Chapter 149
Chapter 149
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 149
Chapter Title: Ceria's Heart (1)
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The contest between Aruru and the dwarves. It was a close match, but in the end, Aruru emerged victorious. With that small, slender body, she had taken down a dozen middle-aged men. And so, we ended up with a hoard of dwarven weapons.
Our next destination was the main family estate. It was time to see my father and distribute the weapons to the knights. At the same time, I was looking forward to Lady Martina's reaction.
She would surely be captivated by Aruru's cuteness in her Snow Fox skin. However, I was a little worried about her condition.
“Hee… The world is spinning and spinning!”
“...”
She was completely drunk from drinking too much beer. The dwarves' resistance had been that tenacious. My mother would find even this sight adorable, but the image of taking a drunk girl home felt a bit off.
My little cutie.
It's time to sober up. You can purify the intoxication with a water spirit, can't you?
“Mmm, that's true, but…”
She giggled, as if wanting to enjoy the tipsy feeling a little longer. At this point, she seemed like a natural-born drinker. Well, there wasn't much else to see now that she'd beaten the dwarves. When I mentioned Lady Martina, resigned, her fox ears twitched and she flinched.
“Oh! But I have to make a good impression on the lady!”
She immediately summoned a spirit to purify herself. The matron of the Crodain family. The one with the real power, who handled all family matters, big and small, in place of the Family Head. As such, Aruru was trying hard to get on Lady Martina's good side.
Her effort in designing a future where she could live a sweet life forever was almost commendable. Of course, there was likely another reason. Just as she treated me as a substitute lover, she was probably seeking the scent of a mother from Lady Martina.
We soon arrived at the Crodain estate. The atmosphere of the city was quite different from before. The birth of the Hero was a prelude to the inevitable battle with the Demon King's army. It seemed everyone was slowly starting to realize that fact.
“Milady, I'm here!”
“---!!”
Lady Martina's eyes widened at Aruru's greeting. Then she swept our little cutie away as if kidnapping her.
Indeed, the effect of the Snow Fox skin was absolute. Ceria followed behind them, while I began a private conversation with the Family Head.
“This year has already passed by.”
He said calmly, looking at me. He seemed to be hiding it as best he could, but I could subtly feel his concern for his son.
From next year, the countdown would effectively begin. The battles were expected to continue for the next one to two years.
“Are your preparations going well?”
“Yes. Of course.”
As a son, it was only natural to ease my father's anxiety. I briefly explained my activities up to now. He nodded repeatedly as I told him how I was conquering dungeons on the Sage's advice and growing stronger with my companions.
“Yes. I can feel you're becoming more and more like the Hero. I hope you continue to strive forward. For your own sake, as well.”
He didn't hold back his encouragement, as if he were proud of me. He must have had many worries, but it seemed his faith in his son was greater.
“I have something to tell you. About half of the dwarven weapons I mentioned before are complete.”
“Hmm? Already?”
“They're as diligent as you'd expect from master craftsmen. So I brought that first half with me.”
I mentioned the dimensional pouch and watched my father's reaction. His surprise was brief, soon replaced by a look of sheer delight.
“Then we can arm the knights immediately…”
The knights were the family's true power. The stronger they became, the greater the family's prestige. From the Family Head's perspective, he couldn't help but be pleased.
In truth, the Crodain knights weren't lacking for anything even now, but armed with dwarven weapons, they would become even more powerful.
“Conquering dungeons, interacting with the dwarves, leading your companions... You're handling so many things.”
He looked at me with concern. He wasn't wrong; I was incredibly busy. I had to manage the second team and even had plans to deal with the academy's students.
Counting the measures I was taking to prepare for the upcoming battle events, my head was spinning.
Still, I had to see it through. For that sweet future... no, for the peace of the world, I had no choice but to struggle a bit now.
Well, it wasn't unbearable. Thanks to this body's excellent performance, I felt less tired. Besides, the flow of events was like playing on easy mode, so I could overcome this much with ease.
“I know you're busy, but how about taking a good rest at home for today?”
“Hmm…”
He was asking me to stay the night. Originally, I had planned to leave right away. I needed to take care of the party members remaining at the academy. But I couldn't just ignore my father's words... As I hesitated for a moment, he added another.
“Your mother will likely hold you here anyway.”
I found myself agreeing before I knew it. Judging by Lady Martina's usual behavior, she would probably hug Aruru tightly and stroke her until she fell asleep.
How could she just let our little cutie in her Snow Fox skin go? She would want to indulge her desires to her heart's content, and if I didn't give her the chance, she might even follow us to the academy.
I quickly did the math. If my mother took care of Aruru, I could spend some quality time alone with Ceria.
The image of spending a hot night with my beloved... How could I resist that? As true lovers, it was only right to perform the important ritual of reaffirming our affection for each other.
“I will follow your advice, Father.”
Afterward, I went to the armory and placed all the dwarven-made weapons inside. In time, they would be in the hands of the knights. I skipped the process of handing them out myself since it was a hassle.
If I had, I could have received the knights' cheers of 'Our young master is the best!' but I didn't feel the need. As long as my sentiment was conveyed, that was enough. Well, they'd probably express their gratitude on their own when we next met.
I then went to find Lady Martina. She was chatting away with the fox beastkin in her arms. Aruru was boasting about the Hero's party's achievements, and my mother was agreeing with her at every turn.
“There were all sorts of problems, but Jace solved them magnificently!”
“That's my son. I wonder who he takes after to be so brilliant.”
“Of course, it's because he takes after you, milady!”
“…”
That was the general flow of it, and the friendly atmosphere was so excessive it was becoming burdensome. I mean, here was an already adorable girl praising her son to the skies. As a result, Lady Martina's affection for Aruru reached its peak.
Meanwhile, Ceria was sitting demurely beside them. From her perspective, her future mother-in-law was doting on some other girl, but she remained composed as if it couldn't be helped. It wasn't resignation, but a state of enlightened acceptance.
After all, Aruru's existence wasn't a threat to her, so there was no reason to be shaken. Soon, my eyes met Ceria's.
The girl's alluring eye-smile said a lot. She had clearly come up with the same idea as me: leave Aruru with Lady Martina and enjoy our time alone together.
Before long, it was time for dinner. Aruru, her eyes sparkling as if the decisive battle had arrived, savored every dish to her heart's content. Lady Martina smiled at the sight of the fox beastkin eating so heartily.
“Here, try this too.”
She took care of her with utmost devotion. It was as if she were treating her youngest daughter, born late in life. Because of this, her noble dignity slipped a little, but my father quietly let it slide, as if he understood his wife's eccentric behavior.
“My dear son. You'll rest here for the day before you go, won't you?”
She said, beaming at me. A subtle pressure was conveyed. The circumstances were a bit different, but it was the aura of a powerhouse on par with an S-rank. How could I go against my mother's wishes in the first place? I quickly replied that I would.
“Yes, that's a good decision. This mother will take care of Aruru, so you rest well.”
A strange nuance... It contained the message that while she kept Aruru busy, I should go make some good memories alone with my lover.
With my mother's tacit permission, there was nothing holding me back now. I exchanged a look with Ceria, and we naturally left the room.
Late at night. Everything went as planned. There were no interruptions from anyone. The conditions were set for me to spend a leisurely time with Ceria until tomorrow morning.
“…”
“…”
We didn't exchange many words. What words are needed for a man and woman in their prime? Soon, our lips gently met. That was the start, and from there, we moved step by step, becoming bolder and bolder.
I held Ceria with all my heart. I needed to show her clearly that she was the only one I loved. It was a noble procedure to prove my lack of interest in the other girls. Of course, regardless of that, I couldn't control my heated body.
The woman's hot breath... The thrilling sensation continued, each moment dizzying. Every time Ceria's hand touched me, an indescribable sense of fulfillment washed over me.
It felt as if her desire to devote herself to me was being transmitted directly. We were so engrossed in each other that we forgot the passage of time.
A while later, as if taking a short break, Ceria lay in my arms, gently stroking my chest. Her gaze, filled with affection, was more lovely than ever.
We had shared our affection long enough to be satisfied, but no matter how many times we repeated it, a sense of longing would remain. Just as the word 'eternity' came to mind, Ceria whispered sweetly.
“That was truly blissful.”
She said she had fully felt my love for her, and that made her so happy. Seeing her fresh smile, I smiled back. It was nice like this, even without doing anything in particular. Just spending time together was what mattered...
“You know, I've been thinking about something for a while.”
“About what?”
“Well…”
She put on a rather serious expression, then hugged me tightly and hid her face. She paused, as if preparing to make a momentous declaration. Soon, Ceria's voice came through clearly.
“You probably know it too. That the atmosphere in the party is… strange.”
“Th-that's…”
I swallowed a groan. It was a very sensitive topic. She had clearly figured out the other girls' moves to get to me. It was obvious even to my eyes; how could a woman's intuition miss it?
That's why I had been acting cautiously. Drawing a clear line, giving no room for misunderstanding. On the other hand, I had been pouring more affection onto Ceria... but was my effort not enough?
“No, it's not that… Of course, I'm happy with your attitude. It's just that I don't think it's necessarily a good thing.”
“---??”
“In any case, they're companions we'll be spending a lot of time with. I think it would be good to consider their feelings a little, too.”
“…”
Hmm, I'm having trouble processing this. In short, is she telling me to take care of the other girls?
“Yes. You tend to push them away too much. Depending on the situation, it might be better to soothe them, with a feeling of warmly embracing them.”
I was lost in thought for a moment. Ceria's advice had some merit. The princess who's always watching my mood. The saintess who acts as if she'll follow only the Hero. And the elf girl who constantly causes trouble, as if to get my attention...
Nothing has happened yet, but I shouldn't be complacent. If their desires (?) were to build up, there's no telling what form the backlash would take.
It might just go 'pop!' and explode someday? It was hard to predict, but it wouldn't be strange if a huge mess erupted that would be difficult to clean up.