Liyana beamed even brighter.

“Hehe~ please don’t hesitate to correct me if I ever step out of line again. Sometimes I get way too excited when I’m with Darling, you see… Ah, and since we’re all going to get closer from now on, please don’t hold back if you need to reprimand me, okay?”

She looked around the room, and then added with a teasing wink, “I might just grow as obsessed with all of you as I am with Darling~”

There was a beat of stunned silence.

And this time… even I was caught off guard.

What the hell?

She said that with such conviction, such innocence in her voice, that I almost believed she meant every word.

The Liyana I knew—the dragon girl who clung to me like velcro and completely ignored all forms of personal boundaries—was now saying she’d start listening?

That she wanted to change for everyone’s happiness?

That she’d take reprimands and even grow obsessed with the other girls?

No way.

No chance in hell.

Something was off.

She’d never listened to me in the past—no matter how many times I tried to push her away or set boundaries, she bulldozed right through them with a smile. And now she was… volunteering to behave?

I glanced at her again, her head tilted, her smile sweet, her eyes sparkling.

This girl was seriously was up to something.

Liyana then noticed me staring at her.

Without missing a beat, she gave me that warm, radiant smile of hers—the kind that could melt a glacier and simultaneously make you feel like you were being lured into a trap.

“Is something wrong, Darling?” she asked sweetly, tilting her head.

“…Nothing,” I replied, forcing a smile.

But internally, I sighed again.

This cautious paranoia of mine was starting to eat away at my nerves.

At this rate, I was going to die from stress before any of the usual madness had a chance to kill me.

Was I really this used to Liyana being dishonest or manipulative that even when she wasn’t, I couldn’t bring myself to believe her?

Or worse—was she simply getting better at hiding it?

I shook the thoughts away.

No point chasing shadows right now.

I turned my gaze back toward the others.

Snow, Rose, and Alice were seated primly, their expressions calm but quietly curious.

It occurred to me then—I still had no idea why they were even here.

Aside from the chaos they’d brought in their wake, no one had explained their presence properly.

Right. Time to change the topic before Liyana said something else to kill me.

“So… Snow, Rose, Alice,” I said, straightening a little and looking at the three of them. “Why exactly are you girls here?”

At that, all three of them blinked. The realization seemed to hit them at the same time—like a collective oh silently passed between them.

They hadn’t actually answered that, had they?

Snow cleared her throat gently, her composure returning as she brushed back a lock of her silvery hair. “Ahem… As we briefly mentioned to the Countess earlier,” she said, closing her eyes for a moment before turning her gaze to me, “I came here on official business, in the name of the crown. I was sent to meet with the Grand Duke for diplomatic purposes.”

She paused, a trace of hesitation slipping into her tone.

“And… as it turns out, your hometown was not too far from his territory. So I thought—it would be an excellent opportunity to visit your home. To meet your parents officially… and see where you grew up, Riley.”

Her voice grew quieter near the end, almost as if embarrassed by how forward it sounded.

Then, with a faint frown, she added, “Though… perhaps I should’ve thought things through a little more carefully before arriving so suddenly. I’ve clearly caused the Countess unnecessary distress by showing up unannounced…”

My mother started to raise her hand gently, shaking her head. “It’s alright, Your Highness. You didn’t cause me any distress—”

But Snow simply smiled and interrupted her.

“Fufu~ Please,” she said softly. “You don’t need to be so humble, Countess. It is true that our arrival was sudden, and whether or not you show it, the inconvenience we caused was real. So, I ask that you don’t deny our apologies. It’s the least we can offer.”

My mother paused… then simply smiled in return, graceful as always, not pushing the matter further.

The air relaxed slightly.

“You came here to meet Papa, Sister Snow?” Liyana asked suddenly, blinking innocently as she leaned her head slightly.

Snow nodded calmly. “Yes… although I said it was for diplomatic matters, the truth is, my objectives were more personal than official.”

Her eyes briefly shifted toward me, then toward the others.

“It had a lot to do with my relationship with Riley. With Rose’s and Alice’s as well… and, of course, yours.”

Then, letting out a soft sigh, she added, “But I suppose that objective isn’t necessary anymore. You’ve already given your acceptance—your blessing—for all of us to love him. So, thank you for that, Liyana.”

“I see~” Liyana hummed, bringing a finger to her lips thoughtfully. “So it was a good idea for me to come after all, hm~? Hehe~”

Then, glancing toward the other girls with gentle curiosity, she tilted her head again.

“What about you, Sister Rose? Sister Alice? Did you both come for the same reason?”

Rose crossed her arms, her golden eyes calm but steady.

“More or less,” she said plainly. “Snow and I practically had the same goal in mind. I thought it was time to meet Riley’s family—and make things clear, if only unofficially.”

Alice, meanwhile, hesitated.

Her cheeks tinted slightly pink, and she fidgeted with a strand of her pink hair.

“Ehehe~ For me, it’s a bit embarrassing… but yeah. Honestly, I just wanted to see what Riley’s hometown was like, you know? I was really curious about where he grew up and what kind of people raised him. I wanted to meet his family too… at least once.”

“Hm~ Hm~ I see, I see.”

Liyana nodded with satisfaction, a serene smile playing on her lips as if she had just confirmed something important.

“So in essence… everyone came here for Darling, hm? How very sweet~ That’s only natural, after all.”

Then, her smile faded slightly as she glanced at the three girls again, her tone becoming more practical.

“But now I’m curious—where are you all planning to stay during your visit, Sisters? From what I saw, Papa hasn’t made any preparations at the guest palaces in our home. It doesn’t seem like he was expecting royal visitors. But we do have a few spare rooms available at our castle, if you don’t mind something more modest~?”

Snow immediately raised a hand in reassurance, her voice calm but polite. “Oh, please don’t trouble the Grand Duke over this. Our visit may come with some official context, but the timing was admittedly… rushed. Even he isn’t fully aware of the details yet.”

She smiled softly. “We’re already staying at an inn nearby. The three of us are fully and comfortably accommodated there, so you don’t need to worry.”

“I see~ That’s good then,” Liyana said sweetly, her voice laced with satisfaction.

But then her eyes suddenly sparkled, as if a mischievous idea had just lit up in her mind.

“Ah! Then how about this—why don’t the three of you stay at Darling’s place for now?”

The room went still.

She clasped her hands together innocently. “Me included as well, of course! That way, we can all bond properly! You wouldn’t mind, right, Mother?”

My mom blinked, caught completely off guard by the suggestion. “I—I suppose it’s alright… but I’m not sure we have enough rooms to accommodate everyone—”

“Hehe~ No need to worry about that, Mother!” Liyana chirped cheerfully, waving her hand like it was a minor inconvenience. “We can all just stay in Darling’s room!”

“…Excuse me?”

This time, it was me who nearly choked on my own breath.

“You wouldn’t mind, right, Darling?” she asked innocently, tilting her head as if the question was completely normal.

“Liyana,” I said slowly, trying to rein her in, “I don’t think that would be appropriate right now…”

“Appropriate?” she echoed with a playful pout. “Hehe~ who cares about silly things like morals and appearances right now, Darling? Besides~!” she got up and spun around on her heel with a dramatic twirl, arms spread wide like a host presenting a grand prize. “It’s the perfect way for me to grow closer with my sisters! A girls’ night sleepover party~!”

She clapped once, clearly delighted with herself. “I’ve always wanted to have one, you know! A cozy night of pillows, laughter, and shared secrets~! And, Darling since we’ve already slept together so many times since we were little, what’s the harm in adding a few more girls hugging you tightly, hm~?”

The other girls were stunned into silence. I could practically see the steam rising from Alice’s head.

Then Liyana leaned in slightly, her voice dropping to a teasing whisper. “Ah, but be careful, Sisters~ Darling might act all innocent and aloof in most situations… but he doesn’t hesitate to enjoy a few benefits here and there.”

“…Liyana,” I warned, already feeling the cold sweat on my back.

“Hehe~ there was this one time,” she continued, as if recalling a fond memory, “when he kept subtly touching my breasts while I was asleep~”

“Liyana—!”

“Granted~ I was the one who put his hands there first, so it’s not really his fault,” she added, giggling shamelessly. “Still, he didn’t move them~ Not even a little~ Hehe~”

I couldn’t even deny that.

I glanced at Snow, Rose, and Alice, already bracing myself for the incoming storm of judgment.

Surely, they were going to lecture me. Scold me. Maybe even drag me outside and—

But instead, the three of them simply nodded… in unison.

“We already know that,” Rose said flatly, arms crossed under her chest, her crimson eyes calm—too calm.

“…You already knew?” Liyana blinked, stunned by the revelation. Her expression was a mix of disbelief and rising tension as she turned to face them more directly.

“Yes,” Rose answered, her tone clipped, as if she were merely stating a fact. “Last time we slept together, Riley spent more time enjoying my breasts than actually sleeping. He even subtly adjusted his arms around me when I pressed against him. Honestly, it was kind of cute.”

She didn’t stop there.

“And when I was changing into my nightdress, he definitely didn’t look away. Not even once. I guess Riley’s more of a pervert than he lets on… though I don’t mind it.”

Liyana’s expression froze.

“…Last time? Breasts? Dress up?” Her voice cracked slightly as her eyes widened, trying to process the calm betrayal.

Then Snow stepped in with her usual grace, brushing a strand of white hair behind her ear.

“I can understand where Rose is coming from,” she said with a knowing smile. “Riley does act innocent most of the time, but if you push him just a little—he’s surprisingly bold. When we kiss, he always makes it feel so… good~ And yes, he does tend to linger on the chest area when given the chance to ‘accidentally’ peek~ Fufu~”

“S-Snow…” I tried to cut in, my voice tight with panic.

But of course, my attempt at damage control was ignored completely.

“Ehehe~ It’s true though,” Alice added in next, her voice soft and dreamy, her cheeks already turning red. “Riley gets really… manly when you push him a little. At first, I was scared. I thought my first time would be awkward, maybe even painful, but…”

She paused, placing her fingers lightly on her lips.

“…He made it feel warm, safe…. Pleasurable~ Like I was loved the whole time. And—” Her voice dropped to an embarrassed whisper, “…it felt really, really good too…”

Despite how softly she mumbled the last part, everyone in the room heard her loud and clear.

The entire room froze.

My brain had completely short-circuited.

My mom, who had been quietly sipping tea in the corner, dropped her cup.

She swayed slightly on her feet…

…and then promptly fainted.

“Mother?!” I called out, stepping forward instinctively—but I barely made it one step before I felt it.

A shift in the atmosphere.

It was subtle. But it was there.

Liyana slowly turned her head to look at me. Her expression, once playful, was now eerily calm. Her red eyes shimmered with something dark and unidentifiable.

A spark of danger—no, chaos—glimmered faintly behind them as they darkened…

“Darling~”

Fuck…

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep