The warm feeling of another body in the same bed as I woke up was something I was quickly getting used to in recent memory. Wrapping my arms around them, pulling them close, and burying my sleepy face in their bountiful chest was something I relished in as my brain started waking up. It took me longer than I would have liked to remember that I was back at the Academy and in my dorm room. I was not, in fact, still in the Nagare and sleeping with Livia. My eyes snapped open and met Yumeria's as she reached out and started stroking my hair.
"Good morning, Inheritor. I hope that you had a restful sleep." The elf softly greeted me. The thin sleepwear we bought for her last night did nothing to prevent myself from feeling just how soft she was.
"Yumeria, I was pretty sure that I slept on the couch last night. So why am I in my bed with you?" I asked after pulling away from her, ignoring how much colder I felt once I did.
I suggested that you be moved to the bed with Yumeria after you started having nightmares, Leon.
"Nightmares?" I turned to Control after they broke stealth and floated closer to the bed.
"Your sleep last night quickly became restless. Placing you in my arms in bed calmed your heart and allowed you peace." Yumeria explained before adopting a small smile that may have been considered smug. "I did inform you that my body can be used to soothe your heart."
"As a body pillow?" I asked jokingly, appreciating the thought.
"If not as an outlet for your lust while you are away from a lover, then yes." She said with a nod. I rubbed my eyes at her words. It was too early for me to deal with that kind of talk.
"Please tone down talking about how you want me to use your body in that way, if you can't stop altogether." I told her with a sigh. I stood up and went to the adjoining bathroom to handle my business.
It seems that you have developed certain subconscious issues that will need to be addressed. We never noticed it before as you had the comfort of another to mitigate the problem.
"Great, now my head is all messed up too?" I asked in irritation after I was done.
It is a natural effect to the things you have witnessed and have been dealing with. It simply means that you care enough not to brush it aside.
I appreciated the words, I really did. I even understood that what they were saying was correct. "That doesn't really help me, especially since I don't even know who to talk to about this."
I shall look into methods of therapy that may help. In the meantime, it seems that not going to sleep alone is a good way to handle it for now.
I couldn't help but chuckle at how Yumeria smiled at me when she heard Control say that.
"I guess I'll be in your care while I sleep in the meantime, Yumeria." I told her with a nod. If she was so adamant at helping me this way, then I wasn't going to say no. I definitely needed to tell Livia about this arrangement though, no matter how much I thought that she would probably be okay with it.
Yumeria stood from my bed and gave me a deep bow. "It is my pleasure to be of service to you, Inheritor."
Classes wouldn't start up again for another week, so I decided to go for a more casual outfit instead of my uniform. Yumeria got into a simple dress we got her while we waited for her maid outfit to be finished. We were about to go out to get some breakfast when someone started banging on the door.
"Leon! Leon! Are you awake?!" I blinked. Julius? I quickly went to the door and opened it because of how urgent he sounded. He stood there in pretty casual clothes as well, Marie's half-elf servant was next to him looking like he hadn't slept.
"What's going on man?" I hesitantly asked. The rest of the boys were still back at their respective homes for the break, but Julius pretty much stayed in the Academy if only to avoid seeing his jackass father at the Palace. I was pretty sure that he visited his mother frequently during the break though.
"Mother?" Both of us whipped our heads to the half-elf boy at the words.
"What?!" I exclaimed as he slowly walked towards Yumeria, who was looking at him placidly. She had a kid, and it was my sister's servant?
"Leon, why does that elf woman have a horn?" Julius asked in mild worry at the glowing horn sticking out of Yumeria's head. I was about to give him an excuse when her apparent son kept talking.
"How are you alive?" He asked her. Oh no, was he born before she was taken by whoever did that to her? No, he recognized her so that means that she must have also raised him to a point.
"Do I know you, child?" That was definitely not the correct thing to say as the boy walked up to her and grabbed the front of her dress.
"It's me, Kyle! Don't you remember your own son, you useless mother?!" He started yelling. Right, his name was Kyle. He started trying to shake his mother but Yumeria remained unaffected by his words or actions. Did she really not remember him? Was it also caused by her conversion into an Oni?
"Kyle, stop! This isn't the time or place! Think of Marie!" Julius called out to him while walking up and pulling him away from Yumeria. Wait, what did he just say?
"Julius, what happened to Marie?" Both boys froze up at the question, probably at the tone of my voice when I asked it.
"It would be best to talk over breakfast to save time." Julius eventually suggested. I frowned but agreed, if something was happening then we'd need the energy. We went to the cafeteria and picked up whatever food was available before going to a pretty isolated table to talk.
"So they just took her? Without any written warrant?" I asked while quickly packing in my breakfast. Julius wasn't eating as fast as I was, but he was doing it at a pretty constant pace.
So Marie was arrested because of the Lafan's apparent involvement with the Offreys. But even if her family was involved with them, why the hell did they take her? And why in the middle of the night?
"I wanted to help her but she told me to seek the two of you out instead." Kyle told us bitterly while picking at the eggs on his plate. Yumeria was just quietly eating her own breakfast without any comment.
"Why did she tell you to wait until morning to get us?" I followed up, a bit frustrated that I didn't even know that my sister was taken while I was asleep.
"Likely because we wouldn't have been able to do anything to help her anyway that late at night. At least, nothing that wouldn't cause us trouble later on." Julius finally spoke up. Damn him for making sense.
"So, what can we do?" Julius considered my question for a few moments as he finished up eating. I had already cleaned out my plate and was just waiting for what our next move was.
"I'm planning on going to the Palace to ask mother about this. Chances are that an order like that would pass by her desk." I flinched at the mention of Mylene. Julius didn't seem to notice it as he spoke to me with a smile. "I'm hoping that you can come with me, Leon."
I nodded in agreement. The two of us needed to talk about a few other things anyway. "Yeah, sure. That's probably the best way to do this."
"What about me?" Kyle suddenly asked, to our surprise. "What am I supposed to do while you two are gone?"
"I was assuming that you wanted time to talk to your mom." I told him with a shrug. It seemed like the natural thing to do after they were finally reunited after who knows how long.
"Why would I want to talk to a horrible woman who forgot about her own son after she threw him away?!" He seethed in obvious pain. Ah, so he likely didn't know what Yumeria went through then.
"Okay, I get that you're mad. But trust me, Kyle. Whatever happened between you and Yumeria, I am certain that she didn't let you go willingly." I told the boy as gently as I could.
"How can you be so sure of that?!" I grimaced at the question, remembering Elven Island.
"Do you really think that she got that horn voluntarily?" I asked him and he looked taken aback. He then glanced at Yumeria's head and looked like he was finally thinking about everything more rationally.
"Can you take care of Kyle for the day? I know that you probably don't remember him, but talk to him and tell him about what has happened to you. He can probably fill you in on his side of the story too." I requested the elven woman. She looked between me and Kyle before nodding.
"I shall abide by your wish, Inheritor." I gave a sigh of relief at that, then she gave me a follow up question. "What do you wish for me to tell the Divine Maiden if she seeks you out?"
"Divine Maiden?" I shook my head at Julius' puzzlement.
"One thing at a time, Julius. Trust me." I told him while rubbing my temples. God, it really was just one thing after another. Not even giving me the time to clear up one problem. I took a deep breath and looked at Yumeria. "Tell her that I went with Julius to the Palace to ask about something that happened to Marie. Don't tell her that she was arrested."
"Control?" I called out as Julius and I made our way to the Academy entrance. The drone made itself visible as it kept pace with the two of us.
Do you require anything, Leon?
"Can you go over to the girls' dorm and check if you can find anything that might help us figure out who took Marie?" I asked, even though it was probably a long shot. Control made the drone move as if it was nodding.
I shall try to see if there is a trail I will be able to follow.
"Thank you, Control." Julius gratefully said just as Control went invisible again.
Unlike last time where I needed an official summons to meet Mylene, Julius just walked into the Palace like he owned the place. Which is pretty fair. We made our way purposefully through the halls, people making way for the Crown Prince and…the Doom Knight. I hated Roland more and more each day. A familiar pair of guards were outside the office of the Queen when we finally made it there.
"We wish to speak to my mother. Is she available to receive us?" He asked one of the guards, who saluted and quickly went inside the office to check.
"The Queen will see you now." The guard said after he came back out, holding the door for the two of us. We gave our thanks and went inside. Mylene was at her desk and looked like she had already been working for a couple of hours based on the paperwork there. She really needed to delegate more of her work to other people, or at least give them to her husband to deal with instead.
"Julius, Leon, welcome." She greeted us with a smile, one that became a bit sad when she glanced at me. Oh no, I hope she hasn't been blaming herself with what happened with my engagements. "Based on your expressions, you didn't come here for a simple visit."
"Forgive us, mother. I'm sure that you would have liked your reunion with Leon to be under better circumstances." Oh man, I had forgotten that Julius was totally onboard with me dating his mom. "It's about Marie."
The conversation became more serious once we started explaining to her what happened last night according to Kyle.
"It's true that we had found evidence that the Lafans were conspiring with the Offrey in order to smuggle contraband and pirates through their territory in exchange for wealth." Mylene enforced the fact that Marie's family was just the worst ever. "Though I am unsure as to why there was a need to arrest her in the middle of the night."
"Then where is she?" Julius quickly asked, more concerned about the girl herself.
"Likely held in one of the dungeons. I shall have my personal men look into it and retrieve her." She told us, much to our relief. I was just glad that she would be able to get out quickly.
"Thank you so much, mother." He proceeded to give his mom a hug.
"I know how much you love her." She told him with a laugh. There was one other thing though.
"What will happen to her afterwards?" I asked since freeing Marie was just the immediate issue being taken care of. "The Offreys were dissolved and their titles revoked. Their assets and territory were taken as well. What'll happen to Marie when that happens to the Lafans?"
"Her noble rank will be revoked and she will become a commoner." Mylene stated, much to Julius' shock.
"What?!" He reacted pretty much as expected.
"It is something that has to be done. The Crown has been working hard in dismantling any form of corruption that we can find. We can't take it easy on anyone. I'm sorry, Julius." It was understandable and was a pretty sensible policy, though there was a reason why corruption was always so hard to put down even back on Earth.
"So once that happens, Marie won't be a member of the Lafan house anymore." I commented and received a nod from her.
"As they are no longer of the nobility, any bond they would have would be simply familial with no titles attached." Mylene confirmed. So Marie would be free from her crooked family, finally. That took care of one of her biggest concerns in her new life. Probably even enough to get her off the idea of trying to become the Saint as well, especially since the necklace was haunted.
"I have full control of my branch of the Bartfort house, right?" I asked, a crazy idea forming in my head. Must be the Getter Rays again.
"Yes, you have full autonomy of your territory and affairs so long as you act in the interest of the man Barfort house. Why?" She asked with a tilt of her head. Julius was also curious at where I was going with this. I gave them both a smile and told them my idea.
"How hard would it be for me to adopt Marie as my little sister?" It turned out that, with the Queen literally right there, it was super easy and was barely an inconvenience. A few signed documents later, and Marie was now Marie Fou Bartfort. She was my sister again. I couldn't help but smile at the thought.
It was probably going to be hell to explain to Livia and the girls though.
"I'll present this to her once my men bring her to me." Mylene said as she placed a copy of the adoption papers in her desk drawer. "I'll also try to find out who orchestrated her arrest in the first place. She didn't need to be taken to the dungeons."
"Do you think this was done by a court noble?" Julius growled out in obvious anger.
His mother sighed and nodded. "Likely. A lot of the court are unhappy with the possibility of her becoming Queen one day."
"Thank you so much, Leon. I can't even begin to wonder how to make this up to you." Julius said with tears in his eyes. Man, he really loved my sister. I couldn't even be upset that he's dating her.
"Friends don't keep score like that, Julius. Besides, this'll give me an excuse to aggravate the little gremlin whenever I want." I joked, putting up the act that I still considered Marie as a gremlin. I mean, she was. But she was my gremlin now too.
"Well, I'm sure that you and mother would like some alone time together. I shall make sure that no one interferes." Both Mylene and I flushed at his confident words. Before either of us could stop him, Julius left the room and we heard him address the guards as he closed the door. "My mother has more things to discuss with Viscount Bartfort, ensure that no one disturbs them."
"Honestly, that boy of mine." I heard Mylene fondly say.
"He means well." I turned to her and saw her expression suddenly turn remorseful. I was pretty sure why as well. I walked up to her and took her into my arms. "What happened with my engagement wasn't your fault Mylene."
"How can you say that? If it wasn't for me being so arrogant about things, then Angie and Clarice wouldn't have taken it so poorly." Her words were muffled by pressing her face into my shoulder even as her arms returned my embrace.
"It was probably going to happen anyway." She pulled back and looked at me when I said that.
"What do you mean?" I sighed at the question and proceeded to tell her everything that happened from the moment Angie and Clarice confronted me about her as well as what came after. By the end of the story, we were on the couch with my head on her lap as she stroked my hair.
"I had read the report about what happened in Elven Island and that you were involved. But to think that it was that bad." She told me with a shake of her head. Wait till she found out about the ghost in the sacred relic.
"We still don't know who did it?" I asked and got a sigh in response.
"Certain nobles suspect that the Principality had something to do with it, but that is just likely just biases talking." So no luck then. It was probably the Principality based on what will probably happen in the future, and wasn't that just a fun thing to consider? The Black Knight with a Getter Dragon, even a deteriorated one, was just so bad. Before I could wallow in despair, my eyes widened as Mylene leaned down and kissed me.
She was blushing when she pulled back and quickly glanced away from me. "Forgive me. I just missed you so much and–"
"Mylene, where do you see this going?" I asked, it was something that had been on my mind while we were on our way to Elven Island. Angie and Clarice pretty much spelled it out that she was in love with me. I was definitely starting to see her as a woman I loved as well. But this sort of relationship couldn't possibly go anywhere without blowing up in our faces.
"Us?" I nodded at her words before elaborating.
"I'm with Livia now too. She's determined to have me, Angie, and Clarice reconcile as well. Where do you see yourself fitting into that if it happens?" Mylene nodded and looked up at the ceiling for a few moments, considering her next words.
"Roland has been hinting about abdicating the throne once Julius graduates and proves himself worthy of the crown." I blinked at that sudden revelation. The King wanted out? Really?
"He'll probably go back to becoming a mysterious adventurer or something." She continued with a roll of her eyes. She then looked back down at me. "I'm planning on divorcing him once that happens and I am no longer Queen."
"Then I'm hoping that you would take me as a wife or a concubine. Even if I'll really just be Mylene by then." My eyes widened at what she was planning on doing. Oh, she really was in this for the long term. She seemed to see something she liked as she leaned back down and started kissing me again. One hand continued to stroke my hair while the other started moving elsewhere.
"Mylene, wait. If we take too long in here–" I tried to say but ended up gasping when she found what she was looking for.
She giggled at my concern and kissed me on the nose. "My personal guard are ones I trust with everything. They know the value of discretion."
"Yeah, but in your office?" I asked and just saw her eyes twinkle. Uh-oh. I knew that look. Livia made that look a lot of times recently.
"There is an adjoining bedroom to this office in case I need to take a nap." She whispered in my ear before making me sit up so she could stand and pull me to the other room.
We didn't quite make it to the bed.