Ch.BONUS384. How Can Mom Be the Lowest in the Family Hierarchy!

Everything was satisfying.

Before marriage… no, even earlier when they were just seniors and juniors, she had been filled with anxiety.

Not only did he catch her interest, but as her feelings for him grew, he continued to become more famous, becoming the subject of gossip and increasing his popularity day by day.

Of course, in the beginning, this aligned with Renias’s own intentions. She couldn’t stand the idea of someone who stood at the center of solving incidents hiding their achievements rather than taking pride in them. So she wanted him to become more famous, wanted those around him to recognize his accomplishments. Regardless of which institution.

But she never knew it would become poison.

He finally rose to the position of professor and gained recognition. Beyond being a commander, he was treated as the sole hero who saved this country and the savior who rescued the world.

Because of this, he became the object of admiration for dozens—no, all the women in this country.

There was only one way to solve this.

To secure her relationship with that man before others could claim him.

So she seduced him, their bodies intertwined, she became pregnant, and they reached the final destination of marriage.

As a woman, she was now confident that even though her beloved man received such deep attention, no one could touch him because he was now hers.

…But then.

A competitor appeared from a completely different direction.

“Appa.”

Her daughter, calling “daddy” with an adorably imperfect pronunciation. Her squirming appearance was truly lovable and cute.

It was natural for a newborn child who was only a few years old.

But…

“Ap, pa. Appaaa.”

Now, during an intimate moment between husband and wife. At times like this, the child desperately calls only for her father.

“Umm… Reni.”

Junon asked Renias with a troubled expression. The child was looking for him, so he had no choice but to go check on her. He was asking for understanding. That was the meaning.

“…Go ahead.”

“Sorry. It seems the child likes me too much.”

She didn’t need a detailed explanation. He didn’t need to scratch his cheek with that troubled expression for her to understand.

But she couldn’t help pouting.

After all, she had just been basking in her husband’s love, leaning on his shoulder for the first time in a while.

“Kyaa-“

“Yes, my daughter.”

“…”

At a glance, it looked like a father playing well with his daughter, and a child who followed her father well…

‘She was sleeping just a moment ago!’

Renias knew. Her daughter had deliberately called for her father to interrupt this time!

It might seem like an exaggeration. She might have misinterpreted.

Most married women who were more experienced in life said that daughters simply love their fathers more.

They also said it wasn’t good to assume that Renias was overreacting because she loved Junon too much.

But this wasn’t intuition or overreaction—it was certainty. Because as family, she had seen the true face of her daughter Blea!

Just like now.

‘…!’

The corner of the child’s mouth curling up into a grin.

The look in her eyes as she gazed at her mother while being held by her father was not ordinary. She was looking as if she had won.

Yet as a mother, there was nothing she could do.

How could she possibly tattle that her own daughter was interrupting the couple’s time? Besides, thanks to being a newborn who needed to be with her parents, Blea could always be in Junon’s arms.

And when that happens…

She falls behind. In the family hierarchy, she ends up in a situation where she’s pushed back by her own child!

‘How can a mother be at the bottom of the family hierarchy…!’

That’s right.

Renias is currently… ranked below Blea.

Her husband’s love, which she had believed would be exclusively hers, was now fully directed toward the child.

After eliminating competitors and marrying Junon, having a child and announcing to the world that he was her man, a competitor had emerged within the family itself.

‘Eeek. No way!’

Renias, who was inwardly making a tearful face, shook her head firmly, thinking this couldn’t be allowed.

She couldn’t keep losing time with her beloved husband like this, with all his affection going to the child!

She had to find a way!

***

“…”

“…”

Everyone at the table wore awkward expressions.

Even Aris, who was the most oblivious, recognized that something was wrong and kept her mouth firmly shut.

To be precise, she was hesitating about whether to speak up or not.

“Puuu.”

The reason was that Renias’s expression, unconsciously puffing her cheeks with a sullen look, seemed quite ominous.

They had gathered for a rare women’s meeting, and she was puffing her cheeks again? Even if they tried to ignore it, it was impossible not to notice.

All the Tembris members were on edge.

‘Senior… what happened this time?’

‘Just thinking about that time still… ugh.’

‘I hope it’s nothing serious…’

Charlotte, Aris, Michelle.

All the women seated at this table had been significantly entangled with Renias before.

They still couldn’t forget how they had passed the buck to each other when Renias suddenly appeared, causing the situation to escalate until Senia scolded them severely.

No, more than that, they were afraid because they had no idea what advice to give Renias.

So they all sat stiffly, watching Renias’s mood.

Wondering what question she would ask this time.

“…How do you all handle hierarchy issues?”

*Gulp!*

Aris, who was trying to moisten her parched throat while waiting for Renias to speak, choked.

“Cough, cough!”

“Sister Aris… are you okay?”

Charlotte, quick-witted as always, patted her back and was the first to avoid the situation.

With that, Michelle naturally became the one who had to answer.

“Um, well… what do you mean by hierarchy?”

Michelle asked, breaking into a cold sweat.

What hierarchy could there be in a party? They were essentially all colleagues, friends, seniors and juniors, and another kind of family.

Yet Renias’s specific mention of hierarchy suggested there was another meaning.

“Ah. I don’t mean like a boss-employee relationship. More like… influence?”

“Influence?”

“Yes! For example, in Tembris, would you say Senior Senia has the most influence among the members? Or should I say she has the strongest presence?”

Not knowing how to express it herself, Renias was drawing question marks with her silly hair while searching for the right expression.

Still, Michelle could vaguely guess.

Having strong influence, strong presence, loud voice, and so on.

She suspected this referred to hierarchy in daily life rather than in combat.

But even so, Michelle couldn’t easily answer.

‘I’ve never thought about such things, how am I supposed to answer…!’

She couldn’t handle this alone. She needed to request backup.

‘Hey, you guys…!’

With eyes like tidal waves, Michelle looked at the other two. It was a desperate signal for help.

However, the two were deliberately ignoring Michelle’s distress signal.

“Um, sister, are you okay? You seemed to choke earlier, should I get you some digestive medicine?”

“Cough! Cough! Y-yes! Please, Charlotte!”

This was bad.

Passing the buck like that wasn’t fair!

What am I supposed to do if even you two won’t help me?

Just as Michelle was lamenting…

“What hierarchy or ranking could exist in a family, Senior Renias?”

“Lumia…!”

“Tell me about it. If it’s relationship advice, I think I’d be better at answering.”

Thankfully, an advisor had appeared.

Michelle could finally breathe a sigh of relief into her suffocating chest and exit the scene.

“You guys…”

“*Eek!*”

Of course, they would have to pay dearly for ignoring her.

***

After hearing Renias’s straightforward story, Lumia sighed deeply.

The silver rabbit then burst out with indignation.

“You think I’m weird too, don’t you-! But, but it feels like my brother is being stolen by my daughter! If that’s not hierarchy, what else would you call it-!”

From Renias’s perspective, it was understandable to feel wronged.

Just when she could finally receive plenty of love from her husband, that opportunity was taken by her daughter.

It’s not unreasonable for her to throw a tantrum when no one she meets understands these feelings.

But.

This time, the relationship wasn’t a political marriage or a cooled love, but one that had maintained passionate love for a long time.

“Um, Senior Renias. I don’t think hierarchy is the issue here…”

*Sniff*

“…Then what is it?”

Renias asked, holding back her tears.

“It seems Blea is very cleverly seeking her father’s attention. But don’t you have your own methods as well, senior?”

“Hmm?”

“If your daughter is taking measures to increase time with her father, then the wife should use her own methods too.”

“A wife’s methods…?”

Finally, Renias’s antenna perked up.

She seemed to understand without further explanation.

Yes. She couldn’t keep losing to her daughter every time.

Before being a mother, she was a wife. She just needed to create a situation where she could inevitably win against her daughter.

“Thanks, Lumia! I need to get back right away!”

“What? No, that’s… um…”

With Renias disappearing in a flash before the main point could even begin… Lumia felt a surge of worry.

“I wanted to tell her that if Blea keeps seeking her father’s attention, she should make it so the child has to seek her mother instead, to divert the attention…”

She wondered if Renias had misunderstood again.