Chapter 89
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 89
Chapter Title: The Collapsed Authority of the Head of Household
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"I love you..."
"Ha... Are you really in your right mind?"
"I love you."
"What if you'd caused a scene at the academy!"
"I love you..."
"Ha... How could you even think of using an aphrodisiac..."
"Jenia... At least nothing happened outside..."
"Don't stop your hand—keep doing what you were doing!"
"I... I love you..."
The night we'd turned into beasts had passed, and we'd all come back to our senses.
I was stroking Jenia's hair as she sat on my lap, leaning her back against me, whispering "I love you" into her ear over and over.
Veronica, drained of energy, lay limply on the bed, staring blankly.
Lea, the culprit behind it all, knelt with her hands raised, her lips pouting.
Jenia's forehead vein bulged at the sight.
"Say something!"
Lea, who had been glaring at Jenia, slowly opened her duck-like pout.
"Sor... sor..."
"Hoo... Fine..."
"You crazy bitch, you liked it too!"
"That's it!"
I gently caressed Jenia's ears, which were about to ignite, and stroked her hair again.
"I... I love you..."
"Hoo..."
Jenia shot me a slight glare before relaxing her body again.
This was definitely Lea's fault.
I looked at Lea and said,
"Lea, you were wrong this time. If you're going to use an aphrodisiac, at least agree on it together."
Lea drooped her eyebrows.
"Sorry, Jenia..."
"Sigh..."
Seeing that, Veronica crawled over sluggishly and apologized to Jenia.
"Um... Jenia, I'm sorry too... Actually, I was the one who put the aphrodisiac in the food..."
"Veronica?"
Jenia's eyes widened in disbelief.
"Veronica... That's why you've seemed anxious since yesterday."
"Well... A little guilty conscience..."
"Sigh... Why did you help Lea?"
Veronica fidgeted with her lips before blushing and saying,
"Well... I thought it'd be nice if we all did it together... Without any order..."
"......"
Jenia was so flabbergasted by the beyond-imagination answer that she couldn't speak.
I was a little stunned too.
'Just don't say it...?'
I had a feeling Jenia would've gone along with it if no one said anything.
Lea, watching closely, chimed in.
"Even our Veronica says it like that? And I thought this was the fastest way... Sorry..."
"Th-this...! Hoo..."
Jenia reined in her anger gauge and looked up at me.
"And you... How was it for you...?"
Jenia's face flushed with embarrassment, unable to meet my eyes properly.
Honestly speaking, I...
"It was good..."
Honestly, isn't it every man's dream?
Everything was great except for the part where we'd half-lost our minds from the aphrodisiac.
I wanted to do it again without the aphrodisiac.
Jenia, gauging my reaction, sighed once and began stroking my face.
"Sigh... What am I going to do with this guy..."
After gently caressing my lips and eyes for a while, Jenia spoke.
"Still, I think we need to have turns."
"If that's what Jenia wants..."
"We'll keep the turns, but in a way where others help out..."
Her voice trailed off in embarrassment as she spoke.
"Help?"
"Well... When one rests after going once, the others step in... You know..."
It was as good as permission.
Lea grinned mischievously at the sight.
"Great idea! You liked it too, right? Sucking top and bottom so fast you lost your mind! It was my first time with a girl too, but not bad!"
Lea must've been thrilled by the first-time play in her past and present lives combined...
Jenia's eyes blazed again at Lea so casually spilling embarrassing details.
"Such vulgarity!"
"Don't be like that—let me join next time too? I wanna feel it!"
"Insane..."
Jenia pinched the bridge of her nose like she had a headache, then blushed as last night's events flashed back.
Girls... doing that together...
"Ugh..."
Veronica, who had been staring at the two, sidled up to me and whispered.
"Apostle..."
"Yeah? What's up, Veronica."
When I asked, worried something was wrong, she gave a sticky smile.
"Um... It's my turn today...♥"
"......"
Jenia and Lea stared at Veronica in amazement, and so did I.
'My stomach's rumbling though...'
But with Veronica's eyes glistening and brimming with anticipation, I had only one thing to say.
"Of course I didn't forget..."
"Heehee! Looking forward to today too, Apostle!"
Veronica beamed like she'd struck gold.
Scary kid...
As the overheated atmosphere cooled, exhaustion hit us all, and we collapsed onto the bed.
"Ah... I have to get ready and go to the academy..."
"Liberal arts today..."
"Ha... So annoying..."
"Apostle... Arm please... Ah! Thank you!"
I extended the arm I'd placed on my solar plexus, and Veronica, draped over me, let me stroke her back as I said,
"Let's skip today."
"...Shall we?"
"Please, let's do it."
"I like that too..."
Even diligent Jenia agreed unanimously.
"Everyone hungry? Let's eat here too—I'll have the servants prepare it."
I used telekinesis to fling a roughly scribbled note out the door.
We all lay limp.
Jenia pulled my arm over to use as a pillow and mumbled,
"This... isn't good..."
Lea, seeing that, claimed my other arm and added,
"One day is fine... Just one day..."
A kind of sage time...
'Playing with girls, skipping class... This is totally...'
"Haa... Goddess... Forgive my unfaithfulness just for today..."
This is bad—living like this will make me lazy.
But the warmth and sensations enveloping my body dragged me into indulgence.
Just as I was about to doze off,
Veronica, sprawled in my arms, suddenly jerked her head up.
"Sniff... Sniff sniff!"
"Veronica?"
I asked what was wrong, but she just kept sniffing without answering.
"Sniff... Huh?"
Her eyes widened as she sniffed from my throat to collarbone to solar plexus.
"Apostle!"
"Huh...?"
"Your scent's changed a little!"
After rolling around all night, of course it'd smell a bit.
I thought that as I lifted my arm to check my own scent.
"Sniff... Isn't it just sweat? Sniff... What changed?"
The women, seeing Veronica bury her nose in my solar plexus and inhale, started sniffing too.
"Sniff... Haa... Nice... No!"
"Hoo... Hoo... Hmm... Not sure? Haaa..."
As eyes focused on her, Veronica licked her lips and explained.
"Hooo... It used to be warm but a bit fishy? Like poking your brain... Now it's like... Sticks in your brain and lingers?"
What kind of scent is that...
I gave our drug-sniffing dog Veronica a look demanding more explanation.
"Like... Sharp! Then whoooosh spreading out..."
"Sniff... Sniff... Hmm... Just smells horny to me, Liam?"
"Sniff... Hoo... Hmm... Wanna go another round before food, honey?"
"Guys... I'm embarrassed... Stop..."
Three beauties surrounding me, sniffing everywhere... It was a bit embarrassing.
"Whoa... Damn... Blushing? Slurp..."
"That's why I can't let my guard down around you."
"Sniff sniff! Ehehhe..."
The head of household's authority had crumbled.
To think they wouldn't even listen to me...
I swallowed my bitterness and said,
"Enough! Girls, time to eat. And we have a lot to handle, so let's prepare for a meeting tonight."
""Yeees~""
"Sniff... Hehe..."
I scooped up the dazed Veronica and headed to the table.
I quickly grabbed the prepared food after opening the door and started eating.
"Whoa... Salty stuff tastes great in my mouth."
"Tastes extra good today."
"Didn't realize, but eating makes me feel energized!"
Seeing their happy faces as they wolfed it down made me proud.
"Eat slowly, girls. Want more?"
"Mm... Veronica. Share one?"
"Sure!"
"Me too! Let's share between us!"
The two who'd been sparking again over food. Don't they get tired?
I ordered two portions and divided them equally; the three ate happily.
'Sigh...'
Still, eating filled me with energy.
I didn't need food that much, but it satisfied the heart.
Faster eater than the girls, I decided to handle backlog.
Jenia asked as I stood.
"Not eating more?"
"Nah, I'm good. Eat slowly."
I sat at the desk and started writing letters.
'Alvheim alliance done yesterday, so today...'
I conjured a magic circle over my hand, drew the male protagonist's face from memory, and imprinted it on the letter.
-Whirr.
A perfect sketch like a stamp.
Marked "Urgent Bounty Requested," planning cooperation from neighboring countries.
Noted cause and expected results, highest priority.
Made several, to send to the palace at once.
To the Magic Tower, detailed the red orb.
Planning to leave him no foothold on the continent—if alive.
'Wish he'd just died cleanly...'
If he shows up again, it'll be a huge hassle.
Leaning back in the chair, Lea smiled brightly and kissed my forehead.
"Mwah! So many worries?"
"Mm... Thinking about that male protagonist guy."
At "male protagonist," Lea pondered.
"Mm... Male protagonist... Where'd he pop from?"
"Seen him in your past life?"
Lea shook her head.
"No, checked hometown memories and travels—first time seeing him."
What the hell is this world?
Appeared out of nowhere, no backstory.
"Tch, no idea if transmigrator or reincarnator... Should've caught him?"
"Nah, might not have ended as dullahan. Good call!"
Despite lame exit, he had power to threaten my neck.
"Need to get stronger—still not enough..."
People I love could've died.
Thought I was strong, but lacking.
Lea grinned at my expression.
"Want an elixir?"
I smiled back at her grin.
"Heh, no thanks. Wouldn't do much now."
Ate plenty young; now only top-tier works.
Reading me, Lea sulked lightly.
"Brought tons from everywhere... Bound to use someday?"
"You eat whenever needed. This is enough for me."
I pulled a cube from sub-space. Pooch looked disappointed smacking lips, but no sharing.
As we smiled warmly, the cube suddenly vibrated and flew toward Jenia's sub-space bracelet.
-Shwoong! Crunch! Grind grind!
"What?"
"Huh? What's it doing?"
Cube rubbed against the bracelet like demanding entry.
Jenia, gathering dishes, startled.
"Li... Liam, what do we do with that?"
I panicked at the suddenness.
"Hold on, let me check."
As I stood to check the bedside bracelet...
-Whoooong...
A magic circle appeared from the cube, and a hand popped out.
Pale, slender hand—that's...
"That's not my hand?!"
Jenia gawked alternating her hand and the cube.
Cube opened sub-space itself and slipped inside.
Room filled with silence.
"......"
We all blinked, then stared at Lea.
Lea flapped her mouth in confusion; I asked,
"Lea, does that thing have ego?"
"N-no? No way...?"
Emergency? In this unprecedented situation, Lea pondered then spoke.
"Wait... Didn't you put the dullahan's armor in there?"
Jenia nodded, remembering.
"Yeah. Kept it as odd material... Ah! No way!"
They eyed each other wide, something dawning.
"Negative emotions!"
"Hellish demonic energy!"
"Right! No wonder the heat was so intense! That'd require chugging aphrodisiac bottles..."
"Y-you! What are you saying right now!"
I sorted thoughts watching them bicker again.
'Cube reacted to lingering energy in dullahan armor?'
"Jenia, you carried sub-space yesterday? Body okay?"
Jenia, blushing while bickering with Lea, relaxed.
"Ah, felt a bit stressed piling up... But fine now!"
Lea nodded, explaining.
"Seems cube drawn to armor's energy. Material's monster core, so attracted. Not sure time, but anyway..."
-Whong... Pop!
Mid-explanation, sub-space reopened; cube arced back to my hand.
"..."
Cube looked glossy somehow.
If it had a mouth, it'd burp...?
"Lea... It doesn't have ego, right?"
"Yeah... Probably...?"
We stared endlessly at the impassive cube.