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Translator: Xini
Proofreader: Silavin
It’s going to be four years since I started living in the same house as my master and father, Lord Clo.
I have no memories associated with my birth parents. I was living my days groveling in the slums since I was aware of my surroundings, and if my memory serves me, I was kidnapped when I was 5 and became the property of Shiki’s previous Lord.
Compared to back then, my living conditions have improved considerably.
Without being beaten, or forced to wear the slave collar and having been given a family name, taught to read and write and how to wield magic. Though, I did learn everything Lord Clo could teach me in 3 days (he got pretty grumpy about it).
However, Lord Clo is quite athletic, or rather, an excellent fighter. He doesn’t seem to realize it himself as he’s lost to magic several times, but in regards to combat abilities he’s the best in all of Shiki. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have been able to beat the Fenrir barehanded even with it having lost one eye.
And if I had to comment on his peculiar characteristics, it would be the fact that he mumbles odd things at times and that he’s not very aristocratic. Maybe I can’t say this about him, since I’m something of a noble myself, but compared to other nobles who visit at times or the previous lord/employer, he feels closer to a commoner.
Recently, I gained a mother.
She’s called Lady Violet. She’s the beautiful young daughter of an ex-duke and she has lavender hair.
She arrived in Shiki with a broken heart and I couldn’t see any of the arrogant attitude she was infamous for. And even now, I would find it hard to say she acts haughty. Lately, I often see her sport a satisfied smile whenever she looks at the ring on her hand.
Beautiful, both in appearance and conduct, she had an excellent academic background, magic abilities and many other qualities which invoke admiration and respect. She’s aristocratic in the truest sense while Lord Clo isn’t.
Though I refer to her as mother, she’s but four years older hence making us look weird from an outside standpoint. We are obviously not related by blood and as we don’t resemble each other in the least, anyone looking in would think a Sister was playing with her younger relative at best.
I gave it much thought and came to the decision that the relationship between us needs to be one of parent and child and that we should play house. I’ll try relaying my decision to Sister Cyan next time I see her and hear her thoughts.
That said, she’s a little distant with me compared to Lord Clo and I’m not sure if that’s because I’m an ex-slave, but it makes me rather sad.
That’s what my mother and father are like, but Sister Cyan says they don’t really act like a couple.
I don’t know much about marriage. I’ve observed the residents of Shiki but since I’m a stranger to their behavior behind closed walls, I can only imagine how a married couple are supposed to be like.
Speaking of, back then during the incident with Schwarz, Lord Clo almost gave me three mothers. Perhaps, one wife isn’t enough to satisfy Lord Clo. Come to think of it, in a story I read before, the male protagonist was approached by several women and he had a romantic relationship with all of them. It’s possible that Lord Clo also yearns to live such a life.
Apricot refers to such a man as a ‘Clueless Dense Harem Guy’. If Lord Clo wishes to be such a person, then I shall call him by that and cheer him on.
Either way, it makes me a bit sad that my precious family isn’t acting normal.
So, I enquired Priest Snow White on what I should do.
“Hmm. Let’s see. I have never gone out with a woman so I’m not the best person to ask for advice, but is that still alright with you?”
I replied that I was okay with it and waited for the Priest’s advice.
“I think they need to make time to sit down and have a heart to heart talk. Create an opportunity to get to know each other without time or work getting in the way.”
I see. An opportunity to communicate.
It’s true that ever since their relationship started to change, they’ve been so occupied with dealing with the aftermath of the Fenrir incident that I feel like they haven’t had many chances to talk. It’s probably a good idea to create an opportunity for said communication to happen.
… Come to think of it, a hot spring apparently popped up nearby recently.
I hear a hot spring is akin to a natural bath and that it’s big enough to accommodate several people.
Lord Clo was wondering if the townspeople or tourists could make use of it, if a path was somehow laid leading up to it. Meaning, if the problem of the path was resolved, it’s possible to make use of the hot spring.
And I heard this from Lord Khaki. That, in order for a man and a woman to strengthen their relationship it was crucial to see each other naked. Taking a bath together means neither of them will have any clothes on and they can have a nice, long talk without time or work getting in their way. It’s the perfect opportunity.
Alright, I should go propose the idea right away. Make hay while the sun shines, as they say, I sought out Lady Violet and put forward my idea.
“Go to the hot spring with Lord Clo?!… I-I can’t. I know it’s not odd for couples to do something like that together, but there’s an order to everything. … Moreover, I have very little experience bathing with other people.”
During bath time, other than when she was a child, Lady Violet typically seemed to have had a maid on standby outside the door, and hence hadn’t had much experience with taking a bath with others present in the room.
In her words, ’take care of your own needs, never expose yourself to others in a vulnerable state’, seems to have been the root of the education she received.
“But it might be a good idea for us to take one together. To be honest, I’ve felt a distance between us. It might be good to find a place to chat leisurely.”
Does that mean a parent and child aren’t strangers? I was feeling a bit left out, but I am happy seeing her trying to reach out this way.
I’m a bit bad at approaching people. I’m always searching their faces, worried that they would hate me.
However, both I and Lady Violet wish to get to know each other better, and if she’s taking a step forward, then it’s only right that I meet her halfway.
I hear it’s normal in a family for a mother and son to take baths together, and I’ve taken many baths with Lord Clo during the beginning stages of our relationship. Those times really helped calm my nerves.
Alright then, I’ll make use of this chance to strengthen our bond as mother and son.
“Haha, then let’s do that next time. It’ll make me nervous to do it for the first time with someone of the opposite sex. So let me start with you and then take it from there.”
… I wonder why. Something about Lady Violet’s words felt off.
Even as I felt something wasn’t right, I made a promise to have a bath together with Lady Violet someday.
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Oh so violet thought Gray is a girl lol