Chapter 4: Boasting About Your Son is a Mother's Privilege
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 4: Boasting About Your Son is a Mother's Privilege
My mother was an energetic woman. She was so busy that it felt like she was giving her absolute all to both her home and her work. Since the youngest was mostly cared for by a male nanny, I spent most of my time at home acting as my older sister's plaything.
Given that she could afford a male nanny, you’d think she could easily hire a housekeeper as well, but Mother insisted on cooking herself the moment she got home, usually serving us a table full of nothing but greens.
Perhaps because she was a rabbit, my sister ate happily. However, the man inside me screamed in agony at the sight of a home-cooked meal featuring tofu instead of meat. But hey, if it’s nutritionally sound, what can you do?
I just had to settle for vicarious satisfaction during lunch by snatching meat side dishes from Fluffy Teacher.
Occasionally, when she was too busy and had to work overtime, we could order whatever we wanted for delivery, which was my only saving grace.
On top of that, she was apparently a high-ranking official in the police force. The rank system here was different from the world I used to live in, so I couldn't even grasp how high she was, but seeing the sheer number of service ribbons on her uniform told me she was someone not to be trifled with.
Since I lived with the sense that our house was quite nice, I could easily deduce that I had been born with a silver spoon in my mouth—or at least a very sturdy one.
The only disappointing thing was my name. I wished she had given me something cool like [Name] Cal Degrain, but instead, I was stuck with the hopelessly tacky and childish name "Yong-hwan."
Ever since I found out the state had fed my mother some bullshit about how she had the Dragon Factor and therefore must use the character for "Dragon" (Yong) in my name, I had been burning with a desire for revenge.
Every time Fluffy Teacher called my name so affectionately, I reaffirmed my vow to change my nationality the moment I became an adult.
"The ladies we're meeting today are Mom's friends, so you mustn't be rude, okay?"
"I know, I know, Mom."
My sister, who was the one actually prone to being rude, didn't seem to be listening at all. But in times like these, wouldn't the normal thing for a precious son—and a 2nd playthrough veteran—be to grant his mother a little joy?
"Yes! I'll be on my best behavior for the aunties!"
I already possessed every quality needed to be loved by adults, and when I added such sweet words to the mix, my mom—who looked young enough to pass for someone in her early twenties—glanced at the rearview mirror with a look of pure bliss before refocusing on the road.
Though, I could easily tell she was actually quite annoyed by the way her expression immediately crumpled into a grimace as if she really didn't want to go.
"Our Yong-hwan is going to marry his big sister, right? Right~?"
"Yeees~!"
Unaware of Mom's mood, my sister was pinching my cheeks and clinging to me, showering me with clumsy displays of affection.
If I had said, "Isn't it a bit inappropriate to discuss incest so casually?" she would have undoubtedly burst into tears and caused a scene, so I had no choice but to play along.
"Yong-hwan, isn't it annoying how much your sister clings to you? Should Mom make her stop?"
"I love Sis!"
"Hehe~ My cute Yong-hwan, Big Sis will protect you~!"
Mother let out a sigh, her face saying 'whatever makes them happy,' and began to steer the wheel.
"Our Yong-hwan is going to marry Big Sis, right?"
"Yeah, yeah, I'll marry you. I'll do it a bunch of times."
I gave a half-hearted answer since it was a question I’d already been asked ten times today. My sister was clingy to the point of being a nuisance, but for someone like me who grew up without any siblings, a sister who constantly shouted "I love my brother! I love him so much!" was something to be grateful for.
"So cute! Mwah! So cute! Mwah!"
Since I was still at an age where I was categorized as a child, being smothered and kissed was annoying, but I figured it would get better as I got older, so I just let her be.
After thirty minutes of being smothered by my sister, the car pulled up in front of a massive building so tall I couldn't see the top even if I craned my neck to the limit.
A skyscraper. That was the only way to describe it. I felt a sense of awe at this architectural masterpiece of engineering that looked like it easily exceeded 200 floors.
"Alright, let's go in. Those aunties have been dying to see our Yong-hwan. Tsk..."
Despite the clicking of her tongue, the wide smile on her lips suggested she didn't actually mind the chance to show off her son.
I hated how my heart fluttered at the sight of my mother, who looked like a peerless beauty in her mid-twenties rather than someone who already had children. No, putting it that way felt weird.
After receiving a brief greeting from the Orc and Dwarf sisters whose suits looked like they were about to burst, Mom took me and my sister straight to the elevator.
The glass elevator, which offered a clear view of the outside, began its slow ascent, and the cityscape—a complex blend of magic and science—slowly filled my vision.
"Ugh... I really hate this place."
As the ground grew distant and dizzying, Iris's eyes trembled, and she buried her face in Mom's stomach.
"It's better than before, isn't it? Back then, you even had an accident..."
"Aaaah!!! Mom, don't say it!!!!"
As her eldest daughter flailed and protested, Mom—who looked like she could pass for a maiden rather than a young widow—let out a small laugh and lightly patted Iris on the back.
"Is our Yong-hwan okay?"
"Yeah, I'm fine."
It was magnificent. I pressed my face against the glass wall of the elevator, trying to soak in every detail of this world.
The buildings that had seemed to pierce the sky grew shorter as we rose. Was this a planned city? Even though I was only seeing a fraction of the massive circular layout, I felt overwhelmed by the scale of the city.
I could see spaces with trees that could only be described as forests interspersed throughout.
Above a building under construction, I saw a creature flapping massive wings, with a large rectangular object hanging beneath it. It moved slowly, aligning itself, then dropped the object onto the building before flying away.
Only then did it truly sink in—this was a fantasy world. Between my teacher at the basic education institute who had sheep-like traits, and my mom and youngest sibling having pointed ears, and my sister having rabbit ears on her head, my daily life had felt almost normal.
But standing here, I finally felt the true essence of another world. How the factories were run, what the businesses were, how weapons had evolved, what life was like for species that lived shorter or longer than humans, and what magic truly was—it was all laid out before me.
Look over there. An airship was slowly drifting through the sky. And on a massive electronic billboard, a somewhat cute but frail-looking man was modeling for some kind of container.
His crotch was incredibly bulging. Next to him was the slogan: Restore a man's pride.
No, dammit, that wasn't what I wanted to see.
By the time the scenery below stopped changing much, and just as my sister's legs—as she clung tightly to Mom—began to shake uncontrollably, the elevator came to a halt.
"We have been expecting you, Dame Degrain, and your children."
A pretty red-haired sister wearing black sunglasses and a tailcoat greeted us. Beyond the sunglasses, I could see blue eyes that seemed devoid of emotion.
I started to feel a bit intimidated by those eyes, which looked like they had definitely made a few people 'disappear' before. "...Are we the last to arrive?"
"You are the stars of the show."
"These bitches... why are they so obsessed with someone else's son..."
Mother let out a long sigh and stroked my hair. My sister, who hadn't planned on leaving Mom's side in the elevator, now stood tall and proud as if nothing had happened. Though I could see her legs were still shaking.
"Come on, Yong-hwan. Let's go see the aunties."
"Okay! Hello, pretty lady!"
Since politeness is always a great weapon, I waved at the pretty sister who seemed to be the manager. The cold, sharp atmosphere she had exuded just a moment ago melted away completely, and I got the feeling she was grinning behind those glasses.
As expected, being a bright, kind, and polite child was the best way to be loved anywhere.
Following Mother, we entered a space that took up an entire floor, decorated like a banquet hall. Far off, beyond a glass wall, I could see a swimming pool. There was someone floating in it like a drowned corpse.
I wondered if they were okay, but I decided that in a fantasy world, such things were possible. My attention turned to a group sitting on a semi-circular sofa in the very center, engaged in conversation.
In this vast space, there were only about six people visible.
The blonde sister sitting in the middle was sipping from a glass when she suddenly tilted her head back and looked our way, as if she had heard something.
"Oh, she's here! She's here! Welcome, our Senior Superintendent!"
Mother let out a long sigh, gripped our hands tightly, and walked down the stairs. The blonde sister from before stumbled to her feet, and she and the other ladies began to swarm toward us.
"Oh~ he's incredibly cute!"
A blonde, red-eyed sister who looked wealthy and smelled slightly of alcohol.
"It's a relief he doesn't take after his mother, isn't it? Hello there~"
A tall silver-haired sister with eyes so narrow they looked closed.
"Well, he's... alright looking."
I wanted to say I wasn't just 'alright' but 'extremely cute,' but I held back. This one was a purple-haired sister draped in scraps of cloth that barely qualified as clothing.
"Isn't he adorable? If I could have a son like this, I'd go for artificial insemination right now!"
A brown-haired sister who looked like a total milk cow, with a chest twice the size of my mother's.
I was completely overwhelmed by the gazes of these sisters who crowded around me, ignoring my mother entirely. In times like this, I had to hide behind Mom's thigh.
"H-Hello!"
And then, I did a bit of self-PR by acting shy yet polite.
Perfect.
Unlike my mother, who always wore her uniform or dressed simply, these sisters were wearing incredibly expensive clothes. I was certain of it.
This was likely a party for the powerful!
If they were willing to earmark me as a future son-in-law, I was more than ready to work on their affection levels!
"Everyone, back off! You're scaring my Yong-hwan, you hags!"
Mother growled at her friends—my potential future in-laws—with fire in her eyes.