...!"
"Y-yeah! It's straight out of a novel...."
...There seemed to be some major omissions.
But nothing Rozalin said was untrue.
And my other girlfriends? They were genuinely amazed, totally moved.
Hmm.
Well, at least it was resolving well...?
Felt like my misdeeds got romanticized, and my conscience was pricking a little.
Never thought the day would come when my usually ironclad conscience felt guilty.
But everyone seemed happy, so I'd just think positive.
Besides, Rozalin said it herself.
I never asked her to omit or sugarcoat anything.
Even if she'd boldly said she got kidnapped, imprisoned, raped, trained, and blackmailed by her daughter... I wouldn't have said a word.
Now, I was just relieved things had gone way better than expected.