Chapter 147: Surrounded by the older women
Leon knew that Else's mother was the guild leader.
He had learned about that from her one day on their adventure to Madevin Metropolis. He wasn't shocked by that since Else was the unique and terrifying prospect of the newest generation. He understood that only someone of high status like Guild Leader Jasmin would be able to give birth to a talented little elf.
But he hadn't expected that his presence and eyes alone would cause so many unnecessary rumors.
"Raven! I'll beat you in war now! I have a real experience." Else didn't know Leon's thoughts and casually taunted one of the seniors for a card game.
Senior Raven stroked his beard and loudly thought. "Have you perhaps lost?"
"I lost a lot but learned a lot! You must show your real skill!" Else nodded and looked into the old man's eyes while still holding Leon's hand.
And that was the cause of many troubling rumors that Leon hadn't predicted.
The whole capital had been glancing at him with peculiar eyes as though doubting whatever they were looking at. Was Leon related to Else, or was he her father? The latter seemed more likely for some reason, and whispers calling Leon a daddy had already reached his ears.
It made his ears turn a little redder.
In the first place, why would he even think that something bad had happened to Else's father? How could he expect that her father was gone or, even worse, unknown? Else had never mentioned her father, so Leon knew that something was off, but he never expected that this man was literally unknown.
It was like a cheap plot from some trash novel.
Worse, as some people doubted Leon's identity as Else's father, a few commoners around Leon thought that he would use his friendship with the little elf to seduce her mother and win the heart of the guild leader. And while that sounded like a good way to quickly rise in power, Leon felt three high-quality flowers were more than he could ask for!
At all costs, Leon swore to clear that misunderstanding upon seeing Else's mother.
'To begin with, Louise doesn't know about Amaterasu within her yet. This makes Celes unaware of that fox woman, too, and I had already taken a liking to her…' Leon realized that his two beloveds didn't know about the third woman and his goal to bring her to his side.
He couldn't tell anyone, too.
Leon also couldn't process what had exactly happened at that time. Was Amaterasu's presence that influential and hot that she snatched his attention? Was it her eyes, glazed with a kindled affection, yearning for Leon's touch, that made him feel something toward that gorgeous woman?
Perhaps, it was because her identity had helped Louise, and she genuinely wanted to help his adorable fox, not trying to use her status to be the best in Leon's heart.
Maybe it was what Leon initially thought, and he felt something for Amaterasu upon seeing her for the first time.
Whatever it was, Leon had already decided that Amaterasu was his.
'Three flowers is enough for me…' Leon whispered inwardly, clueless.
A part of him made him recall his questions about the divine sword within his bloodline, making him sigh a lot.
Leon's eyes sharpened when he felt many foreign and strong presences studying him. It was an uncomfortable feeling, and looking at his beloveds, Leon saw that they also scrunched their faces, displaying discomfort at that. And while Leon knew that trying to voice out his dislike for that would be akin to him throwing himself to the sharks, Leon's presence and his stats had bemused the strong figures within the capital, drawing their attention to him.
In this way, he spared his beloveds from that feeling.
Soon, that presence turned into something sharper, as though warning Leon that he shouldn't make any stupid and funny moves from now on.
Looking around, Leon realized he had gone through grand gates and entered a private garden. He left a few steps on a marble and shiny pathway before halting and finding a golden-haired woman making her way toward them.
Her circumstances shocked Leon.
"How come?" Leon muttered to himself.
Senior Raven quickly whispered in his ear. "Madame Jasmin can't heal her legs through normal methods. Even the legendary grade skills and resources failed to cure her."
"Her eyes, too?" Leon quietly replied back with another question, drawing a nod from the old man.
Madame Jasmin, Else's mother, didn't appear sick. If it weren't for a wheelchair, which she drove calmly through her mana, Leon wouldn't have seen through her circumstances. Even with Else in her presence, Madame Jasmin hadn't revealed her eyes, meaning that an incurable sickness limited her from seeing her daughter's growth, happiness, and well-being.
But no sickness would stop the mother from shedding tears of her happiness. With those warm drops wetting her cheeks, Madam Jasmin cried her daughter's name and extended her hands for an embrace.
Else cried as well. "Mom!" And she quickly ran to hug her mother, soon wrapping her hands around her neck and drenching her mother's clothes with her tears.
Leon stared at this reunion warmly, and his conscience hurt him since he had spent some time going to this place, living his slow life. He hoped Else had learned a lot of valuable stuff from everyone and wouldn't hate him for that in the future. Leon hoped that her mother would think the same.
"I don't think we should belong to this scene." Leon faintly curved his lips and turned to Senior Raven, surprising him. "It's mother and daughter time, so how about we find someplace for ourselves to discuss a few things, Senior Raven? I'd love to ask you about properties and whether you could help me get a house here."
"Are you sure?" Senior Raven asked, doubting his ears.
Leon broadly smiled and nodded. "Now is the best time to run away from Else's lovely smile. She makes people unable to refuse her. I really believe she should spend more time with her mother than with us around her. I also don't plan to leave the capital at any time soon, so she'll always have a way to find me. The same goes for Madame Jasmin should she wish to thank us for helping her daughter. We'll answer all of her calls like proper guild members."
The old man nodded. "I'll bring you to a room in our best inn first. We always have free spots for prominent guests like you, then I'll show you around the available houses."
"Thank you." Leon smiled and thanked the old man for his help, talking with him with genuine respect.
Soon, Leon and his women followed Senior Raven to the inn. Only men in that group talked, with Leon growing interested in the main guild's affairs and ranked system. Leon also followed Athena's bits of advice and got Senior Raven on his side as he fluently and eloquently carried the talk with his questions.
In short, it was a pretty smooth conversation!
After Leon and his girls ended up alone in their room, Celes and Louise eyed their master.
"You have been staring at me oddly today… A few times, at least." Leon bluntly asked.
Since the vampiress and the foxy shared the same thoughts, and Celes clothed words better, she parted her lips and started a conversation with her beloved. "Why did you treat this old man with so much respect?"
"Cause he's old, and I reckon he deserves that for not causing us any trouble?" Leon squinted his eyes.
"It's weird because he's like my equal!" Celes adorably screamed and pierced her master with her blazing eyes.
Louise crossed her arms and nodded, her blue eyes coldly agreeing with the vampiress.
Leon went agape and unconsciously mumbled... "Ah, true… You're older than like twenty of my previous generations combined."
He regretted that choice of words really fast.
Celes and Louise glared at him, then left the room and went to the inn's restaurant to eat something alone. Alexandra wasn't in the room because she didn't want to leave her kitties alone, and it was her duty to secure a safe spot for Leon's carriage and horses.
Leon followed his beloveds and ate with them by the same table, but Louise and Celes didn't even exchange any word with him and glowered whenever he brought out their names or something related to them.
At last, Leon slept on the couch.
"Should I find someone my age?" Leon asked himself, gazing at the dark ceiling.
He wasn't serious.
"Don't you have more important matters to take care of? Start by reading less of your ero book, which eats your brain cells every time you read a page." Celes instantly commented on his words, having a glass of liquor close to her lips.
Louise was already sleeping, but Leon could imagine her reaction.
He clicked his tongue and turned around.
Celes narrowed her eyes, and a cold glitter crossed her red hues. "Don't you have a task to do before going sleeping, Leon?"
"What task?" Leon asked with his eyes closed.
"Evening snack?" Celes tilted her little head, her voice carrying a note of disbelief.
Leon scoffed. "You told me to sleep on the couch. If you want the evening snack, come here and warm me. There's a limit to your arguments."
First, they told him to sleep on the couch. And now, she wanted him to be already in bed!
Women!
Enough!
Soon, Leon felt an immense and smooth softness spilling onto him.
He smirked and revealed his neck.
And because his love was still fresh and straight after confession, that troublesome feeling erased all former arguments and complaints, driving two lovers insane as they sucked each other's necks.
Louise woke up to her beloved sleeping next to her, then.
"Celes! You lured him here when I was sleeping!" Louise snapped at the teeth mark on Leon's neck.
Leon woke up and extended his hands for Louise, coiling his arms around her: his face digging into her ample chest. "Let me sleep for a little more. I think she sucked too much blood…."
Louise also had fresh and kindled love within her, resulting in more warmth coursing through her.
Hence, her beloved's request and his touch instantly melted her. "Ok…"
Louise fixed her position, giving much more room to her sweetheart. She had forgotten about her beloved's wrong words and their argument, stroking his hair as she inhaled more of her morning smell.
She smelled so nice that Leon hugged her tighter and wanted to sleep more on her.
"I love you..." Louise whispered lovingly, then grinned to herself, feeling like these words were too magical as she felt like someone else — like a real self — and that felt great.