New Family - 4
"It's so quiet here."
"Yeah, it is."
After the duel wrapped up, I headed out on a territory inspection with Count Mikhail Altesia.
There wasn't any special reason—just routine business and a chance to discuss future plans.
We couldn't really talk until we left the bustling downtown, swarmed by territory folk, and hit a quiet country road.
"You're heading to Lunaria as His Majesty's special envoy, right?"
"Yes. Father's timing was perfect—he came back just in time, so I can leave with peace of mind. We couldn't both be away from the territory for too long, after all—the family head and his proxy."
"Sending my son off right after he returns home...! And with our new family members, I was hoping for some harmonious time together. What a shame."
"It's not like I'm leaving forever. Once I sort out the diplomatic mess with the barbarians, I'll be back."
Lunaria needed to become a city of pleasure, but the barbarians were getting in the way.
I had to get them to recognize me as Lunaria's lord before construction could start.
So, off to the north I went—means be damned to persuade them, plus a preliminary scout of the place.
No clue how long it'd take, but I aimed to wrap it up in under half a year.
"I heard about it. You're claiming ownership of Lunaria's territory, right?"
"That's right."
"I don't quite get why you're so keen on Lunaria, but there's just one thing I want to ask of you."
"Go ahead."
"If you're planning to abandon the Altesia name and start fresh somewhere new, tell me ahead of time. As family head—and as your father—there's something I want to do for you."
I glanced up at the sky for a moment.
Sunny weather with sunlight pouring down.
But not quite hot enough to feel the heat yet...
"I'll do that."
Who knew how the world might turn? I gave a noncommittal answer for now.
But I had zero intention of giving up Altesia.
Lunaria was just a means to an end—screwing over the church while raking in cash.
Why would I get attached to it? I wasn't even from the fallen old kingdom.
Count Mikhail was under some weird misunderstanding.
"Ahem! So, do you need anything for the northern trip? I hear it's bone-chilling snowy wasteland up there."
"I've got cold-weather gear covered, and all the supplies are already stocked. Should be fine."
"You've gotten awfully meticulous compared to before..."
"Learned a lot filling in as family head proxy."
My soul had swapped bodies, after all—a total upheaval wouldn't be strange.
Unlike my expectation that he'd doubt my existence at least once, Count Mikhail looked me straight in the eye and treated me like his son.
It meant his words were sincere: no matter what I showed him, he'd see me as his boy.
That made it a bit easier for me to deal with him too.
Still awkward to fully see him as my birth father, but at this rate, I might open up someday.
"You've grown splendidly. Must be those new people you brought in rubbing off on you."
"Can't deny that."
Just as I'd altered their fates, they'd changed my own doomed one.
Mutual aid.
I hoped for deeper bonds with some, but this was satisfying enough.
As a pleased smile tugged at my lips, Count Mikhail spurred his horse closer.
He whispered low enough that the escorting knights couldn't hear.
"Give me a heads-up on which of those women you're bringing home as your bride. If you're taking them all as wives, at least tell me who's the principal one first...!"
"...Father."
Count Mikhail was a hopelessly sentimental dad.
Back at the mansion after the inspection, I stumbled into a bizarre scene in the kitchen.
My stepmother, Dere Altesia, was cooking, with Maribel learning at her side.
The head chef and cooks responsible for Altesia's table were flustered around them.
They didn't know how to handle the lady of the house cooking.
Fair enough—noblewomen doing their own cooking was rare in high society.
As I approached to help the poor cooks, the two greeted me warmly.
"Master Hines!"
"Perfect timing! We were just needing someone to taste-test!"
"Uh... er..."
Curiosity killed the cat, huh? Maybe I should've stayed away.
Too late now—my stepmother handed me a round, plump morsel.
"Huh? This is...?"
Deep brown hue, chewy texture, and a crunchy bite inside when I squeezed it.
A food lodged in the corner of my memory: dukkochi.
"I tried making cookies the twins love. Not sure if it'll suit your taste, but give it a try."
"Oh!"
Never dreamed I'd encounter dukkochi in this world.
Maybe because they came from a game-less nation?
Made me think some country here had blended in Earth's food culture.
"Wonder what it tastes like."
And Dere Altesia had been the twins' mom, handling their meals all this time.
Unlike other noblewomen, she probably knew her way around a kitchen.
Learning from her might even improve Maribel's skills—she was a total disaster there.
Full of anticipation, I was about to pop the dukkochi in my mouth.
Then I noticed the cooks' faces.
They were pale, shaking their heads furiously.
Sir, don't eat that!
That's what their expressions screamed, so I held off and asked Dere Altesia instead.
"Mind sharing how you made it?"
"I used clean, thick mud for the dough, ground up herbs to prevent food poisoning, mixed them with crunchy roasted edible larvae, and stuffed it full. Should be tasty!"
I'd completely forgotten.
Stepmom and the twins had lived in harsh conditions.
No way they'd learned proper cooking in a place where scraping together a meal was a struggle.
"You know the saying 'respect your elders'? Father should taste it first. I'll go get him!"
I bolted from the kitchen like my life depended on it.
In the hall, I ran into Count Mikhail and urgently shoved him toward the kitchen—"Stepmom made you something!"—before fleeing.
Sadly, Maribel's cooking was a lost cause forever.
A moment of silence for my sacrificial father.
After sacrificing Dad, I retreated to my bedroom.
I'd been running nonstop, so I planned to rest up until departure for Lunaria.
The big headache of running Altesia? Count Mikhail had it covered.
Clank!
I opened the door and stepped in. A cool breeze wafted from the window opposite.
Along with it, blue hair fluttering in the wind.
"Finally! I was starting to think I'd die of old age waiting!"
"Slowpoke bro~!"
May and Sui stood smack in the middle of my bedroom.
The twins greeted me with their usual bratty smirks.
I'd thought preaching family love had reformed them, but apparently not.
"Why're you just standing there gawking?"
"Don't tell me you've forgotten this is your room? Don't worry—if it's dementia, we'll take care of you!"
"Should we start with changing your diapers?"
"Pfft!"
They stuck to their subtly infuriating tone, but the content had softened.
Taking care of a dementia-stricken family member? Even close families balked.
Yet here they were, offering to do it for me. Guess some family bond had formed.
"Eek! Making that dopey face again!"
"Seriously, what would you do without sharp sisters like us?"
"Why are you here? Father must've given you rooms."
"What's the rule saying we can't be here?"
"Was all that family talk just a lie?"
"No, it's not that, but..."
I'd come to rest, but the brat sisters were making my life hell.
I ignored them, plopped on the bed to sleep—then they pounced, glomping right beside me.
"What the—?"
"'Cause you're our bro—you gotta play with your sisters!"
"I'm beat. Gonna sleep. Play by yourselves."
I peeled them off and lay down.
A few words already drained me; playing would turn me to mush.
Family or not, it was surface-level—I had no time to spare for them.
"Ignoring cute sisters like us? You're the worst!"
"Yeah, I'm the worst. You've heard the rumors about me being a rogue, right?"
"Uuu!"
Offended by my attitude, the twins puffed out their cheeks.
Truth be told, it was kinda cute.
Not enough to win me over, though.
"No helping it!"
"Guess we'll sleep too!"
They split to my sides again and flopped down.
My bed was huge—world-class rich guy perks—but May and Sui snuggled right up.
I squirmed, complaining it was cramped, but they just grinned mischievously and clung tighter.
"Ugh... fine, do what you want."
"Ehehe!"
Giving up on prying them loose, I shut my eyes to sleep.
Swish!
Still, they grabbed my hands under the covers and moved them themselves.
Soft sensation—peeking, I saw they'd placed my hands on their heads.
Forcing me to pet them. I sighed.
Craving affection that much? It was weakening my resolve.
I petted their heads on my own.
The twins let out delighted giggles and hugged me tight.
Soon, soft breathing came from both sides—they'd dozed off.
"Falling asleep before me...?"
Still, their sleeping faces were angelic, not their usual little-devil selves.
What they'd become when they grew up... the future was starting to scare me.