March 7th immediately gave Caelus a wary look from top to bottom. Though she couldn't see anything unusual in his expression, she was still uneasy and had to ask.
"Caelus, why are you asking Cocolia to your room tonight?"
Hearing March ask this question, Bronya immediately perked up her ears, listening intently, afraid to miss a single word.
Without a second thought, Caelus casually replied, "For official business, of course."
Official business? My ass!
Bronya shot Caelus a look of utter disgust. What kind of legitimate person discusses official business in a room, alone with a woman, in the middle of the night?
March wanted to press for more details, but Caelus clearly had no intention of answering. He turned to Cocolia, asked for the location of the library, and then eagerly ran off. Before leaving, he didn't forget to give them a rough explanation of how the iron farm worked, telling them to guard it well before he took off.
Bronya watched Caelus's retreating back and clenched her fists. She would have to get to the bottom of this tonight. If Caelus really intended to lay a hand on her mother, she would stop him, no matter the cost!
That night, Cocolia, fresh from a shower and wrapped in only a bath towel, stood before a mirror, struggling to decide between two outfits. One was a set of rather thin pajamas, the other was more formal attire.
To be honest, she hadn't thought much of it when Caelus asked her to come find him at night. But after March 7th's pointed question, she couldn't help but let her mind wander.
"Caelus shouldn't be that kind of person… right…?"
Although they hadn't known each other long, Cocolia felt that Caelus wasn't the type of lecher who would be so desperate to use his newfound power to sexually harass someone the moment he became Supreme Guardian.
After some thought, Cocolia decided to trust in Caelus's character. She dropped the towel and put on the more respectable set of clothes.
Once dressed, she opened her door and peeked into the room next door. Bronya's room was right next to hers. It was quiet now; Bronya was probably already asleep. Cocolia felt relieved and stepped out, carefully closing the door behind her, afraid the sound of the lock would wake Bronya.
After doing all this, Cocolia came to her senses and slapped herself on the forehead in frustration. She had already chosen to trust him, so why was she acting like she was sneaking out for a clandestine affair? Wasn't that just giving herself away?
Cocolia shook her head with a wry smile and walked towards Caelus's room. Ever since Caelus had become Supreme Guardian, the three of them had moved their lodgings to within Qlipoth Fort.
Not long after Cocolia left, the door to the room next to hers creaked open a crack. An eye peeked through the gap, scanning the surroundings. After confirming no one was there, Bronya, dressed in a nightgown, pushed the door open.
"Mother, I'm here to protect you! No matter what I have to give!"
Bronya's eyes were firm. She carefully stepped out, but the moment she took a step, her footsteps echoed in the quiet hallway. She hesitated for a moment before deciding to take off her shoes. Barefoot and silent, she crept in the direction Cocolia had gone.
Cocolia arrived in front of Caelus's room, took a deep breath, and knocked lightly twice.
The door had barely opened halfway when Caelus reached out and yanked her inside before she could even say "I'm here."
"I've been waiting for you! Come on, get in!"
Cocolia only had time to let out a gasp of surprise before she was pulled into the room.
"Don't... Caelus, you're too eager."
Bronya, who had been tailing her, happened to witness this exact scene. The last sliver of hope in her heart was utterly shattered, and her face turned pale.
It's exactly as I guessed. Caelus, you animal!
Bronya hurried to the door. Fortunately, Caelus had been in such a rush that he hadn't closed it. She quietly widened the gap and peeked inside.
The lights in the room were still on. Cocolia was sitting on the edge of the bed, and Caelus was kneeling in front of her, but his body was blocked by Cocolia's, making it impossible to see what he was doing.
"Caelus, do I just need to sit like this?"
"Yeah. I'll do the rest."
"Okay... fine. But what are you going to do?"
"The process of a boy growing up, of course! What a question!"
Hearing this conversation from outside the door, Bronya's blood ran cold. The process of a boy growing up? What does a boy grow into? A man!
She could see Caelus kneeling in front of Cocolia, fiddling with something she couldn't see. She couldn't take it anymore and slammed the door open with the palm of her hand.
"Caelus, you animal, let my mom go! If you want something, come at me!"
The two people in the room heard her and looked up towards the door. Cocolia looked particularly surprised to see Bronya.
"Bronya, why are you here?"
To Bronya, Cocolia's surprised expression was one of shame and panic at being caught in an unwilling act. This only confirmed her suspicions. She bit her lip, strode into the room, and stood directly in front of Caelus, spreading her arms and displaying her own well-defined figure.
"Whatever you want, do it to me! I'll take my mom's place!"
In terms of combat, she knew that even with all the Silvermane Guards combined, she was no match for him. She might as well sacrifice herself to protect her mother!
Seeing Bronya suddenly barge in, Caelus's eyes lit up. He immediately reached out and grabbed her by the arm.
"You've come at the perfect time. Cocolia alone wasn't quite enough. I didn't expect you to deliver yourself to my doorstep. Now I have more options."
Hearing this, Bronya's face turned white. She looked at Caelus, trembling. "What… you want both of us together?! No! I won't allow it!"
Caelus gave her no chance to refuse. He grabbed her hand and forcefully sat her down next to Cocolia.
"You came here on your own. Do you think you have the right to refuse?"
"No… No! Caelus, I'm begging you, two people is really not okay… At least… At least let my mom go to another room?"
Bronya was in a full-blown panic. She never imagined Caelus could be so depraved as to want both mother and daughter together! This was too shameful!
Cocolia reached out and placed a hand on Bronya's shoulder, comforting her. "It's okay. It'll be quick."
Bronya bit her lip, her expression on the verge of tears.
"Mom… at least don't look at me…"
---o---