Making the Family Harmonious (2)

Father was sloppy in some ways, but meticulous in others. Just look at all the documents he'd left behind at the company.

He was the type who couldn't rest easy unless he documented everything, leaving traces everywhere.

So, he must have left some safety net to keep the family intact somewhere. The activation word for Mother's hypnosis has ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠to be around here...

Dr-r-r-uck.

He opened the desk drawer. It was empty. All the important papers had been sorted long ago.

"Nothing here, huh."

The second and third drawers were the same. Just some odds and ends and a few pens rolling around.

He scanned the bookshelf.

Hundreds of books. Did he really have to search through all of them?

No. Father valued efficiency. He'd keep frequently used items within easy reach.

Around the desk. The closest spots.

He examined the items on the desk one by one. A luxury fountain pen set, a crystal paperweight, a framed family photo.

Family photo.

He picked up the frame. In the picture, Father sat sternly in a chair, with Lee So-hee standing demurely beside him. In front, his sisters from their college days and he himself grinned awkwardly.

He checked the back of the frame. It was a plain one secured with screws.

Not this either.

Thud. As he set the frame down, something odd brushed his fingertip.

The leather desk pad. The edge of the dark brown leather covering the desktop was slightly lifted.

"...?"

He pried up the seam with his fingernail. Was the adhesive weakened from age? Or had someone pried it open often?

Riiip.

The ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠leather pad peeled away. Beneath it, a shallow groove in the wooden desktop revealed itself, with a small memory chip taped inside.

"Found it."

His heart pounded.

Who'd have thought he'd hide it here.

He carefully removed the memory chip. It was a fingernail-sized micro SD card.

What's on this?

He pulled out his phone and gently inserted the chip into the side tray.

He tapped the folder.

"...?"

A loading bar spun briefly, then the folder list unfurled with a shwoop.

No password. No security program.

For a moment, the tension drained from him.

Good, but why no encryption at all?

The question lingered, but skimming the folder contents revealed why. It wasn't research logs, grand experiment data, or Nebula secrets.

Just deeply personal, secretive records of a 'hobby.'

Not meant for others' eyes, yet not so precious they needed ironclad hiding—an observational diary of sorts.

"Ha..."

Even his own name was there.

Still questioning, he tapped the top folder, [01. Wife_Sohee].

Dozens of text and audio files spilled out.

He opened [Concept_Setting.txt].

Over ten behavioral rules besides.

Reading them, it clicked instantly.

That fierce maternal love doting on him—blood be damned—more than her own sons.

It was all Father's setup.

Like a game. Yeah, a nurturing sim...

He opened the next folder.

So the sisters had been remodeled for moneymaking.

No, wait.

These bitches weren't hypnotized—they genuinely saw him as trash and despised him.

"......"

Yeah.

He'd hoped, just a tiny bit, that not everything was unfair. That maybe it wasn't all stacked against him.

He could twist it positively if he wanted. Mother's 'loose lips' corruption desire buildup, sisters venting stress on him—maybe fallout from Father's hypnosis emotional residue, seeking an outlet.

But look. This was the full extent. Sisters at stage 1. How could anyone claim their base personalities were kind after this?

A tiny relief, even.

Discipline. Training. That's what sisters needed.

And one more thing.

He had a rough read on Father's psyche now. Why hypnotize the family like this.

"Probably planning post-Nebula retirement. Building a cozy nest for after."

Wife as kind, gentle, elegant type. Daughters raking in cash and fame as magical girls—live off that.

...With handy hypnosis, he could've fucked anyone. No need to touch family.

Haaa.

"Guy really lived by his whims."

No judgment there. Broadly, he was treading the same path. Pounding pussy freely, toying with emotions—a degenerate life.

Unless he wanted to outdo Father, no room for moral lessons.

Rather.

Thump thump thump.

Blood-unrelated mother and two sisters. Thrill of touching what even Father hadn't—his mind flushed pinker than ever.

He kept browsing files.

Besides mother and sisters, his and Su-young's hypnosis logs too, but nothing major.

Su-young's was stage 1, just suggestions to preserve her pure heart. And him...

"Nothing?"

White background, lone message floating.

[Folder is empty.]

"...For real."

Laughter burst out—not a scoff, genuine absurdity.

Folder named, but empty.

Reason obvious.

Daughters earned as magical girls, wife kept house—but ordinary son without mana circuit? No value investing hypnosis.

Wish it'd at least been 'live diligently' or something.

Truly useless bastard...

He returned to Mother's folder.

From his scan, Father's hypnosis had 3 stages. Higher meant stronger; anyone with trigger could access. Great for him, fatal flaw for a power user.

Mother's at stage 3.

"Bring rose-scented ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠black tea..."

He rolled the words in his mouth. Recalling her magical girl scent was rose—oddly evocative trigger.

This should work, right?

Heart raced.

Would it still hold after Father's death? But Viper's shady hints suggested yes.

"...Guess I'll test it."

He pocketed the phone and left the study.

Step, step.

Downstairs steps lighter now. First-floor living room quiet—sisters upstairs or out.

Clinking from kitchen.

"Mother?"

He entered. Lee So-hee sat blankly wiping a teacup. Housekeeper out shopping, nowhere in sight.

From yelling at sisters earlier? Her face flushed, fingers trembling faintly.

"Ah, Ji-un."

Spotting him, she startled up.

"Sorry, you got quite the scare earlier, didn't you? Your sisters have good hearts, just rough mouths."

"No, it's fine. Mother stood up for me."

"Well... Sigh, I'll scold them better next time. So Ji-un, don't feel too hurt. We're family, after all."

She clutched his hand, voice cracking.

Truly touching maternal love. Pity it was all fabricated—yet her devotion felt real.

But pity was luxury. He needed to survive this house, climb higher.

He pulled out a dining chair and sat.

"Mother, care to sit? Got something to discuss."

"Hm? Oh, sure."

She sat demurely opposite, anxious eyes on him.

He lifted the teapot on the table. Leftover black tea, gone cold.

Pour pour.

He filled his cup and hers.

"Ji-un, the tea's cold... Shall I brew fresh?"

"Yeah, sure..."

Over the teacup rim, he locked eyes with Lee So-hee.

"Bring rose-scented black tea."

That instant.

Ting— Like invisible glass shattering, a strange sensation rippled through the space.

"Ah..."

Stepmother's focus blurred, eyelids fluttered, mouth half-open.

"Mother?"

"......"

No reply. Like a soulless doll, she sat stock-still. Breathing steady, pulse fine.

It worked for real.

Chills ran down his spine. One phrase turning a person like this—Father's power insane, or Mother that deeply brainwashed?

He swallowed, cautiously speaking. Needed a test.

"Can you hear my voice?"

"...Yes."

Dry, mechanical. Not her usual warmth.

"Introduce yourself."

"Lee So-hee... Lady of this house..."

"What's your most important duty?"

"Family... peace. Upholding the head's will..."

Perfect. Matched the file exactly.

Myriad thoughts swirled.

Is this really okay?

The woman before him was his stepmother. Doted on him like—more than—her own son. Fake maternal love from Father's horrific training and hypnosis, but her devotion was genuine.

Now, he planned to toy with her at will.

Her Father hadn't dared touch. Hadn't sexualized via hypnosis. But him—using Father's power. Turning her lewd. Making her do filthy acts. Serve him. Out-trash Father. Taboo upon taboo.

Gulp.

Perfect.

Throat bobbed hard. Guilt? Ethical qualms? Noble words flashed, but lost to instinct.

He'd always wanted stepmother. As a woman. Pound that pussy. Creampie it.

Father set this hypnosis up anyway—what's adding mine change?

Yeah, better this way. Him as master. He could fill Father's role. Make her happier. Let her love again. He knew she masturbated nightly.

I can do it.

Yeah. Definitely.

First, a light command—slightly off her usual self.

"Stand and climb onto the table."

Simple. But her reaction surprised.

"......"

Brows twitched. Deep furrow between them, lips quivering.

"Table... top...?"

"Yes. Get on."

"That's... no..."

"No?"

"I... dignified... lady... Table top... vulgar... improper..."

Her head shook violently side to side.

"Nngh... No... Dignity... must keep..."

"Stop. That's enough."

Command canceled, trembling ceased. Back to blank stare, panting.

Hmm. Hypnosis blocked. Or rather, rejected.

Figured as much.

Not his power. Father's implanted in another.

Thus, couldn't touch deep core settings.

Tch.

Can't erase existing hypnosis; new ones must align—

He skimmed files again.

<Concept: Ideal Mother, Devoted Wife>

Mother... wife...

Father dead. Only man left: him. So.

"Mother."

"Yes..."

"Father passed away. You know that, right?"

Her eyes flickered.

"My husband... Yes... I know..."

"Then, who's the family head now?"

"The head..."

She fell silent. Confused, lacking input.

He drove it home.

"It's me. Jeong Ji-un. The only man succeeding Father, this house's head."

"Ji-un... head..."

"Yes. So treat me with the respect you gave Father. More, even. That's a woman's duty to her head."

Logical leap. Might work. He waited warily for her reply.