Chapter 476: Big sister

“Fufu~ looks like the clan head likes you more than I thought,”

“Hm?” I raised a brow. “I don’t really think that’s the case… not with how sore my back is after all those unnecessary strikes of his.”

“Haha, although that’s true…” she covered her mouth as she laughed, her breath visible in the cold air. “Trust me—no one in the clan can tease him as openly as you can. Maybe except for Seo, but she’s a special case, and even she rarely pushes it. Most clan members would have their necks sliced open if they dared to speak to him the way you do. But then again, you did defeat him in a duel, so maybe that’s why he lets it slide?”

“Perhaps,” I muttered, shifting the sword slung over my shoulder as we walked.

To my side, the red-haired woman with half-lidded foxlike eyes kept smiling in that amused, observant way of hers.

Bom Gyeoul.

A woman with sharp instincts, sharper words, and a demeanor that always made it hard to tell when she was serious or simply toying with you.

The snow crunched beneath our boots as we made our way through the frosted forest path that led back toward my estate.

The scenery was quiet, serene, and cloaked in a calm winter silence that was only occasionally broken by the chirp of a distant bird or the gentle rustle of wind through the icy branches.

Bom didn’t need to come with me. I told her that several times, but she just smiled and said she wanted to accompany her future brother-in-law.

I was certain that was just an excuse—one she came up with on the spot.

But even so, I could tell it wasn’t entirely a lie.

Not with the way she watched me with that faint curiosity, as though trying to decipher something in me.

She was sharp, like her grandfather, but not nearly as abrasive. Instead of shouting or lecturing, she pried with light conversation and quiet observation.

And now that I thought about it more clearly… she was the mysterious woman who handed me that letter back then, wasn’t she?

The one who had slipped me an envelope without a word before vanishing into the crowd like a ghost.

Back then, I couldn’t place her face.

She felt familiar, but not in any way I could pin down.

Now it all made sense.

Of course she felt familiar.

She was Seo’s older sister.

And as it turns out… my future sister-in-law.

What a strange turn of events.

I didn’t say anything for a moment, instead watching my own breath fog in the winter air.

She walked silently beside me for a few steps before speaking again.

“You’re not bad,” she said suddenly, her voice soft but clear. “Not just in skill, but in patience. I’ve seen people break just from a single day under grandfather’s training. But you lasted, endured, and even joked while doing it. That’s not something most people can do.”

“…Thanks, I guess.”

“I wasn’t complimenting you,” she smiled mischievously. “Just stating facts. But… if you take it as one, I won’t stop you.”

In the game, she was a character shrouded in mystery—almost ghost-like in how little she appeared.

Outside of Seo’s arc, Bom Gyeoul barely showed up at all, and even when she did, it was usually limited to a handful of cryptic lines or side interactions that barely scratched the surface of who she was.

To most players, she was little more than a support character—an enigmatic guide who helped relay information about the Eastern Empire.

A stepping stone for context, nothing more.

You could easily go through entire storylines without realizing how deep her roots ran or how carefully her presence was crafted to stay out of sight.

And now that I was walking beside her in this world, I realized that impression wasn’t far from the truth.

Even now, Bom’s presence felt ghostly—quiet, fading, almost nonexistent unless you focused.

She didn’t give off the aura of a powerful individual or a noblewoman from an esteemed clan.

Instead, she blended into the backdrop like a pebble on the road—easy to pass by, forgettable unless you were deliberately paying attention.

If I looked away for even a second, I felt like I’d lose sight of her completely.

“Hmm~ staring a bit too much might cause you some trouble, Brother-in-law~” she said suddenly, breaking the silence with a playful hum.

I blinked and looked away, caught red-handed. “Sorry. It’s just… your presence is hard to follow. Are you using some kind of stealth technique?”

“Fufu~ it’s fine. You know, you can stare as long as you like,” she giggled. “But as for your question… apologies, but due to classified reasons, I’m afraid I can’t answer that~”

“That so…” I muttered. I half-expected that kind of answer.

“Hmm, how about this?” she offered with a tilt of her head. “Let’s trade. I’ll tell you a bit about the mystery behind my presence, and in return, you tell me one of your secrets. A little mutual reveal between in-laws—what do you say?”

“…Like what kind of secret?”

“Oh, there are so many I’m curious about,” she said with a slight twinkle in her eyes, her voice still as gentle as a snowfall. “But if I had to choose one… why are you so strong, Brother-in-law?”

Her words were light, playful even, but her gaze told a different story—sharp, calculating, and aware.

That question was loaded.

She wasn’t just curious—she was testing me. Measuring me in her own silent way.

And truthfully, even if I did try to give her an answer… it would probably sound ridiculous in her ears.

What was I supposed to say?

That I came from a different world?

That I possessed a system interface that let me grow at a monstrous rate?

That I once—accidentally—killed her grandfather and brought him back to life?

Yeah.

That would go well.

“…That’s classified,” I replied dryly.

She pouted playfully, placing a hand on her hip. “Tch. Cheapskate~”

“Everyone has their secrets,” I shrugged. “Even in-laws.”

“Fufu~ that much is true,” she smiled, walking ahead a few steps. “But I wonder, Riley Hell… will you still be keeping secrets once you become an official member of our clan?”

I didn’t answer.

Mostly because I didn’t have one.

But from the way she chuckled afterward, she probably didn’t expect me to.

From what I remembered, Bom Gyeoul was practically the textbook definition of a sis-con—devoted, protective, and almost obsessively fixated on her little sister Seo.

So, it came as a bit of a surprise to me that she was acting so… casually—almost playfully—despite my now basically confirmed relationship with Seo, as well as with the other girls….

Even Master Beon was still somewhat in denial, trying to pretend that my connection with Seo was just a passing phase, some coincidence in timing.

But Bom?

She didn’t seem to mind at all.

In fact, she looked almost amused by the whole thing.

Maybe she didn’t inherit her father’s level of stubborn pride—which, frankly, was a good thing.

Establishing good relationships with Seo’s close family members early on would only benefit me down the line.

And considering how complicated the future scenarios might get, especially with how volatile Seo’s emotional state could be… having someone like Bom on my side was a small but valuable win.

Besides, seeing this side of her—the more candid, human version of a character who was barely touched on in the game—was a strange but fascinating sight to behold.

But then I remembered something.

The book.

’That book.’

The one that had clearly influenced Seo’s innocent little mind about love, romance, and other things she clearly wasn’t ready for at the time.

I was sure Bom was the one who gave it to her.

So maybe… she wasn’t as reasonable as she appeared?

As I was caught in thought, Bom glanced at me with her usual fox-like expression—half amused, half curious.

“You know, Brother-in-law,” she said in her sing-song voice, “I’ve always been curious about something~”

“About what?”

Her smile widened slightly, her gaze sharpening just a little.

“How did you manage to make my innocent little Seo fall for you? As gullible as she can be sometimes… she’s not the type to realize her own feelings so easily. And yet—back at our estate—she was actually aware. Talking about you with such… clarity.”

“…Even I don’t really have an answer to that, Miss Bom,” I said with a small sigh. “Do we really need a reason to fall in love?”

She chuckled.

“Not exactly, but I am curious~ Oh, and stop calling me ’Miss Bom,’ I told you, didn’t I? Call me ’Big Sis’~”

Before I could respond, she suddenly stepped closer, linking her arm with mine and pressing her body lightly against my side.

Then, leaning in so her breath touched my ear, she whispered:

“Being too formal is fine and all… but it’s better if we blur the lines a little in our family now~ unless, of course… you want me too, my dear brother-in-law~”

“…”

Was this woman for real?

“Hahaha~ relax, Brother-in-law,” she giggled, pulling back just enough to flash a mischievous smile. “I won’t do anything that might hurt my dear little sister. Even if you are… quite the catch.”

…This woman.

She’s far more dangerous than I initially thought.

“Call me bis sis from now on okay~?”

“…. Yes, Big sis….”

……

“Well then, this is as far as I go. See you tomorrow morning as well, Brother-in-law~”

With a light wave and her usual teasing smile, Bom slowly disappeared into a puff of black smoke, leaving behind only the faint shimmer of her mana in the cold air.

I stared for a moment at the spot she vanished from, then turned around to face the looming silhouette of my estate—my ever-large yet somehow still modest castle-like mansion.

The sky was soaked in hues of orange and violet.

The sun, already half-submerged beneath the horizon, was bleeding out its final rays over the snow-covered land. I hadn’t realized how late it had gotten.

I guess I’d gotten too caught up in my training… again.

Just a single form—one basic stance, repeated endlessly until muscle memory could carry it out with ease. And yet, despite how repetitive it was, I didn’t mind.

It was much better than wandering aimlessly around the estate, doing nothing.

This way, I was progressing—however slowly—and that was more than enough for now.

Still, I could feel it in my arms, in the way my legs ached slightly as I climbed the last few steps toward the front gate.

The girls should be back by now.

Yesterday, they had gone to visit the Grand Duke’s estate to introduce themselves—formally this time. It was bound to be awkward, considering the circumstances.

Each of them had their own business with him, their own goals and alliances to consider.

And even this morning, they decided to spend the day together—just the girls.

I knew it wasn’t just to have fun, though.

They had a lot of appointments and matters to settle, especially with how political everything had suddenly become.

I could already imagine the tension simmering in the house again.

Like walking into a storm of sharp smiles and barely-contained nerves.

Still… that’s life now, isn’t it?

I do feel a bit bad for Mom and the others, though.

They’d just started adjusting to everything, and now the estate was constantly buzzing with a strange mixture of flirtation, rivalry, and nobility-level diplomacy.

But this kind of chaos wasn’t going away anytime soon. If anything, it was only going to get worse.

They’d just have to get used to it.

Because from here on out, this “lively yet heavy” atmosphere? That’s the new normal.

My future wives… they weren’t just important to me anymore.

They were important to the empire.

To the world.

And somehow—realizing that—made my steps a little heavier.

“Darling~”

The door hadn’t even fully creaked open when Liyana suddenly lunged forward, wrapping herself around me in a tight embrace, her familiar soft scent filling my nose as I stumbled back slightly in surprise.

“Liyana…?”

“Hehe~ I missed you, darling. Where were you?” she whispered, nuzzling her cheek against my chest like a spoiled cat finally reunited with her favorite sunbeam.

Just as I was about to respond, the rest of the girls came into view, stepping out from behind her one by one like a dramatic stage reveal.

They were all… waiting for me?

“That’s right,” Snow said, her deep blue eyes narrowing slightly. “You mentioned you’d be training, so we didn’t want to interrupt… but staying out this late without saying a word is concerning.”

“You look exhausted,” Rose added, stepping forward with that faint golden glow in her eyes—the usual glimmer she got when scanning someone with her mana. “Is everything okay?”

“Riley, you have burn marks on your cheek!” Alice gasped, rushing toward me as if I were on fire that very second. “Did you fight a monster? Were you ambushed?”

I blinked, then smiled slightly as their concerned faces closed in around me—different expressions, different ways of caring… but all directed at me.

That strange warmth settled in my chest again.

“I’m fine,” I said, trying to reassure them with a light tone. “The training just got intense, that’s all. I lost track of time.”

Rose hummed. “Is that so…”

“Well,” Snow said, arms crossing just beneath her chest. “As long as you’re unharmed. But next time, send your familiar to notify us. We were this close to initiating a search party.”

“Noted. I’m sorry.”

“Now then~” Alice chirped, her tone bouncing back to its usual mischievous energy. “Let’s hurry up and eat! We actually made a new batch of experiments—uh, I mean, carefully-prepared healthy dishes, just for you this time!”

“You’ll be honest if it’s good, right?” Rose added, her tone far more expectant than her words implied.

“Of course…”

I chuckled, and the mood lightened a bit as we all started walking together toward the dining hall.

Their footsteps fell in line with mine like it was routine by now, but then—

Stop.

A firm pull on my sleeve.

I turned.

“Liyana…?”

She was still holding my arm, but now her crimson eyes were sharp—piercing.

A subtle smile played at her lips, but there was something unmistakably… dangerous beneath it.

“Darling,” she said sweetly.

“Yes…?”

She leaned in closer, sniffing the side of my neck without a hint of shame. Her nose twitched once. Then again. And again.

“You said you were training,” she said quietly.

“…Yes.”

“With someone?”

“…Yes.”

“Was it a girl?”

“…No.”

Her head tilted, her eyes still locked on mine, and then her lips curled—not into a smile, but something far more unreadable.

“Then why…” she sniffed once more, “do I smell perfume on you?”

The air changed.

It was subtle—first. But then the other girls moved in like wolves catching the same scent.

Snow’s eyes narrowed.

Rose’s expression darkened.

Alice blinked twice, then leaned in and sniffed my shoulder.

The girls looked at me as their eyes lost all it’s color.

I sighed internally.

’Big sis did you do it on purpose?’

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