Ch.222222. ····I told you to stop touching me, didn’t I?

“Miria Alphonse.”

“Yes, Mother.”

“Get off Selden’s lap this instant.”

“Why, why?”

“What do you mean why? Can’t you see our Selden is uncomfortable?”

A cozy bath with Mother and Sister after a long time.

At Ellaria Alphonse’s scolding, Miria Alphonse climbs off my lap with a sullen expression.

“….Fine.”

After looking at the suddenly dejected Miria Alphonse, I turned my gaze to Ellaria Alphonse.

“Mother.”

“What is it, my son?”

“You should get off too.”

Ellaria Alphonse sticks her tongue out playfully as if by mistake and climbs off my lap.

Now, it seemed like I could finally enjoy a proper bath.

‘Phew!!’

At first, I was embarrassed to bathe naked with family, but now even I’ve gotten used to it.

Of course, I still haven’t quite adjusted to Miria Alphonse’s naked skinship.

“Selden!! Did you miss your sister a lot!?”

“Please keep some distance.”

“My, what should I spread apart?”

“….Pardon?”

Then, slightly separated from me, Miria Alphonse blushes and slightly spreads her thighs.

When I hurriedly turn my head in the opposite direction, I see Ellaria Alphonse using her fingers to spread her breasts apart.

“Ahem!! Mother, Sister! I’ll be having my coming-of-age ceremony the day after tomorrow. Please stop these jokes now!”

At that, Miria Alphonse licks her lips regretfully and speaks.

“Does that mean we can’t bathe together anymore?”

“Yes! Didn’t my older brothers also stop bathing with you after their coming-of-age ceremonies?”

“I never bathed with Leonard Alphonse in the first place! That only applies to Mother!”

“Anyway!! Aren’t you at the age to get married, Sister!?”

Miria Alphonse submerges herself in the water and then pokes her head out in front of me.

“Don’t you know it’s rude to talk about a woman’s age? Oh my! What’s this?”

“….That’s mine.”

“Ah, sorry! I thought I was grabbing your leg! My, how you’ve grown?”

“Alright, please let go now.”

“Tch!”

She sits on the opposite side of the bath with a pouty expression.

Starting tomorrow, the Etherian Princess and Elina Parseche will be arriving at Lake Estate, and I already feel like I’m losing my mind.

As I was holding my throbbing head, Ellaria Alphonse speaks up.

“By the way, why did your father arrive at Lake Estate so early?”

“I think he wanted to look around Lake Estate. That’s why we’ve been walking around since morning.”

“Oh my, you must be very tired then. Taking a bath with your mother and sister must be helping you relax a bit?”

“….Yes.”

At this point, I wondered if they weren’t just pretending to be oblivious.

As I was blinking my eyes, Ellaria brushed back her wet long hair and continued.

“When do you plan to return to the family estate?”

“I already discussed that with Father.”

“What did you tell him?”

“….I said that I have a lot to do at Lake Estate, so it would be difficult for the time being.”

“I see. Since you don’t want to return to Alphonse Estate, does that mean our Selden doesn’t want to see his mother?”

“Th-that’s not it. As a man of the Alphonse family, I want to develop Lake Estate.”

I stared at Ellaria.

For some reason, she was looking up at the ceiling with sad eyes.

“I can’t believe our Selden is already old enough for his coming-of-age ceremony…”

“Haha…. Children grow up quickly, don’t they?”

“You caused the most trouble among all my children, so I never thought you’d become an adult….”

“I’ve matured a bit now.”

“Once you grew a little, you started acting like a man, going crazy over women, even earning the title of the Eastern Continent’s playboy.”

“….Was that supposed to be a compliment?”

Ellaria quickly wiped away her sad expression and covered her mouth with her palm, letting out a soft laugh.

“I always feel this way, but whenever a child reaches their coming-of-age ceremony, I feel both happy and sad as a mother.”

I’ve grown quite attached over these two years.

The awkwardness has completely disappeared, almost making me feel as if they were my family from the beginning.

Is it because the same blood flows through this body I’ve possessed?

Either way, it wasn’t a bad feeling.

“I’ll visit often so Mother won’t feel sad.”

In the calm atmosphere, Miria Alphonse submerges herself in the water again and then suddenly pops up in front of me.

She wipes the water from her face and smiles broadly.

“If you’re not going back to Alphonse Estate, should I just live with you at Lake Estate?”

Miria Alphonse and Ellaria Alphonse laugh heartily with high-pitched giggles.

I opened my mouth with an indifferent expression.

“….I told you to stop touching me.”

*

“The thirty women are staying at the inn as you ordered, young master.”

“Did you tell them not to come out?”

“Yes, I earnestly requested Evareen. I told her not to step foot outside the inn until your orders come.”

Sitting in the study chair, my eyes flashed.

“I think I’d feel more at ease if we just sealed off the inn doors.”

“….But if they can’t leave the inn, how will they eat?”

Succubi don’t need food….

Even if they don’t absorb a demon’s energy for a few days, nothing serious will happen.

If they died that easily, there wouldn’t be any succubi left in this world.

I let out a short sigh.

“It’s fine. They’ll manage their meals.”

“….Are we really sealing the inn doors?”

“No, forget it. Even if we sealed it, they could come out if they really wanted to.”

“Then what should we do?”

“Just post one knight or mercenary in front of the inn. Tell them to report immediately if anyone comes out.”

Pedericks nodded in understanding and then continued.

“The Etherian Princess will arrive at Lake Estate tomorrow due to her schedule.”

With only one day left until the coming-of-age ceremony.

From today, people will be flooding into Lake Estate.

It’s already going to be chaotic, and now the Etherian Princess is coming too?

I would have preferred if she came tomorrow.

On the day of the ceremony, I’ll be too busy to attend to her personally, but she would understand.

“Oh, that’s welcome news.”

“A-are you that pleased?”

“It’s not about being pleased, but when the Etherian Princess comes, there are many special considerations to keep in mind.”

“That’s true, but I think the very fact that the Etherian Princess is attending your coming-of-age ceremony carries significant meaning.”

He has a point.

She’s a princess, after all.

I’ve grown somewhat desensitized from seeing her often, but a princess attending a mere noble family’s coming-of-age ceremony?

That alone will make it impossible for others to disregard the Alphonse family.

If anything, there will be more people trying to curry favor.

That’s how powerful power is.

“I know that too.”

“Baron Byron also looked surprised when he heard about the Etherian Princess’s attendance.”

“Was he just surprised?”

“He only ordered that the mansion and estate be cleaned as thoroughly as possible. Of course, he pretends not to care on the surface.”

“Like last time, I still can’t get used to the idea of Father being intimidated by someone.”

Pedericks lets out a gentle laugh.

“Young master, you’re the unusual one for not being intimidated in front of the Princess.”

“Not intimidated? I’m just not showing it, but it’s uncomfortable for me too. There are many things to be careful about.”

“Still, the Princess thinks well of you, doesn’t she? That’s why she’s attending your ceremony.”

“I don’t know. The Etherian Princess is someone whose thoughts I can never quite grasp….”

Is maintaining a friendship with the Etherian Princess the right choice?

Somehow, what started as a bad connection turned into a bond when I saved her life.

However, it wasn’t a relationship conducive to the quiet life I wanted.

Even this attendance will surely cause a commotion.

Pedericks nodded in agreement.

“I will prepare to welcome the Princess without any mistakes so that you won’t have to worry.”

“Yes, make sure to welcome everyone, not just the Princess, without any mistakes.

Events like these tend to generate gossip easily.”

“Understood.”

Knock knock-!

At that moment, Knight Commander Rain Breaker enters the study after knocking.

The decorations on his armor covering his chest and shoulders gleam in the light.

He seems to have put in extra effort for the coming-of-age ceremony.

“Did you prepare separate armor?”

Rain Breaker scratches his head as if embarrassed.

“Sir Pedericks had new armor made for all the knights and mercenaries.”

So even the seemingly stingy Pedericks spends money where it counts?

With a smirk, I continued.

“So, what’s the matter?”

“….Nobles who will attend your coming-of-age ceremony are now entering Lake Estate.”

I stood up and put on my coat.

Then, straightening my shoulders proudly, I raised my voice.

“Let’s go greet our guests.”