“Hehe~ They’re patiently waiting for you at the dining table, darling~” Liyana answered, her voice as sweet as ever.

“…Is that so.” I nodded slowly, but something about the way she said it caught me off guard.

There was a pause.

Just a second too long.

Not enough to be suspicious on its own, but… it lingered in the air.

Why did she hesitate like that?

“I’ll wait for you here, so hurry up, darling~” she added cheerfully, moving closer and settling herself down at the edge of my bed with practiced ease.

Her fingers gently cupped my face, her thumb brushing along my cheek as she looked at me with those loving eyes of hers.

I’d grown used to Liyana’s clinginess by now.

Her touch was always warm—almost possessively so.

But… today it felt different.

Not unpleasant.

Just awkward.

Like there was something I wasn’t seeing.

“Darling?” she tilted her head slightly. “Is something wrong?”

“No… it’s nothing.”

I forced a small smile and looked away.

I could feel her gaze on me, searching for something I wasn’t ready to admit even to myself.

For now, it was better to avoid meeting her eyes.

My memories of last night were still murky.

Fuzzy around the edges like a half-remembered dream.

But even so… I knew we crossed a line.

This wasn’t the usual flirty banter or teasing touches.

We’d gone far beyond what normal couples would call ‘intimate.’

And not just with her.

Snow. Rose.

‘Did I also do it with them…?’

A sigh slipped from my lips, heavy and worn.

I pushed the thought aside.

Thinking about something I couldn’t even clearly remember wouldn’t help right now.

I can just always ask them directly later…

“I’ll wash up for a bit.”

“Okay~” Liyana hummed softly, her smile still lingering as she watched me get up.

I made my way into the bathroom, dragging my tired body step by step.

The cold floor tiles sent a slight chill through me, but I welcomed the sensation.

Anything to shake off the fog.

Turning the faucet, I splashed slightly warm water onto my face, letting it soak into my skin.

The water dripped down my neck and into the collar of my shirt, and I inhaled deeply as the haze began to lift.

I looked up at the mirror.

My reflection stared back—mostly normal, but not quite.

My skin was pale, lips a touch dry, and underneath my eyes were faint but visible shadows.

Not enough to make me look sick, but definitely tired.

We must’ve gone until really late…

Everything added up.

My heavy limbs, my dry throat, the mana fatigue… and now the dark lines under my eyes.

Whatever happened last night wasn’t just emotional—it had clearly taken a toll on my body too.

Liyana said breakfast was ready.

But judging by the height of the sun, it couldn’t be early morning anymore.

If it was this bright outside, either they all woke up just a short while ago… or we’d only fallen asleep not long before now.

Unless, of course, today was just that sunny.

“Haah… I don’t feel too good…” I muttered to myself, gripping the edge of the sink for support as a dull ache throbbed behind my eyes.

Something wrong had definitely happened last night… but at the same time, something terribly good might have happened too.

And that’s what made it worse.

Everything felt distant and blurred, like watching a vivid dream slip away the moment I opened my eyes.

I couldn’t quite pin down the sequence of events, but the feeling it left behind… that stayed.

A lingering warmth that crawled beneath my skin.

A tension in my chest.

A dull but familiar guilt trying to claw its way up through my stomach.

I didn’t mean for things to spiral the way they did.

I wasn’t even sure how they spiraled—just that it ended in something unexpected, intense, and undeniably troublesome.

And yet, if I’m being honest with myself… a part of me wishes I could remember it all.

For god’s sake… if we were going to fall into that kind of night, could it at least have been memorable?

But it’s too late now.

I did what I did, and there was no going back.

Even if the details were lost, the mark it left behind was real.

With a sigh, I shook my head, trying to clear the fog that clung stubbornly to my thoughts—and that’s when I finally looked up.

The large bathroom mirror offered a full, undeniable view of myself.

“…Fuck.”

There was no hiding it.

My bare skin was littered with vivid marks—bite marks, hickeys, scratches.

From my collarbone to my waistline, it looked like my entire torso had been claimed.

Some were faint and already beginning to fade, but others were fresh, deep… desperate.

‘Just how intense did we get last night…?’

…..

It was a calm morning in Hell County—or at least, that’s how it would usually be.

The air was crisp, the winter sunlight filtered softly through the grand windows of the estate’s dining hall, and the long table was set with a lavish spread of carefully prepared dishes.

But the atmosphere… was anything but comfortable.

“You should try this, Your Highness,” the Count said with a courteous smile, gesturing toward a steaming porcelain bowl in front of him. “It’s a specialty unique to our region. The chefs went to great lengths to make it especially delicious this morning.”

Seated at the table across from him, the young white-haired princess nodded politely. “Mm… I’ll gladly take a bite then, Count,” Snow replied with quiet grace, lifting the silver spoon with a calm, practiced motion.

The Count let out a small chuckle. “Ahaha… I see. I do hope it suits your royal taste, Your Highness.” He quickly turned to the golden-eyed girl sitting beside her. “Ah—Lady Rose, you should try some as well. Although it may appear to be a simple morning soup, it’s actually Riley’s favorite dish to start the day with.”

“…Okay,” Rose replied softly, her voice almost a whisper.

Yet despite the short response, both girls seemed to ease just a little at the mention of Riley’s name.

It was subtle, but the way they leaned in toward their bowls, how their eyes lingered just a second longer on the food before taking a bite—those small signs didn’t go unnoticed.

They were still shaken.

Even a common man could see that.

The Count of Hell County, a man well into his years yet sharp as ever, felt a sigh rising in his chest—but he held it back.

He couldn’t risk upsetting the mood any more than it already was.

He leaned in slightly and spoke under his breath to the woman seated beside him.

“My dear, what’s going on? Help me out here, will you?”

Krista, the countess, sitting gracefully in her morning gown with a steaming cup of tea in hand, gave him a knowing look—but remained quiet.

Right now, they were at their own dining table, within their own estate, yet the presence of these unexpected guests made the familiar surroundings feel distant and alien.

The royal presence of Princess Snow and Lady Rose should have been an honor—a rare and prestigious event for any noble household. And yet…

The Count’s shifted in his seat, feeling the weight on his shoulders grow heavier.

They hadn’t planned for this.

After yesterday’s sudden and chaotic visit, Reina had managed to briefly inform him of the situation—though even that had been vague at best.

What little he did learn made it clear: these two girls were no ordinary guests.

They were intimately tied to Riley in ways that no report or formal introduction could fully explain.

The Count had hosted nobles before—many times, in fact.

Banquets, political meetings, casual visits from barons, and even the occasional foreign envoy.

And his dear wife, Krista, had always dreamed of entertaining royalty—an aspiration she often brought up in wistful conversations over tea.

But dreams rarely prepared you for reality.

Especially not this reality.

Now that royalty actually sat at his dining table—two powerful, influential girls whose names alone could shift the political balance of entire regions—the Count found himself at a complete loss.

They were quiet.

Too quiet.

Lady Rose, with her golden eyes that rarely flickered, was slowly eating the morning soup.

And Princess Snow, whose usual elegance should’ve commanded the room, looked almost… distant, as if her mind were elsewhere.

And though neither of them said a single word of complaint, the tension was as thick as fog.

It wasn’t hard to tell—these girls were upset.

Not the kind of anger that came with insults or sharp words, but the kind that simmered in silence.

The kind that made every little movement feel like walking on cracked glass.

The Count could feel a bead of sweat form at his temple.

He wasn’t stupid—he knew this had to be connected to Riley.

And that’s what troubled him the most.

‘Was this my fault?’

He couldn’t help but recall the casual advice he’d once given to his son.

Words meant half-jokingly, yet with a hint of old man pride and encouragement.

“Impregnate them all!”

At the time, he’d laughed when he said it.

Now, however…

A tired sigh escaped his lips.

‘Gods… did he really take my words that seriously?’

He turned his head slightly, lowering his voice to speak to Krista beside him.

“Dear… what exactly happened yesterday?” he asked, hoping for at least some clarity.

After all, Reina had given him a rushed explanation last night.

Something about Riley’s girls visiting, the sudden commotion, the urgent need to prepare rooms and food. But there had been little time for details.

Krista paused, her hands gently cradling her teacup.

“…Well, I don’t exactly know either,” she admitted with a small, regretful smile.

The Count blinked. “…Weren’t you the one entertaining them yesterday?”

“I was. At least… I tried to be.” She glanced down into her tea. “But I fainted.”

“…Huh?”

“I collapsed halfway through…”

“I—I see…”

The Count exhaled softly, a low sigh escaping his lips as he rubbed his temples.

Even Krista, the composed and dependable woman who stood by his side for decades… even she had a limit.

He couldn’t blame her.

Even he often felt as though the very air turned heavier whenever the Grand Duke or similarly high-ranking guests visited their estate.

The pressure, the etiquette, the unspoken expectations—most would fold beneath it, and frankly, part of him wanted to as well.

But this?

This wasn’t just a formal visit from nobility.

This was something far more unpredictable.

It would’ve been a relief if Reina had been present.

She might have clarified the situation with that sharp tongue and overly calm demeanor of hers.

But no—his ever-so-helpful daughter had fled early in the morning without a word.

Probably running away from this exact mess.

And to make matters worse, his father—the old man who usually lingered around during interesting situations just to cause trouble—had also vanished.

The Count felt the corners of his mouth twitch in frustration.

He glanced briefly at the silent figures seated across the table.

Snow and Rose were quietly sipping the morning soup, but their silence was far louder than any scream.

For the first time in years, the Count—felt an unfamiliar urge to just run.

But duty had always been his burden. And he had never once abandoned it.

He shut his eyes briefly and tried to recall what Reina had actually told him last night.

Her words, while hurried and vague, carried just enough weight to shake him.

Apparently, after some… heated disagreements between the girls, the situation spiraled out of control.

Somewhere along the line, things escalated—no, devolved—into a chaotic mess, one that ended with Riley… sleeping with all of them.

All of his girls all except for one that is….

Yes, all this complication stemmed from sleeping together…

Liyana, His future daughter-in-law was part of it as well.

‘Or rather, my future daughters-in-laws now?’ he thought dryly, as his eyes briefly returned to Snow and Rose.

If Reina’s assessment was correct, it was only a matter of time before they officially joined the family as well.

A very envious harem…

In a twisted way, he couldn’t help but admire Riley’s luck—or curse, depending on how one looked at it.

Still, it led him to one pressing question:

They slept together… so what the hell is the problem now?

He wasn’t naïve.

He’d lived long enough to know that physical intimacy wasn’t always the end goal—it was often the start of even more complicated emotions.

But wasn’t this exactly what all of them wanted?

They all agreed to it as well…

Did Riley… do something wrong?

Or worse—did he not do something they were hoping he would?

The Count was… genuinely confused.

Wasn’t everything supposed to be fine now?

If anything, things should’ve been progressing in the right direction.

The girls had gotten closer to his son—close enough to willingly share a bed.

Maybe they had even crossed a few emotional or physical boundaries along the way, but wasn’t that the natural course of a developing relationship?

A bold, youthful bond that nobles in their time rarely had the freedom to nurture?

He couldn’t help but think this was a good thing. Intimacy, understanding, affection—it was all necessary for a future together.

That should mean they were on good terms, right?

‘Liyana seems to be the only one in a good mood…’

Among the supposed group of girls who had spent the night with Riley, Liyana seemed to be the only one who still carried herself with energy and warmth—as if nothing had gone wrong at all.

“Good morning, everyone~!”

Her bright and cheerful voice echoed through the otherwise gloomy room like a beam of sunlight cracking through a storm.

Her usual poise and girlish charm were completely intact, and her steps were as light as ever as she entered the dining room with a gentle skip.

The Count looked up from his half-empty cup and blinked in mild disbelief.

“Oh, Liyana… you’re back. Where’s that idiotic son of mine?” he asked, though there was little bite in his voice.

“Fufu~ please don’t call him idiotic, Father. I’ll have you know, darling is quite smart,” she said with a teasing tone and a small tilt of her head. “Though he does act foolish sometimes. Hehe~”

A low sigh almost escaped the Count’s lips. He didn’t have the energy to deal with Liyana’s lovestruck rambling today.

“I’m not idiotic. Nor am I foolish.”

The voice that answered was low and firm—and came from just behind Liyana.

All heads turned.

Riley had arrived.

His usual composed expression was present, though the slight tension in his brow hinted that he, too, could feel the heavy atmosphere lingering like fog.

He stopped just past the doorway and glanced around, quickly noting the way all eyes were on him.

He blinked, then frowned slightly.

“…Why is everyone staring at me like I just killed someone?”

The Count had to fight the urge to clear his throat awkwardly.

It really did feel like Riley had walked in wearing a guilty conscience, even if no one had accused him of anything yet.

Riley and Liyana began walking further into the room, aiming to take their usual seats at the table.

But just as Riley reached out to pull a chair—

Tap. Tap.

Two simultaneous taps echoed across the room.

He froze.

His gaze shifted to his left.

Rose.

Then to his right.

Snow.

The two girls, sitting on opposite sides of an empty chair between them, had gently tapped its surface with their fingers.

They stared at him with identical, unblinking eyes.

Their expressions weren’t quite angry—but they weren’t warm either.

In fact, the only thing more intense than the heavy silence was the steely command in their voices.

“Sit here,” they said in unison.

Riley blinked.

He instinctively glanced toward the seat he had been about to take—farther down the table, next to Liyana.

But the message from the two girls was clear.

That seat was no longer an option.

He looked at Liyana expecting some kind of complaint but….

“It’s alright darling Hehe~ I owe my sisters this much~ I can just sit right next to mother this time~”

“…Right,”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep