Chapter 48. The Fragaria Family (1)

It felt warm, super warm despite there being no light around me. It was almost like there was another body handing me warmth from the depths of the darkness, but I couldn’t see as there was not a single sight of a human being in this darkness that surrounds me. I couldn’t comprehend, where is this warmth coming from… that was until.

“Haa…”

A cold breath whispered into my ear, snapping me back to reality as I opened my eyes before a white-haired beauty sat right next to me. Her body contacting with mine, her eyes stared at me. Her finger poked deep into my cheeks which surprised me a bit as she backed off in an instant.

“Aah! Go– Good morni—hng!” the beauty, none other than Leisha shouted only to bite her tongue as her face squinted, filled with pain from the bite. It seemed like she had only woken up a few moments ago but fallen into some sort of temptation, though when did I fall asleep?

I do remember some sort of terminal mentioning that I have leveled up or some sort, though the only reward that came to mind was the Terminal Lv. 2 which if my memory serves me right unlock the Skill Creation module of the terminal which is another exciting news.

“How long was I asleep?” I asked before she looked at the clock and embarrassingly hid her face as if she also doesn’t know. The clock indicated the time was around 10 in the morning which is still a substantial amount of time before the second bell which is around 1 in the noon.

“An hour…?” she replied while staring at the clock, desperate for an answer which made me chuckle a bit as I stared at her face that turned pink. The tip of her ears turned bright red as she looked at me for a moment before staring down again as a cute, embarrassed voice entered my ear.

“Tha–thanks for taking me to bed….”

It was a voice that I never expected to hear especially from this sandwich-loving witch glutton, elegant Valkyrie, and Rockstar vocalist. There was little reminiscent of her other identities, what I am seeing in front of me was none other than a cute little kitty.

An unbearable itching sensation covered my hand, it was as if instructing me to pet her head uncontrollably. I tried to endure only to fail embarrassingly as I grabbed her in my direction and started petting her as she snuggled into my chest.

I felt satisfied, it was as if I had my own pet kitty. My fingers weaved through each and every thread of her hair, petting her softly as she moaned at instances from the intense petting. She didn’t stop snuggling until a loud cough echoed from the door, snapping the two of us back to reality as we pushed each other away.

“It seems like the two of you are in some kind of pet play today, please don’t mind me and keep going…” the origin of the cough who was none other than Mana said as she walked inside the room, carrying a paper bag. After walking past us, she headed towards the vanity table where she placed the paper bag before taking out several odd-looking objects that were as if makeup kits and placing them inside as she turned towards us once more and asked, “Aren’t you going to continue with your pet play?”

“No… we weren’t doing any pet play…” I refuted before she laughed loud with a smile on her face. It was as if her previous expression was a façade. She looked at the two of us with a very gentle smile, almost like an older sister looking at her younger sister… well that gaze was for Leisha to be exact.

“It seems like the two of you haven’t delivered the letters yet, when will you two plan on sending them to the postal office~?” she asked as I turned towards my waist bag after being remembered about the letters. I would have most likely forgotten about it and engrossed myself in petting Leisha had she not interrupted actually.

“We–we were about to deliver it…” Leisha responded nervously as Mana giggled, squinting her eyes a bit before wiping off her right eye with her index finger as she walked towards Leisha and patted her hair as she whispered something into her ear as Leisha blushed.

“Boaaaaaaarrr!”

A child’s cry suddenly erupted from downstairs as Mana winked at Leisha before walking towards the doorstep as a fluff ball came running down like a cannonball, slamming down onto Mana as she lifted the fluff ball up. The fluff ball was none other than the gluttonous boar-loving Flora who had this cheery atmosphere around her.

“Aywumi-maa!! There is booarrr!” Flora looked at me and shouted with an innocent smile on her face. Her hand carried two plushies, one was a blonde while another was a black-haired plushie. The two were dressed in pretty silk dresses of opposing colors.

I took a short glance at Leisha who was still blushing hard before standing up as I left a quick pat on her head before walking towards Flora and Mana as I asked, “Did the two of you perhaps buy boar meat again?” before Mana nodded. It seems more likely the boar meat would be used for tomorrow’s instance since boar meat is usually great for meals with guests in this world.

Though, then again, Mana can’t stop spoiling Flora despite her best efforts to act as a proper role model to her. Flora’s ability to charm people into spoiling her is just too immense that even a succubus or some kind of seductress’s charm can’t defeat, and her charm is a billion or infinitely times more innocent than those two occupations which are considered illegal in this world.

“We will be using it for tomorrow since Flora said her friends like boar meat as well, though I haven’t seen them that much,” Mana said before I nodded as she looked behind me for a second, blinking several times as a smile blossomed on her face. There was no one other than Leisha behind me which could mean that she was indicating something to Leisha… I’ve always wondered what the two have been doing while making the sandwiches though, it was as if they got along in an instant.

“How about we send out the letters for now?” Mana looked back at me and suggested as I took out the letters and handed them to her before she flipped them around, nodding as she confirmed it was the letters she wrote. I am not literate enough to write one in this world though since the writings here are weird symbols.

“The symbol reminds me of something… let me see,” she said before looking around at her pocket before a letter came out from the pocket. The letter had a golden wax symbol of the same strawberry wax seal that Mana uses, the envelope had a more luxurious feel to it. Almost like it came from someone of higher rank.

“What’s this?” I asked as she handed the letter to me before I opened it up as a luxurious scented paper appeared, handing back the envelope to Mana. I opened up the paper and looked at it as sweat fell from my forehead.

To whom this letter reaches,

A pleasantry day to you, on behalf of the [Fragaria] family, I would like to offer you an invitation to visit the [Fragaria] residence to meet with the rest of the family and learn about our traditions, we wish to engage in friendly talks with the person whom my daughter has chosen and to understand one another.

As the head of the family, I sincerely hope you accept this invitation. We shall not interfere with either’s relationship with one another instead we only wish to know whether the person whom my daughter chose is worthy of bringing along the name of the [Fragaria] family.

We highly anticipate your arrival at our residence.

From, Aria Fragaria.

Head of the Fragaria Family.

I felt super nervous, my heart wouldn’t stop beating tremendously hard as Flora looked at me and placed her hand on my head, rubbing it on my hair as I looked at her who was smiling with a tilt on her head. It was an innocent smile that was warm to the eyes.

“You can choose to not head there… it would be fine if we don’t go at all since who knows what they will say…” Mana said with a wry smile as I shook my head. I need to courage up, despite visiting the family of your partner not being an official tradition here, it is still an unwritten rule.

“I will go,” I said before her smile turned wrier as she nodded before she turned towards Leisha or Kaleen and waved at her as she said.

“Leisha will have to come though since it also involves her in a way.”

Both Leisha and I were shocked as we looked at Mana confused, what involvement does Leisha or Kaleen have with greeting her family… it’s not like I have a harem that involves her right… rig….?

“Ara-ara, it seems like little Ayumi figured it out~!”

Out of the blue, an older-sister type voice came from the door, followed by the figure of a familiar blue-haired lady who stood there with her two mountains resting on her arms… it was annoying seeing those two mountains on her arms… I really want to puncture them with ten thousand needles and see if they inflate and vanish honestly… though, aren’t they really heavy?

“Auntie Kayla!” Flora screamed as she hopped off from Mana, walking towards Kayla with her hands reaching out towards her as Kayla kneeled a bit with a look of struggle before lifting Flora up as she stroked her chin.

“You adorable kitty, how have you been~?” Kayla asked while stroking Flora’s adorable fluffy chin as she shook her head in enjoyment.

“Flowa has been doing well!” she answered before Kayla nodded as she smiled at her as an older sister would do. Flora’s charm was active once more and was targeting Kayla at its maximum power.

“That’s good to hear~!” Kayla said as her older sister aura intensified, patting Flora before she looked at us and asked, “Anyway, I heard something about letters. Which families are you planning on sending a letter to?”

“Well, it’s to these families,” Mana answered as she handed the letters to Kayla who flipped them one by one before smiling.

“Ara-ara! It seems like you are about to send one to my little sister as well!” she said after flipping the second letter which, if my memory serves me right, was supposed to be sent to the [Rosy] family which is a noble family.

“You have a little sister?!” both Mana and I shouted in surprise as she giggled while handing the letters back to Mana, nodding as she looked at Flora.

“I’ve heard stories directly from my little sister about how she made a new friend that was apparently super charming like a Prince while being a girl. The friend also apparently had a parent following her all the time, though she did mention the girl being a bit fluffy and cute… who would have thought it would be Flora she was talking about,” she laughed as Flora looked at her with even more surprise before she continued.

“How about you let me handle the letters instead while the three of you head to the Fragaria residence since there is apparently a party being held there that even the headmaster was informed. The headmaster should be delivering the three of you some dresses to wear, after all, Ayumi is practically both the headmaster’s and vice head’s child at this point.”

“Oh right, I will also be at the party together with Hannah since I heard there are some delicious strawberry dishes there, for example, strawberry ice cream that was praised a billion times by many chefs and some other stuff,” she said with a smile.

“Wait, did Father make it public?!” Mana asked in surprise as Kayla nodded with a wry smile.

“I also heard that he wants to test out little Ayumi’s strength himself, though I don’t think he knows yet that little Ayumi is the only disciple of the headmaster. Well, the result is already determined since the head of the Fragaria is dozens of times weaker than little Ayumi, in terms of raw speed and power,” she said as sweat dripped on my forehead.

This is sounding more like another cliché on those isekai stories again… am I inside an isekai story myself…. I’ve read plenty of times in novels where the partner has to fight her partner’s father in a duel to earn his approval… this sounds more like that situation right now.

“Anyway, I will need to part this time, little kitty… also…” she looked at Mana who tilted her head in confusion before she continued, “I will be needing the letters if you want me to send them myself…” as a wry smile on her face blossomed on her face.

“Ah right, here… thanks ahead of time!” Mana said as she handed the letters before Kayla patted her head as she handed Flora back to Mana who gladly took her as Flora wobbled around, it seems like she had fallen drunk from the stroking, after all, Kayla is well-known to be a disaster.

“Well then, see you at the party!” Kayla said as she waved her hand leaving as a question suddenly appeared on my head.

“How did she enter the house?” I looked at Mana and asked as she looked at me surprised as well before a certain someone came back with an exhausted look on her face as she looked left and right as if being chased by someone.

“Ah, where have you been?” Mana asked the person in question who was none other than Kate. She was breathing so heavily as she answered with a pale face, shivering.

“You see, there was this pervert blue-haired lady who tried kissing me on the cheeks…!”

All of a sudden, Kayla came back with a bright smile on her face as she chuckled before Kate’s face instantly paled as if she had seen a ghost. It seems like the answer to my original question is now found, she was being chased by Kayla all along.

“Do you two mind if I take her for a ride?” Kayla asked as both Mana and I shook our heads before she smiled as she grabbed Kate from her waist, picking her up as Kate screamed furiously before the two of them vanished.

“I wish for your forgiveness in the skies!” both Mana and I bowed down at the same time as Leisha chuckled from behind. It was a well-known fact that Kayla is someone who can terrify any girl she manages to attract. There was one instance where she apparently fed a girl too many sweets and food that the girl had food trauma for a week while another instance where she hugged one too long that the girl suffocated.

I can only imagine what kind of horror Kayla will experience, will she be fed to death or will she be kissed to death… who knows, though that might be another story for the next time we meet Kayla.

“Well… should we head there now?” I looked at Mana and Leisha and asked before Mana nodded while Leisha looked at us embarrassed as she inquired, “Am I allowed to go as well?” before Mana nodded with a smile.

“You are one of us now, didn’t you agree?” Mana looked at Leisha and said before she nodded shyly as Mana chuckled, smacking my head hard enough that my health points were reduced by half a thousand points.

It seems like the two of them really came to an agreement while making sandwiches… I wonder what that agreement was about… I could only sweat as the two of them smiled before Mana grabbed my shoulder with a smile.

“Mwama! I want boaaar!” Flora screamed as a loud growl echoed inside the room, coming from none other than me.

“Ehem… how about we eat first?” I suggested before the two of them nodded as we walked down to the kitchen and started having our early breakfast meal.