276 Blood Is Thicker Than Water (1/2)
TILLY DIDN'T know if she would laugh or be concerned while looking at Roarke and Lord Denver who both looked so gloomy.
The two men were sitting side-by-side on the front porch looking gloomy.
And I know why.
”I heard strange rumors a while ago,” Tilly said, then she crossed her arms over her chest. ”So, do you believe that Luna is pregnant right now?”
”Of course not, my lady,” Roarke and Lord Denver said at the same time.
Okay, that was confusing.
”If that's the case, then why do you look like it's the end of the earth?”
”It's the possibility, Lady Nystrom,” Lord Denver said with seriously concerned look on his face. ”I heard that Miss Luna and Lord Wixx were lovers in the past. Now that the Red Phoenix is back, the possibility of them getting back together is scaring the hell out of me. I mean, I know that I only have a very slim chance with Miss Luna. But now, that chance is reduced to zero. For me, the rumor is like a rude wake-up call.”
Okay, that made her feel bad for Lord Denver.
”On the other hand, I feel like my position as Lady Luna and Lord Wixx's son is threatened,” Roarke said in a scared voice. ”And I don't know how to be a big brother.”
”That's not true,” she said, then she gently patted Roarke's head. ”You raised Jameson all your life, Roarke.”
Roarke's eyes sparkled. ”Oh.”
She just smiled, the she turned to Lord Denver. ”And don't give up, Lord Denver. As far as I know, Luna and my brother haven't gotten back together.”
Lord Denver's face lit up. ”Oh.”
Tilly laughed softly at the two's reaction. ”So, who started this ridiculous rumor?”
***
”I KNEW it was the three of you,” Tilly said while looking down at Julian, Winter, and Solenn who were standing in front of her with their heads hanged low. Roarke and Lord Denver didn't snitch. But she already had a feeling that the kids were behind the rumors. So, after talking to the men, she went to the tea room where the three children were having a ”hot chocolate” party. ”What made you think that Luna is pregnant with my brother's child?”
Of course, she didn't believe it.
The kids explained a while ago that they saw Luna enter Wixx's room. She didn't think that the two would go to her brother's room to have an intimate moment. In fact, she had a feeling that Wixx told Luna something very important.
Brother probably doesn't want anyone to hear what he wants to tell Luna.
”I apologize, Mother,” Julian said in a voice filled with regrets. ”I'll take responsibility.”
Winter and Solenn looked shocked by that.
”And why would you take responsibility?”
”Because I'm the oldest,” Julian said. ”I'm sorry that this happened, Mother.”
”Mom, please don't punish Brother,” Winter said while giving her puppy dog eyes that she could never refuse. ”We were just messing around.”
”We were just teasing Roarke and Lord Denver,” Solenn said. ”We didn't know that the rumor would spread like wildfire.”
Apparently, some knights heard the kids congratulate Roarke for having a ”sibling.”
And thus, the rumor began to spread.
”I'm not angry,” she said to console the kids. ”I'm glad that you acknowledge your mistakes. But I want you to clear the misunderstanding. Then, apologize to everyone especially to Luna and my brother.”
”Yes, Mom.”
”Yes, Mother.
”We understand, Aunt Tilly.”
She was surprised that Solenn called her intimately because she rarely heard that from her. Of course, she didn't mind.
”And I have a job for the three of you,” she said, then she squatted down and told them to come closer. She faced Solenn first. ”Princess Solenn, after you apologize to Luna, tell her to join us in the bath later. I will also bring Nia Moonchester to the hot spring.”
Since it was always winter in the North, Lord Denver and the Fire Mages created several hot spring bathhouse. The biggest one was created for Ainsworth and Lord Forrester's use.
And that's where Kiho went to take a bath.
The other two bathhouse were relatively smaller than the grand one. One was for the ladies, and one was for the gentlemen. Each bathhouse had two hot spring. Well, actually, it just looked like an inner pool with hot water but the hot water was nice anyway.
”I want you to tell Luna to create a discreet barrier that not even Aku Moonchester will notice,” she said to the young princess. ”I want to talk to Nia Moonchester in private.”
Solenn nodded firmly. ”I understand, Aunt Tilly.”
”Thank you, Solenn,” she said, then she faced her sons. ”Julian, Winter, I want you to go to the bathhouse beside the grand bathhouse. I will send Aku Moonchester to the grand bathhouse since your father is already there.” She contemplated whether to send her children to the grand bathhouse or not. In the end, she decided not to because she was afraid that Aku Moonchester wouldn't let his guard down around her boys. ”I want you to mess around in the bathhouse with your Mana as much as you need to. The more you use your Mana near Aku Moonchester, the more you will mess with his own Mana. If that happens, he wouldn't be able to use his sharp senses to eavesdrop on me and Nia Moonchester.”
Winter saluted at her. ”Roger, Mom.”
She laughed softly. Winter really learned a lot from the way she talked because of the memories of her second life.
”We will help you as much as we can, Mother,” Julian, her ever polite son, assured her. ”We will not disappoint you.”
Tilly smiled and hugged her boys. ”Thank you, my little cinnamon rolls.”
***
KIHO scowled as soon as Aku Moonchester, clad in a white bathrobe, entered the bathhouse where he was enjoying the ”hot spring.”
As expected, the emperor entered the room as if he owned it. And he looked majestic doing so. If they weren't enemies, he would laughed at how innocent Aku Moonchester looked while looking around.
”It's my first time in a humble bathroom like this,” Aku Moonchester said, then he turned to him. ”Lady Nystrom sent me here. I asked her if I could take a bath with Nia but she refused.”
”Of course she would,” Kiho, dip in the ”hot water,” said. Like the emperor, he was also clad in a white bathrobe. He would only go naked in a bath with Tilly. ”We have children living with us in this village. Even I was kicked out of our room.”
Well, it was his punishment for hurting Tilly a while ago. But Aku Moonchester didn't need to know that.
”Lady Nystrom can be so strict sometimes,” the emperor said, then he sat on the edge of the giant tub that almost felt like a pool. Then, he dipped his feet in the ”hot water” and scowled. ”I was told that the ”hot water” here is great. Why is it cold, Kiho?”
He just shrugged.
But yes, he made the water cold because he needed a ”cold shower” a while ago.
”It's really no use raising a younger brother,” Aku Moonchester said while shaking his head. ”Kiho, you're hurting my feelings.”
He just rolled his eyes at the emperor, then he paused.
Winter and Julian?
He felt the little brats' Mana. It looked like they were in the other bathhouse. And it also seemed like they were playing because their Mana was all over the place. It was hard to ignore because the boys' Mana were messing with his.
”So, is there a reason why Lady Nystrom sent me here?”
”Nothing in particular,” he said bluntly. ”My wife just doesn't want you to show the kids what kind of relationship you have with your twin sister.”
”Of course,” the emperor said, obviously not believing his words. ”You know that you can't lie to me, don't you?”
Well, that was true.
”Lucina Morganna has nothing to do with you, Aku Moonchester.”
It was half-truth anyway.
Thankfully, this time, it seemed like Aku Moonchester believed him. It didn't look like he bought it completely. But at least, he looked less doubtful now.
”Ah, so it's about Lucina Morganna,” Aku Moonchester said while nodding his head. ”That wench already served her purpose so I don't really mind if Lady Nystrom gets rid of her now. In fact, I'd thank your wife if she does. Lucina Morganna is starting to be a bother to Nia after all.”
He didn't comment because he really didn't like talking about Lucina Morganna.
To be honest, he was relieved to know that before the reset, he didn't marry Lucina Morganna for love. He wouldn't be able to forgive himself if he ”loved” her while he let Tilly die a gruesome death.
”Don't you feel nostalgic, Kiho?” the emperor asked him with a smile on his face. ”When I first met you, back when you still didn't know that I was a prince, we used to bathe in the river. Don't you remember those peaceful days?”