Chapter 98: Four Out Of Five Sisters

Zach barely cracked open the door before a force from the other side pushed it open all the way and a bundle of bright orange hair burst out, pushing Zach and Nora aside.

"Welcome home, bro. Gotta run. Catch ya later."

The orange-haired woman patted Zach on the head while sprinting past and heading outside.

"Oh, Zach! Welcome home! I've gotta catch Lily, but I'll see you later." Another orange-haired young woman ran past Zach and gave him another headpat.

"Hey, Lilo. What did she do?"

"She took my…cookie!" The second orang-haired young woman answered without slowing down.

"It looked like a letter, though?"

"It was a cookie! Haste!" Lilo insisted on the paper in Lily's hand being a cookie, and before Zach could even try figuring out what was going on, Lilo appeared to be flying through the air to try and catch up to Lily.

"The young misses are as lively as ever."

Zach nodded and unruffled his hair.

"Lilo, the second of three triplets, and Lily, the first of the same trio. I'll introduce them properly later," Zach spoke to Yanael since it was her first time meeting his family and didn't know who anybody was.

Yanael nodded.

Zach took a breath before leading the way into the manor. He saw a couple of servants cleaning up in the wake of his two sisters. He greeted them with a smile when they noticed his entry.

Unlike the people in the city, they didn't shy away or flee when he looked at them. They bowed in greeting before continuing with their duties.

Zach took another deep breath to inhale the scent of his home for the first time in almost a year.

"I suppose I should greet Father."

"I will report to my Mother. I will be back to assist you before dinner, Young Master."

"Sounds good." Nora bowed and displayed proper etiquette and formalities now that she was in the presence of other servants who also reported to her mother.

"Let's go." Zach looked at Yanael and spoke. But his feet didn't move. He stood in the entrance with his hands still on his hips and a smile on his face. By the second, his smile grew stiffer and stiffer.

Yanael wanted to ask him what he was doing, but she was unsure about talking in front of others. Instead, she put a hand on his shoulder. She just rested it there and didn't squeeze or push him forward or anything. But Zach took a step forward.

Yanael was by his side. There was nothing to be nervous about.

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Zach took another deep breath before proceeding to walk through the mansion.

The place had felt ginormous during the first years of his childhood. Then, when he started becoming unlucky, it had felt small. But it was better than when he was sent to live in his own mansion. Now, it felt huge again. Zach wasn't even sure he could count as high as how many steps he had taken, but he suddenly found himself in front of a set of large, dark, double doors.

He knocked before pushing them open, his head already lowered in caution.

"Are you coming in or not?"

Zach let out a sigh of relief.

"Leonia?" His father wasn't in the office.

"Zach?"

Leonia looked up and swept her long, clear orange hair to the side as she looked at Zach. She pushed up her round glasses.

"Yes. I'm home." Zach smiled and waved.

Leonia nodded.

"Mm. Welcome home." She looked down and continued studying the map on the table she was standing in front of. Zach couldn't tell what kind of map it was, but it was different from the one over the entire Empire on the wall. It looked like it was more detailed.

"Is Father out?"

"Mm. He's busy until dinner. Same with Leonidas and Mother. Leana and Lexi should be in their rooms, the library, or the study. Lilo and Lily…"

"I met them on their way out."

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"You look occupied, so I won't disturb you anymore. I'll see you at dinner." Leonia wasn't more talkative than usual, so Zach excused himself and turned around.

"Wait." But Leonia stopped him before he could leave.

"Yes?" Zach turned around curiously. Maybe she had something else to say. But she was silent.

The only thing that changed was that instead of resting both hands against the table, one was now hanging in the air next to her with the palm facing downward. She made grabbing motions.

Zach sighed. The hand was at the same height as the top of his head. He waddled over and inserted his head under Leonia's hand. He had to bend at the knees slightly to go under.

Leonia's eyes widened slightly.

"You're taller."

"Naturally. I still have a bit to go if I want to get as tall as Father or Leonidas, so I've gotta do my best to catch up."

"...I don't mind if you stay like this, though."

"Well, I do." Zach grabbed Leonia's wrist and lifted her hand off his head before she could try to squeeze him shorter.

He glanced at the map Leonia was looking at but couldn't understand anything.

"I'll see you at the dinner?" Zach asked as he started to leave the room again.

Leonia nodded.

When they had left, Zach glanced at Yanael.

"That was Leonia, second daughter."

Yanael nodded. Zach wandered around the house until he found a hallway that looked familiar. If he remembered correctly, this should lead to the library, where he might fight another sister.

Zach walked up and down the hallway, but he didn't find the library.

"Zach? What are you doing in the servants' quarters? No wait, you're back? We didn't hear from you after the school year ended, so we thought you were staying at your Academy."

"This is the servants' quarters? I thought the library was around here." Zach recognized the voice even without seeing the face. He turned around and looked at his sister while he spoke.

"That's on the other side of the house."

"Oh. In my defense, I haven't been here in a while. I don't know what renovations have been going down."

"None. This place is the same as when it was built eons ago. What are you going to the library for, anyway?"

Zach shrugged.

"Since I've returned home, I figured I'd do a round of greetings, so I was looking for you and Lexi."

"Weird. Lexi's in her room. She's probably busy, but you can try knocking on her door. If you can find it."

"I haven't been gone that long."

"Sure. I'm also busy, so I'll see you at dinner." Leana shrugged and walked away with a bundle of sheets.

When she was gone, Zach glanced at Yanael.

"Leana, third daughter."

Yanael nodded.

Zach wandered around the house and showed off the palace to Yanael until he found his room, where he found his things already unpacked. He settled in until it was time to get ready for the dinner.