Chapter 87
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 87
Chapter Title: Stepmom Blackmail Taming (4)
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The tea party, held once every ten days.
In truth, it was less a gathering for tea and more a meeting of supporters centered around Garcia, all plotting to install Cale as the next family head. Discussions about power distribution were common, but the atmosphere remained generally cordial.
Yes, it should have been that way.
"...."
"...."
Leyka swallowed hard.
The mood at the tea party was utterly different from usual.
From the start, no one dared speak because Garcia sat there, chin propped on her hand, not uttering a single word.
"...Oh, by the way, everyone, I've heard rumors that the 'First Disciple' in the Aslan Empire has changed..."
At that moment, a brave noblewoman stepped up as representative to break the ice...
Clink—
"...."
But when Garcia set down her untouched tea, the woman had no choice but to shut her mouth.
"...."
In the increasingly heavy atmosphere, Leyka let out a short breath.
'I have to step in.'
Normally, Leyka had no right to speak.
No matter that she was Garcia's daughter, at the tea party, Leyka was just there to learn, while the other noblewomen were allies.
But right now, she was the only one who could address Garcia, so she carefully opened her mouth.
"Um... Mother? If I've made any mistakes, I'd be grateful for your advice. I'm still so inexperienced, I don't know how I should... Eek..!"
But even her own daughter Leyka shrank back at Garcia's murderous glare.
'What on earth?'
Leyka bit her lip.
No matter how she thought about it, she couldn't understand why her mother was so furious.
The Garcia that Leyka knew was two-faced.
No matter how angry she was, she wouldn't show it so openly in front of her supporters.
'She knows better than anyone what rumors this could spark...'
No matter how strong Garcia's influence was, the noblewomen gathered here were matriarchs of renowned families.
They'd never been slighted before, and their pride was accordingly immense.
Treating them like this would surely breed resentment.
'This can't go on!'
She might get scolded later for overstepping, but right now, she had to end this gathering.
Leyka stood and bowed deeply to the noblewomen.
"...I'm sorry. Mother's throat isn't well today, so she can't speak. I apologize for making you come all this way only to end it like this, but let's conclude the tea party here. Thank you for your understanding."
Anyone could see it wasn't about poor health, but desperate to escape the suffocating room, no one pointed it out.
"...Ah, a-ah! I see. Health comes first, of course."
"Of course, no problem. See you next time."
The noblewomen muttered their farewells and fled the tea room like their lives depended on it.
In an instant, only Garcia and Leyka remained in the empty room.
Leyka took a short breath and spoke.
"Mother... what on earth was that?"
"...."
"They won't forget today's incident. You're the one who said this gathering was important!"
"..."
Garcia, who Leyka thought might finally respond, stood up as if there was no reason to stay longer.
"Mother!"
Leyka grabbed her hand and cried out, but Garcia shook it off and bolted away, hand over her mouth.
"...What the... hell..."
Leyka stared blankly at her mother's retreating figure as she dashed off somewhere.
"...Hah.. hah... Emma..!.. Emma...!"
Cale Calliope was in his room, pleasuring himself while thinking of Emma.
Then someone flung the door open and stormed in.
"Ugh, urk! Wh-who the hell are you!"
Leyka looked at Cale, who was fumbling to pull on his pants with filthy hands, her eyes full of disgust.
"...Tch, living the good life, huh?"
"Leyka! Bursting into a man's room without permission! What do you think you're doing!"
"A man? If you were my brother, I'd be out swinging a sword instead of wasting time on that crap."
"Sh-shut up! What does a girl like you know!"
"Just fix your pants already. It's disgusting."
As Cale ground his teeth and adjusted his pants, Leyka crossed her legs in the chair and spoke.
"...Sigh... Mother's acting strange."
"Eek... You noticed too?"
"...You too?"
Leyka narrowed her eyes at Cale's reaction.
Cale, thrilled to have noticed something before Leyka for once, boasted excitedly.
"Yeah! I've known Mother's been off! Specifically, ever since she talked to that bastard Eugene!"
But Leyka's response was ice cold.
"...Then why didn't you tell me?"
"Wh-why would I tell you? I can handle it myself anyway."
"...Sigh, so did you?"
"Eek... Not yet, but... I will soon!"
Leyka shook her head with a sigh.
"Brother, do you even know what happened because Mother was acting weird today?"
"...No idea."
Leyka pressed her forehead as Cale blinked innocently, truly clueless.
She'd definitely told him about the tea party today.
He couldn't even remember a gathering of his own supporters—proof he had no business becoming family head.
'Why does Mother put up with an idiot like him...'
She knew he was needed as the male heir, but it burned her up every time her strict mother shielded this fool.
"So what happened to make you say that?"
"...Today's the tea party. Things were already tense with Eugene back and the noblewomen on edge, then Mother acts weird too."
"Hah, that's all? Just women's gossip? That stuff doesn't matter. A real man proves himself with ability. I'll handle the rest, so you can..."
The moment she heard Cale's nonsense, Leyka lost her temper and snapped at him.
"Shut your mouth, you moron! You can't do shit but your ego's through the roof—what do you think you're handling!"
"Eek! You bitch, how dare you speak to me like that!"
Before he could think of the fallout, Cale's hand moved, but Leyka's grabbed his groin first.
Squeeze—!
"Grrrrraaagh!"
"Sigh... Brother. I'll spell it out since you won't get hints. You're a useless idiot, so don't try handling anything alone. From now on, report anything weird to me right away. Got it?"
"Gaaah! Y-yes! I got it! Stop! It's gonna burst! Gonna fucking burst!"
Seeing her brother subdued by his little sister, tears streaming, Leyka felt a deep sigh rise from within.
"...Sigh... Seriously. How did I end up with a brother like this..."
As Leyka released him, Cale collapsed, clutching his crotch.
"Urk... How... dare you... to the next Calliope family head..."
"Be grateful I held back. I almost crushed it, but we need the heirline intact."
Cale flinched as Leyka clenched her fist.
"...So, where's Eugene right now?"
"D-don't know. I've tried meeting him several times, but he won't show."
"Useless as ever? Why are you handling it yourself? Send the servants."
"You think I didn't try...? What am I supposed to do when his damn direct subordinates chase them off!"
"Tch, shoulda kicked them out ages ago..."
In truth, while Eugene was away, she'd tried purging his direct servants multiple times. But they handled all the real work, and even current head Eddard favored them—no openings.
'...If only they were incompetent.'
Then she could've called it nepotism to Eddard, but they were flawless.
"...Guess I'll have to meet Eugene myself."
"...Urgh... Then what do I do?"
Leyka scanned Cale up and down.
Her brother, hunched over, sweating buckets, cradling his groin.
She couldn't help but sigh.
"Sigh... Brother, just... keep doing what you were."
"Young master, young master. Feel good?"
"Yeah, nice and cool."
I was sitting in a chair, getting a massage from Emma.
"Hee hee hee, I studied hard to give you this when you got back."
True to her word, her diligent practice showed—every press of her small hands on my soles melted tension away.
"...Young master doesn't know how happy I was that you came back."
Emma's massage started at my feet, moved up my calves, and crept toward my thighs.
"Sigh... If you'd stayed in the family, I could've done this every day."
Then her hands headed for my groin.
At first, innocently around the hips, but now slyly teasing my cock.
Since I said nothing, Emma swallowed and murmured.
"...Looks tense here too... Excuse me for a moment."
With that, she pulled down my underwear, gently cupping my balls with one hand while kneading my cock with the other.
"...Young master... D-does it hurt?"
"Nah, not at all. Feels amazing."
"G-good..."
Slap— slap— slap—
In the quiet room, only the sound of Emma stroking my cock echoed.
Soon, precum dripped from my hardening shaft, soiling her hand—but Emma tasted it happily with a lick and smiled.
"...Um... Young master...? You said you'd hold out till my next birthday... B-but it's only days away, and if you want, I'm ready now..."
She whispered in a voice like a cat in heat.