Chapter 100

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Translator: Ebonarch

Chapter: 100

Chapter Title: The Calliope Family's Epilogue (1)

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It had been an unbelievably peaceful stretch of everyday life.

Sometimes I'd run into Kail in the hallway and flash him a beaming smile to send him scurrying away, or summon Garcia and Reika to my bed on alternating nights—or both at once—for some fun.

...

And right now, I was in the middle of teasing Emma, who'd come to clean my room.

"...Hnng...! M-Master... y-you can't... do this...!"

"Can't, huh? But your pussy's already soaked. Weren't you hoping for it?"

"...N-No...! ...Hnng... I-I really just... wanted to clean...! ...Hic... I-I'm serious... w-we really can't...!"

"Should I stop, then?"

As I pulled my hand away and whispered, Emma clutched my wrist tight.

"...Please... keep going."

"Emma's so cute when she's honest."

"...Hnng...! B-But... this is...! I c-can't be forgiven for...! I'm just a maid... and you're the young master...!"

After all the times we'd hooked up without issue, now she was spouting lines straight out of some smutty novel.

"..."

I shut my mouth, unsure how to respond, and Emma shot me sidelong glances.

She'd been hanging around the library lately, so she must've picked up one of those kinds of books.

Letting out a short sigh, I decided to play along.

"...Shut up and spread your legs! You dare disobey me, you mere maid?!"

"...Hic... Y-Yes... ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠p-please forgive me... Young Master...!"

—Knock knock.

Emma yanked off her panties and arched her hips in an instant, but a knock echoed through the room.

"Young Master, it's Alfredo."

"...Eek! Th-the head butler! Y-Young Master... j-just a moment! P-pretend I'm not here?!"

Emma jolted at Alfredo's sudden appearance and dove under the covers.

"Sigh..."

I shook my head, threw on my robe haphazardly, and opened the door.

"Good morning, Young Master. Did you sleep well?"

"Yeah. You, Alfredo?"

"I'm always in good health, as ever. ...That said, is someone else in the room with you?"

The sharp-eyed Alfredo narrowed his gaze, scanned the room, and called out.

"Miss Emma."

"...!"

The blankets twitched like a neon sign screaming her presence.

Still convinced she was hidden, Emma refused to come out.

"...Miss Emma, come on out."

"Hehe... Eh? H-Head Butler... h-hello?"

Emma peeked out only her face, still wrapped in the blankets.

"What are you doing in there?"

"...W-Well... blanket cleaning...!"

"Cleaning? I see. Excellent work. Then what's that pair of panties on the floor?"

"H-Hyack!"

Emma's face flushed crimson as she spotted the black panties on the ground, but Alfredo continued without batting an eye.

"...Miss Emma, playing with the Young Master is fine, but it's still work hours. If you're aiming for head maid, you need to show more diligence."

"...S-Sorry."

"Yes, be more diligent."

I nodded along with Alfredo's scolding and chimed in.

"...Young Master, that's why I said we couldn't...!"

Emma gaped at me, looking utterly wronged.

But I felt just as aggrieved.

Sure, I'd started by groping Emma's ass while she cleaned my room.

But whose fault was it that she was wiggling her hips in a skirt so short her panties were practically on display?

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

And every time I groped her, she said, "Y-Young Master... y-you can't...," but anyone could tell she wanted more—how was that her seriously saying no?!

Besides, she'd begged for it herself at the end, so I was innocent for sure.

"...I don't remember that."

"Young Master! That's so mean! Really, so mean!"

I ignored Emma puffing her cheeks and turned to Alfredo.

"So, what's up, Alfredo?"

"...The Family Head wishes to see you, Young Master."

"Father? Why?"

"No idea. I'm just the messenger. ...Though he did seem in high spirits."

He played innocent, but there was only one reason Father would summon me now.

'It's settled.'

Ereden was confirmed as the next Family Head.

It was only natural.

With Garcia and Reika out of the running, even Kail should've stepped up—but with that chastity belt on, he had no bandwidth for schemes.

"Got it. I'll change and head right over."

"Understood. Shall I accompany you to his room?"

"Nah, no need—you're busy."

"Very well, Young Master. Back to work, then."

As Alfredo bowed and turned to leave, Emma—now fully dressed—scurried past.

"...I-I'll get back to cleaning...!"

"Ah, almost forgot. Miss Emma, you're on bathroom duty for the week."

"...Eh! Th-that's apprentice maid work...!"

"Understood?"

"...Yes."

Emma rolled her eyes, desperately seeking an out, but Alfredo's word crushed her.

"Hang in there, Emma."

I patted her head consolingly, and she drooped.

"...Young Master, I hate you."

"Want me to stop?"

"...Keep going."

"Honestly, I'm surprised."

Eddard Calliope spoke naturally as we descended the stairs to the basement.

"For something I'd agonized over for years to be resolved in mere weeks—what on earth did you do?"

My heart skipped at Eddard's question.

No way could I tell Father I'd tamed his stepwife and stepdaughter.

"...Just some honest talk got through to them."

"If talk would've worked, I'd have settled it ages ago."

"..."

I racked my brain for an excuse, but nothing would fly with Eddard.

"..."

"..."

As silence choked the air, Eddard chuckled softly.

"Not even telling your old man, eh...? Fine, you've got your secrets."

"...Thank you for understanding."

"Enough. I called you here to give you a reward."

"...A reward?"

"How long are you gonna play dumb? You ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠knew the second we headed here."

Of course I ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠did.

These stairs led only to the 'Calliope Family Vault.'

"We're here."

Eddard raised his lantern, revealing a massive door shaped like the Calliope crest—a shield.

"Step back."

I retreated a few paces, and Eddard sliced his fingertip with a dagger, letting blood drip onto the wolf-head handle.

Rumble rumble rumble—!

Runes on the door glowed, and it swung open with a massive shudder.

Eddard jerked his chin.

"...Go in and pick one thing you want."

"Anything at all?"

"Yes. Didn't I say I value rewards and punishments? Preventing fratricide deserves at least this much."

"Then I won't hold back."

I'd only glanced around the vault, but plenty caught my eye.

'Baldr's Spear, Dragon Fang Sword... even the Rooster's Staff.'

True to the Calliope name, every item was a treasure.

'Still...'

After eyeing the treasures, I strode in without hesitation.

And picked up the small droplet-shaped crystal at the deepest recess.

"I'll take this."

"...Do you know what that is?"

I nodded at Eddard's question.

Frost Essence

It boosted ice-affinity and power, granting cold resistance.

Basically, the 'immune to cold' part of being impervious to heat and cold.

"Plenty of better stuff—sure you want that?"

"This is what I want."

"...Sigh. How'd you even know about it...? Fine. So, 'Frost Essence'—how do you plan to use it? Not selling it, I hope?"

"Gonna eat it, obviously."

"...Eat it?!"

Eddard's face hardened for the first time.

"No. I won't allow that."

"No other way to use it anyway."

"Could make a weapon or armor."

"Too wasteful. Effects would be weaker, but magic can mimic it. Eating's best."

"Don't treat it like some common elixir. Could kill you."

"Sometimes you gotta take the risk."

Eddard glared like he absolutely wouldn't allow it, but I stared back, unyielding.

In 'Academy Tamer,' the chance of side effects from consuming 'Frost Essence' was 10%.

But lower stats raised the odds—so for me now, maybe 15%.

Side effect meant death. So, 15% chance to die.

Not negligible, but I trusted my luck.

"You see the future but miss your burning father's heart...?"

Eddard sighed deeply and continued.

"...Fine. Do as you wish."

"Thank you."

"But eat it now. If something happens, I can intervene."

"Got it."

Didn't matter where, so I swallowed the 'Frost Essence' right away.

"...!"

Felt like gulping a whole glacier.

Cold bordering on scorching.

As it hit my stomach, freezing chill surged through every vein.

'Side effect...!'

Crack crack—!

White breath escaped, frost riming my lips.

Eddard scowled and shouted.

"You fool! That's why I said no! Hold on!"

"...Wa-wait... just... a bit...!"

Eddard reached to purge the cold, but I stopped him with stiff jaws.

Expelling it now endangered us both.

'...Come on already.'

Each breath tore my frozen lungs, but I was certain.

It'd appear soon.

As delirium set in from the cold...