NOVEL NEXT Chapter 24: Arriving at the Rennolds Estate.
(Celia’s POV)
When I woke up, the two were seemingly greatly relieved. Apparently, I had slept for over two days without ever waking up once. Perhaps my body still thinks that I am a higher being? Who knows… My hunger wasn’t that low, though.
Saren: “Celia, we’ll be arriving at the estate soon.” She informed.
Celia: “Does that mean that I have to meet your mother?” I ask with a sigh.
Remi: “Lady Mary isn’t a bad person, Celia.” She said with a smile.
Celia: “She won’t let you two be together, though?” I say with a raised eyebrow.
Saren: “Ah, my apologies, but I seem to have given you the wrong impression…” She said with a regretful tone.
Celia: “…”
Wrong impression? Well, I was an empathic person to most, especially women. I would honestly feel bad if I have misjudged her mother, and just on a few words as well. Maybe… her denying their relationship is a slight against my domain, which is why I dislike her right now? I also don’t know…
Saren: “As the sole heir to the Rennold family, I have a duty to sire the next generation. But mother has always treated me well, and does not deny my relationship with Remi.” She explained.
Celia: “Doesn’t deny it, but she won’t let you marry her?” I reply.
Saren: “Like I said, Mother isn’t evil, or a bad parent. In fact, I love her dearly. She doesn’t care if it is even an open secret that I am with my maid. I just need to marry a man and have a child, or children. There doesn’t need to be love involved at all.” She clarified.
Celia: “Hm… it still leave a sour taste in my mouth, though.” I reply with a sigh.
Looking out the window, I saw a nice looking town pass me by. The Rennold family was a rich and famous. And though they do not have conception magic in this dimension, women could still have titles and own things.
If Saren marries a man, the man will not have any control unless she dies. With that said, the widow, Mary Rennold, was a grand duke, and had a very large fief. When Saren mentioned their estate, I wasn’t aware that we were actually traveling to the land that her family owns.
But it is still nice, either way. Better than having to go through some king or queens city, in my opinion. Not many were willing to stop the carriage of the family that owns this land, after all.
A Little Trip Later.
Arriving at the estate fully, we departed from the carriage. Despite being a human, it was nice to know that, even though I sweated up a storm, I didn’t smell bad at all. Of course, prior to leaving that fortress, I had done a short sponge bath.
Saren: “I had gotten that vision a year prior, so your room is already squared away. First, you’ll have to meet my mother, and then you’re free to do as you please.” She explained as we walked inside.
Thud.
The door opened, revealing a woman and maids waiting for us. The woman was beautiful, with age not really hurting her in the least. She looked the same… almost the same as Saren, so this must be Mary. Mary was just more mature.
Celia: “Nice to meet you, Lady Mary. If I wasn’t informed of Saren’s current family, I would have assumed that you were her sister.” I say with a smile.
Mary: “Oh? Thank you for the compliment. Now, please follow me. Saren, you and Remi do as you wish. I must speak to Celia alone.” She said with a motherly tone.
With a nod from Saren, the two went inside the estate to do… whatever they were going to do. For me, I walked beside Mary, who took me to what I assume is her office. Ordering the maids to leave, and then locking the door, her aura was now serious. Sitting down at her desk, she gestured for me to sit in the chair in front of it.
Mary: “I love my daughter, Celia. If I could, I would give her the world.” She said, unprompted.
Celia: “…”
Mary: “Prior to your arrival, I received a letter from Remi. She informed me that you could teach her magic that would allow… her to get my daughter pregnant. Is this true? Or… are you just trying to trick us?” She asked with a serious tone.
Celia: “It’s true. In my original dimension, I was a princess. Marriage between homosexuals was commonplace and fully accepted. The males could get their male partner pregnant through magic, and the females could get their female partners pregnant as well.” I answer with an honest tone.
Mary “And… is it something that you can teach?” She replied.
Celia: “I should be able to, but I need more mana, so that I can learn magic again, first.” I reply with a nod.
Mary: “If your words are the truth then… are you willing to take a truth potion?” She proposed.
Celia: “I wouldn’t mind. Considering that hidden maid next to you, I can only assume that the apple didn’t fall far from the tree. The apple being Saren, of course.” I say with a laugh.
Mary: “…”
Even with me being a normal human, my senses and awareness were still there. This might be the reason why so many of the higher beings playing in this game ended up dying due to arrogance. The woman, whoever she was, I could sense that she was here in the room. Specifically, she was standing by Mary’s side.
Mary: “That’s right. Rie, who is Remi’s mother, is my secret lover. Long ago, I felt that getting in bed with a man, just to continue the bloodline, was a major insult to our relationship.” She said with a sigh.
Rie: “It was needed, so, to carry the sin together, I also had a child. To think that our children would end up together… isn’t something that we expected in the least.” She said with a lamenting tone, undoing her invisibility.
Celia: “That is just life. Did Remi tell you about my domain?” I reply with a shrug.
Mary: “She did, yes.” She replied.
Celia: “Then, know that I will do everything in my power to ensure that their relationship can prosper, as well as destroy any and all obstacles in their way.” I say with a confident tone.
Talking a bit more, a potion was brought into the room. Mary said that it was a truth potion, and I had no reason to believe that she would wish for my death, or to harm me. As such, I chugged down the potion, and then repeated my words to them. Just like before, my words didn’t change, so they finally believed me. So far, this game is going too well…