“…Really now.”

Does it open even when knocked with the head instead of hands? Oscar chuckled at this absurd situation, then bit his lip hard and trembled around his eyes as he flinched at Zachary’s semen filling him up inside.

The moonlight seeping through the window illuminated Oscar’s figure.

“Haa…”

Feeling a gentle pleasure, Oscar threw his head back limply.

His sweat-soaked golden bangs shattered in the moonlight, and his eyes half-closed from exhaustion.

“Oscar.”

Zachary, who had been watching Oscar like that in the darkness, called out. Oscar, who had been staring blankly into space, turned his eyes to Zachary. As Oscar’s vision adjusted to the light and met Zachary’s eyes, he blushed bright red at the words that followed.

“You’re so beautiful.”

“You…”

And then, as he tried to cover his face with both hands out of embarrassment, he failed because one hand was caught by Zachary.

“Saying such things… so casually…”

Oscar hurriedly and clumsily covered his face with one hand. Not realizing that his bright red ears were visible through the gaps in his disheveled hair.

“You, but why again-“

“Can’t we do it just one more time?”

“…What?”

And seeing those ears.

“We haven’t done it in the light yet.”

It was unfortunate for Oscar that Zachary had become so excited.

***

‘I’m tired.’

As Oscar entered the room, he looked at the sunlight seeping through the window and thought that quite a lot of time had passed for the weather to have turned this cold.

Counting the days he had been here, he suddenly realized that he had breakfast early with the Serpentine family members today as well, and he chuckled.

The first meal together was extremely awkward for everyone.

“Wow, Your Highness. Is it necessary for you two to sit so close together?”

That’s because Zachary was there too.

So the meals together weren’t smooth from the beginning. Even in the presence of Adelaide and the former Duke Ailes, Erhan kept subtly provoking Zachary.

“If you’re jealous, you could come down from that seat and sit here. Shall I help you down directly?”

Zachary didn’t hold back either. He glared at Erhan with a cold glint in his eyes and quietly warned him. Oscar was miserable, as Zachary’s words didn’t sound like mere bluffs.

The two were like a dog and a cat, like oil and water. Trying to have meals together regularly with these incompatible beings made Oscar feel like he was losing weight every day.

“Oh my, the weather is so nice today, I feel like only good things will happen. Is it because such beautiful faces are gathered in one place? It’s like a flower garden here.”

It would be better to avoid these gatherings, but the problem was that Adelaide loved having meals together with everyone too much.

She was also uncomfortable with Zachary at first. But knowing that Oscar wouldn’t come to meals if Zachary wasn’t there, she gradually changed her attitude.

Adelaide treated Zachary kindly, and Zachary was quite respectful to Adelaide in return.

‘…Look at their expressions. They look alike.’

Thanks to this, Oscar realized anew how much father and son resembled each other as he watched Ailes and Erhan’s expressions souring in real-time.

That wasn’t all. Oscar got to see many new sides of the Serpentine family members. The psychological warfare between Erhan and Zachary, Zachary eating somewhat bewilderedly when his mother pushed a plate of food towards him, and Ailes glaring at that sight. These were all scenes he had never seen before.

‘It’s not entirely peaceful, but.’

Still, this was quite satisfactory.

Throughout his stay at the mansion, he had never imagined that Zachary and his family members could get along like this.

Come to think of it, for Zachary, he was having meals with the beings who had brainwashed him, and from Erhan’s perspective, he was sharing a table with Zachary who had tried to kill him. For the former Duke Ailes, he was eating with a being who had almost destroyed his family, and for his mother, she was having meals with the one who had taken her son away.

‘I’m grateful, really.’

Oscar was beyond satisfied; he was thankful to everyone.

But now it was time to make a decision. Oscar slowly lowered himself and stared at the bag he had brought. He had stayed at the mansion for quite a long time, and the elixir solution he thought he had brought plenty of was nearly empty.

‘It’s time to go back.’

The day of return, which had seemed so distant, was approaching.

***

I bit my lips gently.

‘I wonder if I can go back today.’

Surely, a few days ago, I had decided to return when the elixir solution was almost gone. However, I ended up staying at the mansion for a few more days even after making that decision.

Of course, it’s not that I didn’t try. I had intended to return right away on the day I made up my mind. So after telling my mother that I was going back, I was slowly packing my things when…

“My head has been hurting since yesterday.”

My mother said she wasn’t feeling well, so I had no choice but to postpone my return date. Then, when I was about to leave once my mother’s condition improved…

“Oscar, if you’re not busy, could you help me choose some clothes? No, it’s not urgent. Other family’s children all… Never mind. I’m just talking nonsense.”

Because she insisted that I absolutely must look at the clothes she would wear for the next banquet, I had to postpone my return again, even though I had packed everything and even called for a coachman.

Of course, I knew. I knew that my mother was making up excuses to keep her son, who had come home after a long time, for as long as possible. But when she was so happy, how could I not yield?

Zachary would probably be the most uncomfortable staying at the mansion, but he respected my relationship with my mother. However, I couldn’t delay any longer now. The elixir solution was really running low. I was even more afraid that if the intake was interrupted even for a moment, my barely changed constitution might revert to its original state and show a rejection reaction to holy power.

“Oscar. Are you in there?”

Knock knock. At that moment, I heard a knocking sound.

“Brother?”

It was Erhan.

It was just when Zachary had stepped out for a moment. As I carefully opened the door, something suddenly blocked my view. I saw a small box wrapped elegantly. Tilting my head wondering what this could be, Erhan, who had gently pushed the box forward, said softly:

“The tea leaves you mentioned before.”

I blinked in confusion at the sudden words, then belatedly understood and opened my mouth.

“The tea I said had a nice aroma?”

“Yes. Here. Take it with you when you return to that backward place.”

Erhan pronounced the word “backward” particularly strongly. Glancing at Erhan, I saw his expression was crumpled as if he was automatically irritated.

“Thank you. I was just packing to go back, so the timing is good.”

It’s fortunate that Zachary is away at the moment. I smiled forcedly as I accepted the box. Slowly returning to the room, I pushed the box into a gap in the open bag to hide it.

“…You’re going back?”

I heard Erhan’s voice, sounding a bit surprised. When I turned around, I saw Erhan leaning against the door, staring at me.

“Yes.”

“It seems like you’ll fail anyway.”

He shook his head, knowing my circumstances. Well, I’ve said I’m leaving so many times already, but I still haven’t been able to go back. As the master of this family, he probably knows clearly why I haven’t been able to return.

“So I’m thinking of leaving secretly… I’m sorry to Mother. I’m planning to leave today, now that I’ve made up my mind.”

But I couldn’t postpone it any longer. The amount of elixir solution left was now really precarious. It might even be a bit short if I consider what I need to consume on the way back.

“If you leave without saying anything, she’ll be very surprised and hurt.”

“I know. But if I tell her, I’m afraid I won’t be able to leave again. I’m planning to leave just a letter. I’m glad I at least told you, brother.”

I’m really sorry to Mother, but this was the best I could do. I must make sure to write in the letter that I’ll come back to the mansion again soon.

As I said this to Erhan, I slowly looked around at the luggage I had laid out. It didn’t seem like I had stayed for that long, but there was more to pack than I expected.

“…Can’t you?”

Just then, I heard a small voice. It seemed like Erhan had said something, but I couldn’t hear it clearly, so I turned around.

“I asked if you can’t not go.”

My eyes widened involuntarily at the sight of Erhan, who had suddenly come close.