Francesca turned serious, smiling but with a terrifyingly serene expression.
She looked at Liana, who suddenly stiffened.
"Lianaaa~"
"Y... yes, my lady?" Liana bowed quickly.
"Is what these two saying true? Hmm?"
Liana fell silent.
"Lianaaa... do tell ~" Francesca slowly walked closer to them, then glanced at Gloria. "Gloria~?"
Gloria bowed in a rush, following Liana’s silence.
"My~ You two are still covering for him, even now~" Francesca’s tone was light, but her smile held an edge that made the air feel heavy. "Always so loyal, always so protective of my Honey Bun~ But you mustn’t shield him from his own responsibilities, especially sothing as important as this."
She glanced at Liana and Gloria before exhaling softly and moving toward Felicia, who stood there rigid and stiff, her tail tucked close, her ears flattened slightly.
"Now..." Francesca smiled while one finger gently lifted Felicia’s chin. She leaned in and whispered, "For a girl who had her first night with Honey Bun~"
"Y... yes... M... Mother-in-law..." Felicia said, her eyes fixed on the floor.
"Did my Honey Bun give you all the official engagent necklace... or not~?" Francesca’s smile remained, but her eyes held a piercing intensity.
Felicia followed Liana and Gloria’s lead, staying silent. Francesca exhaled again and began checking their necklines one by one, her movents graceful but deliberate.
"My~ So my Honey Bun hasn’t made it official yet~?" Francesca said after checking Liana, Gloria, Felicia, Mimi, and Delya, all of whom remained silent.
Athine bowed politely. "Lady Mother... I think..." But before Athine could continue, Francesca turned and smiled.
"Athine. Do tell them when Aelius gave you the Necklace of Engagent? Hmm?"
Athine fell silent for a mont.
"Ara~ You know soone is marrying in four more days~" Francesca’s tone was sweet, but the underlying pressure was unmistakable. "If I rember correctly. But if soone stays silent to cover her little brother, I guess...~" Francesca smiled, giving Athine an innocent, sideways glance.
Athine panicked and blurted out, "A... after Father gave us his first blessing!"
"My~ The next day, or...?" Francesca smiled, her eyes narrowing slightly.
Athine bowed again. "The mont after Father gave us his blessing... he proposed to directly."
"See~? Not so hard, right." Francesca said before turning to glare at Liana and the others.
"Now... it seems that ’soone’ needs to be punished for hiding and covering up ’soone’s’ mistake~"
Liana, Gloria, Felicia, Delya, and Mimi stiffened before bowing politely. "We are sorry."
Francesca smirked, glancing at Liana and Gloria. "Once my Honey Bun makes it official, you two are no longer his personal maids. Understood? Since you will be his future wives, and I won’t take ’no’ for an answer. Especially since my Honey Bun..." She paused with a knowing smirk, "...has already taken your ’flowers.’"
"Yes, my lady." Liana and Gloria bowed in unison.
"I still can’t believe that my Honey Bun hasn’t given any of his girls an official engagent necklace," Francesca said, her tone carrying a quiet, simring displeasure, though her expression remained perfectly composed. "Despite claiming to love you all so dearly~"
She slowly turned toward the main door and paused, turning around gracefully with a serene smile. "Now, Athine~"
"Yes, Lady Mother?" Athine bowed gracefully.
"Don’t et with Aelius before your wedding day, understood?"
"Yes, Lady Mother," Athine said after exhaling softly.
"I know you two are never separated, but for the sake of the wedding ceremony, I believe you can hold off. The sacred tradition demands a period of separation to heighten the significance of the union."
"I will try my best, Lady Mother."
"Don’t just ’try your best’, do it. It’s only four days." Francesca’s tone was gentle but firm, leaving no room for negotiation. "And you, Harny, Lithia, Kliatana?"
"Yes, Lady Mother." All three of them bowed politely.
"Make sure you all, including Athine here, eat healthy and rest well. I expect all of you to be in the best condition, not just for the wedding, but for the little ones you’re carrying." Francesca’s expression softened with a warm, knowing smile. "I’m looking forward to holding my first grandchildren."
"And Liana~" Francesca’s voice was sweet, almost lodic, but it carried an undercurrent that made the air feel heavier, like honey laced with frost.
"Y... yes, my lady..."
"Ensure all your co-wives understand that before the wedding with my Honey Bun... No... One... Gets pregnant." Her words were slow, deliberate, and each one seed to hang in the air, sharp and unyielding.
"Y... yes, my lady."
"I know you and Gloria can’t wait to have his child, since you two have been with him for so long already, especially you, Liana. But I still want to be a doting mother and pamper him a little longer. He’s still my youngest son and my baby boy~ At least these two years are the only ti I can spoil him as much as I want."
Liana and Gloria glanced at each other, sharing a soft, understanding smile before bowing in unison. "Your wish is our command, my lady."
"Thank you, Liana, Gloria. Now, go ahead and continue eating. And~ if any of you want to know sothing or have questions..." Francesca’s gaze drifted aningfully toward Mimi, her smile turning a touch more indulgent, "...don’t be shy and co et , okay?"
"Yes, Lady Mother."
"Good~ Now, if you’ll all excuse , I need to ’punish soone’ for forgetting the most important thing~" Francesca said with a terrifyingly serene smile before turning and walking out the main door, followed by Erisa and the other masked battle maids.
After they all took their seats and continued eating, they paused when they heard a loud, real scream echo through the hall.
"GYARRRHHHH!!! Mother!!! I’m sorry!!!"
Vivica and Macia, who had been running around, stopped and rushed toward Athine, clinging to her hands.
"S... Sister Athine... is... is Onii-chan in serious trouble?"
"Ah..." Athine paused and smiled, looking at both Macia and Vivica. "I don’t know... but you two know how our Lady Mother is, right~?"
"Is Onii-chan going to be alright?" Vivica looked up at Athine, who now fed her a bite of food while Macia opened her mouth for the next spoonful.
"Don’t worry... your Onii-chan is strong. I’m sure he’ll be ’alright.’"
"Really?" Macia looked up, munching the food Athine fed her.
"Yes~ Now, go get a chair and sit. We’re eating breakfast here~"
Vivica took the extra chair and slowly dragged it next to Athine’s, while Macia ran toward Liana, who smiled and fed her a bite.
They all paused again when another loud scream echoed across the hall.
Athine continued eating calmly after saying, "Well... let’s just pretend we didn’t hear anything and continue eating."
( End Of Chapter )
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