I Became A Slave To The Mastermind

A big problem arose.

"Ma… Mari…"

"….."

Mari was upset.

Last night, while spending time with Athena, I succumbed to unbearable pleasure and eventually passed out. Naturally, I couldn't muster the energy to return to my own room.

When Mari came to wake me up in the morning, I realized it was already too late to fix anything.

"Mom, why are your clothes all off?"

Thinking back to Mari's expression at that moment, I felt a shiver run through my body again.

Her eyes were dark—like all the light had been sucked out of them. Truly terrifying.

Thankfully, Mari is still young, so when I explained it was because the room was hot, she seemed to accept my excuse.

However, her anger still hadn't completely subsided. Her attitude toward me was as cold as ever.

"Mari… Mom is sorry, okay…?"

"Sleeping alone… You must've felt lonely, right? This won't happen again, so please stop being mad…"

I kept trying to soothe Mari, who was lying on the bed, sulking.

Eventually, it seemed my efforts weren't in vain.

After coaxing her for quite some time, Mari finally raised her small body and made eye contact with me.

She stared at me with her usual pouty expression.

"…..But you'll have to do something for me."

"Of course…!! Is there something you want?"

Grateful that she seemed to be opening up to me again, I quickly agreed to her suggestion.

Mari, hearing my words, rummaged through her belongings and pulled something out, handing it to me.

What she held in her hand was…

A bottle filled with a mysterious blue liquid.

"Huh…? What is this…?"

"A medicine for Mom."

Mari popped open the cap and held it out to me.

"Drink this every day from now on."

"Wha… what? Th-this…?"

The sudden appearance of the blue liquid made me feel uneasy.

It didn't have a particularly strange smell, but I couldn't figure out what it was made of, so I hesitated to drink it.

"Um… can I ask what it's made of?"

After much hesitation, I finally blurted out my question.

"Mari's mana."

"Wha…what?"

"Dragon mana. It's good for you."

Mari gently nestled into my arms and looked up at me as she continued speaking.

"If you drink it every day, Mom will stay healthy for a long, long time."

"Uh… I see…"

Looking at the bottle of mana she handed me, a memory surfaced.

The last time Athena's mana entered my body, the excruciating pain was unforgettable.

'Is dragon mana any different…?'

Those horrifying memories made countless negative thoughts swirl in my mind for a moment.

But I shook my head vigorously to dispel the intrusive thoughts.

I didn't believe Mari would do anything to harm me.

She said she made this out of concern for my health, didn't she?

Being a dragon, renowned as a master of mana, Mari likely understood this far better than I did.

Besides, if I were to refuse her request now, she might sulk even more.

"Alright, I'll do as you ask, Mari."

I lifted the bottle to my mouth without hesitation and drank deeply.

A thick, sticky liquid slid down my throat in gulps.

Once I emptied the bottle Mari had given me—

"Huh?"

Just as Mari had said, it seemed to be a medicine that invigorated the body.

I immediately felt a surge of energy.

My body felt lighter than before, and my mind seemed to clear, as if a fog had lifted.

"How is it, Mom?"

Mari looked at me with hopeful eyes.

I felt a pang of guilt for doubting her even for a moment, mixed with gratitude for her concern for my health, even in a situation like this.

Gently stroking Mari's hair, I said,

"Thank you, Mari… Thanks to you, I feel like I could fly."

"Mm-hmm… I'll give it to you every day from now on."

"Mari…"

A wave of emotion surged from deep within my heart.

Mari was undoubtedly a devoted daughter.

Even in moments of anger, all she felt was concern for me.

There's no way anyone could find such a precious and lovable daughter anywhere else.

'I must never doubt Mari again.'

I resolved firmly.

Mari's eyes, which stared at me, still held a lifeless quality, but her face seemed to grow brighter little by little.

"I love you, Mom."

"Mm. I love you very much too, Mari."

As I hugged Mari tightly,

she nestled into me like a little kitten and closed her eyes.

"We'll live together for a long, long time."

The sound of baby birds chirping, the bright sunlight, and the refreshing breeze filled the air.

"What nice weather…"

Now, with Mari and Athena, I strolled through the mansion's garden to enjoy the breeze.

"Hera, give me your hand."

Athena glanced at me briefly before extending her hand toward me.

"Uh-huh…"

When I took her hand, Athena interlaced her fingers with mine, firmly locking our hands together.

"Your hand's cold."

Athena tucked our joined hands into her embrace, letting her warmth seep into mine.

"Ah…"

A ticklish sensation mingled with a bit of embarrassment.

To be honest, I couldn't quite process everything when I woke up this morning.

Athena's proposal. The new relationship starting between us.

And last night.

Thinking about how we'd moved so passionately, almost like wild animals, made my face flush.

Anyway.

I'd wondered if it was all just a dream.

But as I looked at Athena, who smiled gently at me, it began to feel real, little by little.

Now, I was certain.

The clinging gaze Athena directed at me was full of affection.

It felt slightly overwhelming, but it wasn't unpleasant.

Whether as family or as lovers, I needed Athena's love.

Being loved by her like this made my heart feel warm for no reason.

"…Mom, me too."

Beside me, Mari's small hand wrapped around mine.

To ensure she didn't feel left out, I interlaced my fingers with hers as well.

I decided to tell Mari about my relationship with Athena.

When she first heard the news that we were dating, she seemed quite shocked.

But as if she had anticipated it, Mari quickly became calm.

No—if anything, I felt her gaze on me grow even more intense.

"So, does this mean you'll become my daughter as well?"

Athena looked down at Mari and smirked.

"…What?"

Mari's expression turned incredulous at her words.

"If Hera is your mother, then doesn't it naturally follow that, since I'll be marrying Hera, I'll also be your mom?"

"Ah… Athena?!"

W-wait. What was she even saying?

Weren't we supposed to take things step by step?

I was sure we had agreed to start as lovers.

Yet here Athena was, already talking as though marriage was a done deal.

"Athena, we're not even married ye—"

"Well, having two moms might be a bit odd. Though, even if I am a woman, you could call me 'Dad' if you like."

Ignoring my attempt to intervene, Athena continued speaking to Mari.

Crunch.

A grinding sound came from somewhere, as Mari glared and growled at Athena.

"…Wake up from your dream."

"Heh… Well, I don't really mind either way," Athena replied nonchalantly.

The tension between the two only grew sharper, and I had no choice but to step in and mediate.

After much effort, the atmosphere finally returned to something resembling harmony.

"Seriously… Why do you two get along so poorly?"

I let out a deep sigh without realizing it.

I couldn't understand why they constantly clashed with each other.

Athena kept provoking Mari whenever she got the chance, and Mari was overly sensitive in response.

Thinking about it more, it felt like Athena was more at fault.

How could she act so prickly toward someone as sweet and adorable as Mari?

For a grown woman to be engaging in these battles of will with someone so young—it felt a bit immature.

"…Hera, what are you thinking about?"

"Huh?!"

Athena grabbed my backside firmly, and an involuntary squeal escaped from my mouth.

Startled by her sudden, inappropriate action, I whispered urgently to her in a low voice.

"A-are you crazy?! Mari is right there, what are you doing?!"

"Sorry, love. My hand moved on instinct. I guess I'm just too used to it."

"Urgh…"

Hearing Athena call me 'love' sent a ticklish sensation through my chest.

It was a term I'd never been called before, and it gave me an oddly thrilling feeling.

"I'll be more careful next time, Hera."

Athena glanced briefly at Mari and gave a faint chuckle.

For a moment, it felt like the temperature around Mari had dropped dramatically.

The two stared at each other silently.

The atmosphere grew so tense I was sure they were about to start fighting again, and a bead of cold sweat ran down the back of my neck.

But surprisingly—

Mari simply looked at Athena with a calm expression.

"It's fine. I'll let it go this time."

Mari, wearing a composed smile, responded with unexpected nonchalance.

"After all, time is on my side."

Athena raised an eyebrow at Mari's relaxed reply.

"….What are you saying?"

"Master!!"

Athena's words were cut off by someone before she could finish speaking.

The three of us simultaneously turned our gaze toward the source of the sound.

A knight clad in golden armor was running toward us with an urgent expression.

"….What is this?"

Athena looked at the knight with an irritated expression.

"Someone from the imperial palace has arrived."

"The imperial palace?"

"…Yes. Even the Captain of the imperial knights is here."

Athena raised one eyebrow as if she hadn't anticipated his words.

"They came to see me? Normally, they would send a letter."

"That is…."

The knight hesitated, unable to answer immediately, fidgeting awkwardly under her gaze.

Sensing something unusual, Athena pressed him to speak again.

After a long moment of reluctance, the knight finally closed his eyes tightly and delivered the news.

"They've issued an order from the imperial palace… to detain you, my lord."

"What?"

"Huh…?"

Both Athena and I widened our eyes in shock at the knight's words.

The knight glanced at me briefly.

When our eyes met, a shiver ran down my spine.

"Unauthorized illegal slave contracts and multiple counts of murder… are the stated charges."

His words were incomprehensible.

I could only stare blankly at Athena in the wake of his shocking report.

What…?

Athena… detain…?