ID Chapter 36: Seducing mother-in-law?

Ethan’s morning was normal. Well, waking up between his yandere sister-cum-lover and his childhood friend after a leveling adventure in another had become a new norm. As he got up with the stinking spear, Mio grabbed his hand.

“Don’t go…”

One glance at Mio’s pained expression flooded him with worries.

‘It’s Mom’s fault.’

He tossed the spear aside and sat by Mio’s side, caressing her head lovingly.

‘Will having sex fix her anxiety?’

The chances were slim. In the worst-case scenario, she could become more dependent on him. How could he help her get over this trauma? He couldn’t find the answer.

The alarm buzzed, serving as a reminder of the school.

Mio squeezed his hands as she opened her eyes. “Onii-sama…”

“Yeah?”

“You returned. Are we going to school?”

“Yup. You don’t want to?”

“How can I not if Onii-sama is there?” she returned a bright smile and sneakily put her head on his leg. “Just give me a minute to recharge my energy.”

Celia was still lost in the land of dreams. Ethan let her sleep and took the spear to the bath. He scrubbed every drop of blood until the blade reflected his face. His early morning effort brought the spear back to its former glory.

Bzzzzz! The doorbell rang.

Opening the door, Ethan found his mentor grinning at him. A black polo top and dark jeans hugging her legs—the casual outfit was a far cry from her usual, graceful dresses.

“Hey, morning.”

“Morning... Did you come here to train me?”

“What else do you think I came for? To see you?”

“...I didn’t say that. Can we delay today’s training to evening? I’ve to attend school.”

He’d be in no condition to go anywhere after Regina’s training.

“Fine. Give me your number,” she said and stretched her hands with a hand-it-over attitude.

She got her desired number and walked downstairs into her lair.

Ethan also returned to finish his preparations. Waking up Celia was a chore as she clung to him. He’d be dragged to the bed if it weren’t for his physical strength enhanced after multiple levels.

As he tested on the stream, he only used a pair of sunglasses to hide his eyes.

Amidst the commotion caused by the two women, Ethan reached the school in Celia’s car.

As Celia opened the door, her hands froze. Her shaking eyes stopped on a blonde woman wearing a maid dress, standing outside a car. Her sharp eyes glared straight at Ethan and Celia. Her aura was quite similar to Regina’s serious, spear master side. Ethan couldn’t recognize the woman, but he could guess her affiliation—Celia’s family.

“What is she doing here?” Celia muttered, chewing the corner of her lips.

Mio got out of the backseat and beckoned Ethan out. Celia also got out, keeping her eyes on the maid.

Ethan poked her cheeks. “So, what’s the plan? We’re gonna talk to her or what?”

“We will. I’m not running away, but be careful of Eliss. She might look like your fantasy woman, but she is the keeper of our family aka mom’s right hand. She knows Mom’s every dirty little secret.”

Ethan ignored how casually she brought up his maid fetish—which he really had to some extent—and narrowed his eyes on Eliss. She could be the key to break Marienne’s hold on Celia.

“Don’t underestimate her, dear. She is a bigger nutjob than mom. A former psychopath. Mio is a rookie compared to that psycho.”

Before Ethan’s summon to Avalon, Mio did suspicious things every day. Now she hardly did anything that qualified her as crazy. Ethan even found her possessive antics cute.

‘Still, I shouldn’t ignore her warning.’

Mio whacked Celia on her head. “Shut the fuck up. Do you want to see how crazy I can be?”

Eliss approached with a sweet smile. “Mistress Celia, your mother requested your presence in the house. Please come with me.”

“Goodbye.” Mio waved her hand with a grin. “Don’t return.”

“Mio.”

Mio shrunk from Ethan’s stern voice. She pinched her ears with a mischievous smile. “Sorry, Onii-sama.”

“Apologies for intruding. Are you perhaps Ethan and Mio?”

What did she need from him? Ethan wondered, nonetheless acknowledged her with a nod.

“Come with us. Lady Marienne also called for you. Her schedule is jam-packed this week, so she wants to meet you right now.”

“No,” Celia rejected. “Ethan isn’t going anywhere unless you tell me the reason.”

“Mistress, please comply,” Eliss threatened, maintaining her flawless smile. “Or Lady Marienne will have no choice but to end this relationship.”

“Ethan, watch my act,” Celia muttered and smiled at Ellis. “Resorting to blatant threats now, are we? As expected, every moment we shared in my childhood was just a fake. A fabrication. Else, you wouldn’t take my mother’s side because she is clearly in the wrong for trying to separate me from Ethan.”

Ethan stared at Celia, wide-eyed. Her act seemed far too realistic.

“Don’t pull that shit, girl,” Eliss muttered under her breath.

Ethan blinked his eyes. Her graceful maid facade broke rather easily, giving glimpses of the psycho Celia talked about.

Eliss gestured toward the car. “Please come. Lady Marienne doesn't have all day.”

“Fine…” Celia agreed. “We’ll come.”

Ellis gave a bright smile. Celia turned to Ethan, pretending to fix his collar, looking more serious than she ever did.

“Can you promise me one thing?”

“What is it?”

“If mom doesn’t agree to our relationship, take off your glasses and charm her.”

“What are you—”

Celia put a finger on her lips, effectively shutting him down. “Please. It’ll work out, I promise.”

Ethan couldn’t help but imagine his future mother-in-law flirting with him with her daughter. The thought of the mature woman made him a tad guilty towards Celia, who tried everything to be together with him.

“Alright. I’ll do it if she tries to be stubborn about us being together.”

“Thank you.” Celia winked before pecking his lips. “Don’t imagine my mother as a lover. She won’t ever let her feelings get in her way. I just want to confuse her. If she finds the root of her problem, we’ll figure out another way.”

She knew about his secret fantasies… Ethan rubbed the back of his neck. The plan she proposed was brutal, even for him who went through multiple life and death situations in another world.

Ethan glanced at Mio, who tapped her feet with her arms on her chest. She didn’t interrupt Celia this time around.

‘Is she showing empathy for Celia?’

Ethan smiled and rubbed her head. “Let’s go.”

Mio pouted, keeping her glaring eyes on Celia. “Yes.”

The trio got into the car with the maid. On their way out, Ethan found Andrew and Maria standing with a bitter smile. He whipped out his phone and texted Andrew about meeting at his home.

Andrew: What’s the deal with that maid? My guy, you having a foursome or something? I can’t imagine you were a virgin until now.

Celia giggled at the message while Mio glared at the maid.

“Never. Onii-sama belongs to me.”

“That’s half true. He belongs to both of us.”

“Lies.”

Ethan excluded himself from their conversation and returned to his chat with Andrew.

Ethan: You jealous?

Andrew: Damn it. Yes. I’m jealous. Fucking a maid just hit differently.

Ethan: Don’t cheat on Maria.

Andrew: It’s not cheating if my girlfriend joins me.

‘Fucker makes sense in most unexpected ways.’