Ch.329Leona (2)

The meeting with Leona’s mother was set for the weekend. Since Leona was also a student who needed to focus on her studies, that was the only time available.

As expected, the meeting place was my dormitory. I would have preferred to meet at a quiet restaurant, but circumstances didn’t allow it.

The moment I stepped outside, I would attract all kinds of attention.

I could have disguised myself with help from others, but I didn’t feel the need to go that far. It felt awkward to ask for help with something like this.

So I came outside and quietly waited for her mother. Leona had met with me beforehand and was quietly waiting beside me.

“Do you always dress like that on weekends?”

“Yeah. I don’t wear my uniform every day.”

“Isn’t that a bit too revealing?”

I looked at Leona’s obviously breezy outfit. The current weather was the humid heat of approaching summer.

It made sense to wear well-ventilated, cool clothes, but Leona’s outfit would stand out anywhere.

A short sleeveless top and short brown shorts. She was wearing just these two items, and the crop top even exposed her midriff.

It was a somewhat modern outfit, but with training clothes being common, it wasn’t something to worry about. It was just a bit surprising to see Leona, who was building a “model student” image, wearing such clothes.

Thanks to this, Leona’s figure was revealed without restraint, making for a pleasant sight. I looked her up and down as she happily ate the ice cream I had bought her.

Even when she wore her uniform, I had a rough idea, but she had a surprisingly voluptuous figure. A body where everything that should protrude did, and everything that should curve inward did.

‘Come to think of it, didn’t they say beastmen generally have good physiques?’

More precisely, their physical specs are different. Even Leona’s delicate-looking body was filled with muscle and weighed over 80kg.

Moreover, due to their racial characteristics, they tend to have multiple births and many superior offspring by human standards. This naturally leads to large breasts and hips.

The difference from demons is that while demons follow survival of the fittest, for beastmen it’s simply ingrained in their genes.

Even Chinoa Crochuker, the new Warchief, was taller than me, which shows how exceptional beastmen’s physical specs are.

‘Yet humans went around massacring these beastmen.’

I wonder how they managed to massacre them. But I suppose it was made possible by barbarism carried out in the name of civilization.

I was looking at Leona, who was now crunching on her ice cream cone, and quietly called out to her.

“Leona.”

“Hmm?”

Leona turned her head toward me while munching on her cone. Blue eyes, not golden ones, were looking straight at me.

She had hidden her ears and tail, and while I could understand hiding the ears, I was curious about how she hid her tail. Was it rolled up inside those short pants?

“Why did you call me?”

“Just wanted to.”

“How boring. But this is really delicious.”

Leona flicked her tongue, apparently enjoying the ice cream I bought her. I smiled at the sight.

In this world, ice cream is an expensive snack. Even though magic exists, it’s not available to ordinary citizens.

Even if freezing preservation magic is used, the maintenance cost is exorbitant. Therefore, ice cream is a luxury enjoyed only by nobles or the wealthy.

“I can buy you more if you want.”

“Really?”

“Yes. But don’t eat too much or you’ll get a stomachache.”

“Awesome!”

But I have money to burn. With mountains of gold bars piled up at home, this level of extravagance is fine.

Even I enjoy ice cream, so there’s no reason to be stingy.

I looked fondly at Leona, who was genuinely happy, and reached out my hand. But realizing we were outside, I withdrew it.

There was no one around at the moment, but you never know. As the chancellor warned, there might be stalkers I’m unaware of.

The same goes for devil worshippers. Though I have Kate as a reliable shield for now, I become vulnerable if something happens to her.

‘There’s a lot to be careful about.’

Of course, knowing Kate’s personality, she wouldn’t think of leaving my side. I looked at the backs of Adelia and Kate, who were standing guard in front of me.

Behind us, knights were guarding the dormitory entrance, so there was no problem there. All that remained was waiting for Leona’s mother.

After some time had passed…

“It’s been a while, Issac. This is our second meeting since the exhibition.”

I had my second meeting with Lucia, the third wife of the former Warchief and Leona’s mother.

Her appearance was identical to Leona’s, a beautiful woman with straight-shining blue eyes and dull blonde hair.

While Leona had hair similar to a lion’s mane, Lucia had calm, straight hair.

Perhaps because of this, she exuded an image of wisdom and calmness. I greeted her politely as she courteously greeted me.

“It’s nice to meet you, Mother Lucia. Has it been two months since the exhibition? Have you been well?”

“As long as my daughter is doing well, that’s enough.”

Lucia answered with a gentle smile. As I had felt when hearing from Leona, her love for her daughter was evident.

That made me more nervous. How would Lucia corner me?

I could easily counter by mentioning the slip-up Leona had mentioned before, but she had become the Warchief’s wife in Animus through “wisdom” alone.

Although she couldn’t hold proper power, considering beastmen culture, it’s undeniable that she was a great help to the Warchief.

“Shall we go inside?”

“Yes.”

As we were about to enter, the knights guarding the main gate opened the door without a word.

They tend to be tight-lipped, so there’s no worry about rumors spreading, and even if they did, I could just face it head-on.

Afterward, Kate returned to her dormitory, and Adelia briefly left for the kitchen to prepare some refreshments.

“By the way, I was surprised. To think that Issac was actually Xenon… When I heard the news, I spent a while wondering if it was true or false.”

Lucia, seated, began the conversation in a calm voice. I maintained my smile as I opened my mouth to hear her story.

“It may be hard to believe, but I am indeed Xenon. Though not a prophet or a person from the future.”

“It would be difficult to deny, given your comparable achievements. Even I believe it, don’t I?”

“Just to be clear, I’m absolutely not.”

Lucia put her hand to her mouth and laughed at my joke that wasn’t really a joke. Seen like this, she looked like an ordinary woman.

But people versed in politics always carry a knife inside. I looked at Lucia while eating a cookie prepared by Adelia.

As the rich taste and aroma of the cookie filled my mouth, Lucia also picked one up without hesitation.

And as for Leona…

“Nom nom nom nom.”

“Is it good?”

“Yes!”

She had already revealed her ears and tail and was eating happily. I took the opportunity to gently stroke her head.

Her ears drooped to both sides and her tail wagged, expressing her mood.

If she didn’t have affection for me or if someone else had stroked her, she would have rejected it fiercely. That’s how close our relationship is.

“…You seem to get along well, as I’ve heard.”

Lucia spoke in a slightly subdued voice after confirming our relationship. There was some complexity in her voice.

I turned to Lucia, momentarily leaving Leona busy eating cookies. Her face looked as complex as her voice, though her mouth was still smiling.

“Yes. As you can see, Leona and I get along very well. It was coincidental at first, but as we helped each other, we eventually became like this.”

“I heard from Leona. That it was you who resolved the political fracture within Animus. I was skeptical at first, but I understood once I learned your identity.”

“Unlike what you’ve heard, I’m not that wise.”

“Your modesty is excessive. Then let me ask one thing.”

It seems she’s getting to the main point now. Since this was the original purpose, I leaned my upper body slightly forward.

Sensing the atmosphere growing heavy as Lucia’s words were cut off, Leona quietly put down her cookie.

I wiped the crumbs from the corners of her mouth with a napkin. She perked up her ears but surrendered to my touch.

Lucia looked at us with a strange gaze. Then she opened her mouth while looking directly at me.

“Do you like Leona? As a man likes a woman?”

I answered without a moment’s hesitation, as I had anticipated the question.

“Yes, I do.”

“Not because you’re ‘forced’ to follow beastmen culture?”

Lucia particularly emphasized the word “forced.” In fact, that’s the fundamental cause.

If Leona hadn’t been influenced by beastmen culture, she wouldn’t have chosen to become my wife.

Initially, I didn’t have such feelings either. I merely mediated the conflict in Animus out of pure goodwill for Leona.

This situation arose because of cultural differences, and it made me hesitate several times, but not anymore.

“At first, that was the case. I was very surprised when I suddenly heard she would become my wife. I had a fiancée at the time.”

“From what I heard from Leona, you don’t just have a fiancée. She said she would become your third wife. I heard the second wife is the princess of Helium.”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

As I answered, I glanced not at Leona but at Adelia. She’s my exclusive maid but also my woman.

Leona knew this fact but didn’t mention it. There was no point in bringing it up as it would only make the situation unfavorable.

“But I’m sure there aren’t just two. I expect that before long, more women will join you.”

“…Why do you think so?”

“Because that’s politics and the way of the world. When a center appears, people naturally gravitate toward it. That’s the world I’ve experienced.”

However, Lucia had sharply grasped the situation. A thought that an ordinary person would never have.

As I was speechless at her prediction, Lucia calmly continued.

“I felt it in Animus. A person with power, especially a male… no, no.”

She quickly corrected what seemed to be a slip of the tongue.

“…It’s a law of nature that women are attracted to powerful men. This applies not just to beastmen but to all races. Especially you, Xenon, who has bestowed grace upon each race. You saved the demons, protected the World Tree from danger, and further exposed the existence of devil worshippers hiding in darkness. In terms of power, no one in this world can match you.”

“…”

“Leona formed a bond with you before knowing your identity, but… I’m anxious. Living as a concubine without any power. Being treated as an ‘object’ and living passively. Having to prove one’s ‘usefulness’ to avoid being discarded. That’s what I want to prevent.”

Lucia indirectly expressed her own tragic life story. Leona and I silently listened to her story.

She then looked at Leona with sad eyes and spoke politely.

“Leona’s father, the former Warchief of Animus, was a man deeply immersed in beastmen culture. Taking me as his third wife and even having Leona were treated as ‘objects.’ I wanted to prevent that mindset from influencing my daughter, but… I was only half successful.”

“…”

“I want Leona to be treated as a person, not an ‘object.’ When I heard you had refused, I was actually happy. Because I thought you were someone who knew how to treat people as people. So I’ll tell you this.”

After speaking at length, she took a slow breath, then opened her eyes wide and expressed what she wanted to say to me.

“Leona won’t be of much help to you. She might even be a hindrance.”

“…”

“I won’t reject your choice. My daughter likes you, so as a parent, I should accept it.”

“I appreciate that, but… Mother Lucia.”

“Yes, please speak.”

Lucia doesn’t prevent Leona from coming to me. She just wants to understand what kind of person I am.

To that, I clasped my hands together and smiled. There’s one very appropriate thing to say in this situation.

“My sister once asked me this: Will you be a playboy or a scumbag?”

“Pardon?”

“And I decided to be a playboy.”

This is what I resolved when I accepted Adelia.

“Rather than being a scumbag who hurts women’s feelings, I’d rather be a playboy who accepts various women.”

Better to be a playboy than a scumbag. It’s already spilled milk, and given that I’ve revealed myself as Xenon, it’s an inevitable phenomenon.

However, I will never act in a way that causes pain. Again, I’m not that kind of scumbag.

“The same goes for Leona. I will never hurt her feelings.”

“…”

“I’ll follow my heart, not based on usefulness.”

Did she realize something from my answer? Lucia slightly opened her mouth, looking dazed, then lowered her head.

Just before lowering her head, I caught a glimpse of her face breaking into a smile.

“Pfft…”

As soon as she lowered her head, Lucia’s body trembled as she tried to suppress her laughter. I waited quietly until she finished laughing.

Eventually, Lucia raised her head with her fist against her mouth. Judging by the tears at the corners of her eyes, she found it quite amusing.

“Hehe… really…”

The words that escaped Lucia’s mouth afterward were:

“You’re a hopeless playboy, Issac. I should have known earlier.”

It was praise that wasn’t quite praise. I shrugged my shoulders and joked in response to her praise.

“Thank you for the compliment.”

“But won’t that be hard for you?”

That’s actually the biggest problem. That it’s difficult for me to handle.

To this, I opened my mouth with an ambiguous smile.

“That’s why I’m working hard on my writing.”

I don’t want to die young.