Chairman Lucius sighed, and his expression slowly shifted. The sharp, calculating businessman faded, replaced by a father who still clearly disliked Isaac for getting involved with both of his daughters.
"She likes a bungalow, preferably in the central district, not the outskirts, and not something small. It needs a proper garden, a private security system, and a good view. She also prefers imported furniture, custom-made, not mass-produced. Oh, and she has a habit of collecting rare wines. Expensive ones," Lucius said, counting on his fingers as if listing items from memory.
Isaac’s lips twitched slightly.
Chairman Lucius continued as if he hadn’t noticed. "She also enjoys designer jewelry, though not the flashy kind. They need to be subtle, but expensive. And she won’t settle for standard vehicles either. If you’re thinking of gifting her something, it better not be average."
"...Are you trying to scam me out of my money?" Isaac said
"What?" Chairman Lucius looked almost offended. "I would never do that."
The righteous tone made Isaac’s lips twitch again, this time more noticeably.
Chairman Lucius caught it and felt a small sense of satisfaction. After being on the receiving end of that calm, confident attitude just minutes ago, it felt good to return the same attitude to Isaac.
He cleared his throat and continued, "Jokes aside, she isn’t very picky. You can bring her a simple watch, and she will be happy. More importantly, she will come here tomorrow for Celia’s concert. A lot of Lords are attending, right? She will officially be here to meet them, and..." he hesitated for a moment, "...I will try to introduce Alice and Selene to her."
"Don’t worry. I will be there with Selene and Alice tomorrow, and prepare for it beforehand," Isaac said.
The Lords were coming for him, but the important figures of his City—business leaders, university heads, influential families—would also meet them. If Selene’s mother joined one of those group, it would be the perfect opportunity for a formal introduction.
Chairman Lucius gave a nod There was faint relief in his gaze. For all the bickering he did with Isaac, he trusted him in important matters.
"I have work to do. I’ll take my leave," Chairman Lucius spoke after a small talk.
"Already? Stay for dinner at least, father-in-law . You should also stay the night. Alice would be happy to have you with us." Isaac tried to keep him a little longer.
Chairman Lucius didn’t even consider it. "I have no intention of sleeping under the same roof as a womanizer like you."
Isaac stared at him, speechless, as the man walked away without looking back.
A few moments later, the car drove off.
"Does he really need to make those comments?" Isaac muttered under his breath.
Then he spoke calmly, "Ruby, prepare the gifts Chairman Lucius mentioned."
"The watch?" The AI asked.
"Yes, and the other gifts too," Isaac said with a grin.
His future mother-in-law would definitely be surprised by the expensive gifts. He would put the blame for them on Chairman Lucius, saying he lied about her preferences to Isaac.
’You have been on my case for so long, old man. Watch me how I get my revenge,’ he though, not realizing he was becoming a menace like Celia.
"Buying everything will be quite expensive," the AI responded.
Isaac waved his hand dismissively. "Money is one thing I have in abundance. And I can earn more just as easily."
"Understood."
Isaac turned and walked back into the house.
Celia was gone. After spending time with him earlier in the evening, she had left, saying she wanted to visit Arlene. He still didn’t understand how she had so much energy. The girl couldn’t stay in one place for more than a few hours.
Now the house felt unusually quiet.
He stretched slightly and leaned back on the couch, letting himself relax for a moment. His mind drifted between thoughts of tomorrow’s gathering and the long list Lucius had casually dropped on him.
Before he could settle into the quiet, a figure appeared in front of him.
Professor Catherine.
She was carrying a stack of books.
"Since you’re free, let’s study a bit. It’s been a while since you’ve properly studied anything. And with multiple Lords coming tomorrow, it would be good if you at least know what you’re dealing with," she said, placing the books down.
Isaac didn’t argue. He nodded and opened the first book.
Catherine watched him for a moment, then pouted internally. She had expected some resistance, maybe a complaint or at least a reluctant sigh. It wasn’t as enjoyable when he cooperated so easily.
Still, she sat down beside him and began explaining.
The study session continued smoothly. Isaac listened, asked a few questions when needed, and absorbed everything quickly. There were no distractions, no unnecessary comments, just a steady flow of information.
After half an hour, Catherine looked at the watch on her hand, and said, "Let’s take a break."
"Okay," Isaac replied, stretching and yawning.
Seeing that he was tired, a clone of hers appeared behind Isaac and placed its hands on his shoulders, beginning a slow, firm massage.
"Good work today. I’m glad you’re not neglecting studying just because you’ve grown stronger," she said, leaning down slightly so she could look at him.
"Hmm," Isaac nodded.
Catherine studied his expression for a moment, realizing he was not focusing on her.
"What are you thinking?" she asked.
"I was wondering... among the Lords coming tomorrow, will any of them be connected to Mother’s organization?" he asked back.
Catherine’s smile faded for just a second.
Her eyes shifted slightly, as if she was thinking about something deeper than the question itself. Then she moved closer and wrapped her arms around him from behind.
"I will protect you this time," she said quietly. "Don’t worry."
Isaac let out a small breath, then shook his head. "No. I’ll be the one protecting you this time. I’m strong now, you know."
He raised his arm and flexed his bicep with a grin.
Catherine chuckled softly. The tension eased just a little.
She leaned forward and kissed him lightly on the cheek before pulling back. "We’ll see."
They returned to studying.
Time passed quickly. One topic turned into another, and before they realized it, a few hours had gone by.
The front door opened.
Emily and Alice walked in.
Both of them looked tired.
As soon as Emily stepped inside, she immediately moved toward Isaac and practically fell into his arms—for him to hold her in a princess carry—as if she had been waiting all day for this.
"Good work on completing the quest," Isaac said, supporting her weight easily.
"Mm," Emily responded softly, clearly too tired to say more.
Isaac chuckled. It was always interesting to see the difference. Outside, she carried herself with friendliness yet authority. At home, all of that disappeared and what was left behind was his cute, and spoiled wife.
He adjusted his hold slightly and looked at Alice.
"Good work out there today," he said, patting her head while using Telekinesis to support Emily for a moment.
Alice nodded, and a faint sparkle appeared in her eyes at his gesture, though it disappeared just as quickly.
She quietly removed her boots and coat, placing them neatly on the hanger near the door.
"What are the awakeners doing?" Isaac asked.
"They’re having a celebration tonight. They insisted we stay, but Emily wanted to come back. She wouldn’t listen to them," Alice replied.
"I wanted to stay with Isaac after working all day," Emily added, tightening her hold slightly.
Alice glanced at her, then at Isaac. She remained silent, but her message was clear.
"Don’t worry. I’ll send a clone to handle things there," Isaac said.
Alice nodded again.
They moved further inside.
Isaac picked up a towel, dampened it with warm water, and gently cleaned Emily’s face. She didn’t resist at all, just leaned into his touch as if it was the most natural thing in the world.
Then he turned to Alice.
She was standing there quietly, watching him.
Her expression remained calm and cold, but her eyes said a different story. There was a hint of expectation there.
Isaac smiled and did the same for her.
She didn’t react much, but the slight relaxation in her posture was noticeable.
Once they were done, they moved into the living room.
At the same time, the door opened again.
"Emily, Alice, you’re back! Congrats on completing the Lord quest!" Celia’s voice filled the room as she walked in with her usual energy.
Emily and Alice thanked her.
Celia stretched slightly, then looked around. "Oh, right, what’s for dinner today? I’m starving."
Isaac stood up. "Well, since everyone’s tired, I’ll cook—"
"Can we call Priscilla and Celeste from Cradle?" Celia interrupted smoothly. "I want to eat their food today. It was really good last time."
"...Come on, my food isn’t that bad," he muttered.
Celia just smiled.
Alice gave a small nod but didn’t say anything.
Emily closed her eyes and pretended to be asleep in his arms.
Their reaction was enough of an answer.
Isaac clicked his tongue.
"Fine."
He sent the request.
Normally, Alice or Emily would have handled cooking, but they were clearly exhausted. And the Sword Empress was still missing, which meant there was no one else to take over.
A few minutes later, the house began to fill with a faint, pleasant aroma as the dragon maids started preparing dinner.
Isaac leaned back on the couch, Emily still resting against him, Alice sitting nearby, and Celia talking about something random as usual, shifting topics every few sentences without warning.
"...and then she said it wasn’t her fault, but it clearly was," Celia continued, gesturing lightly as she spoke.
Isaac nodded now and then.
Once the food was ready, they moved to the dining table.
Isaac called Avery to join them. The water elemental spirit appeared without resistance this time, taking a seat quietly. Compared to before, there was no awkward pause or reluctance.
"Looks like you’re getting used to this," Isaac said.
Avery gave a nod with a faint smile.
At the same time, Professor Catherine appeared at the table as well, as if she had always been there.
Dinner began, and the conversation flowed naturally.
Isaac spoke about Selene. "Her evolution went smoothly. She didn’t have any issues, and she immediately started her class evolution right after."
Celia giggled, as if knowing why Selene was in such a hurry.
Alice nodded slightly. They spoke for a while, and she added, "Emily’s quest rewards were also quite good. Most of them are blueprints for buildings."
Isaac glanced at Emily. "That’s useful. I’ll take a look at them later."
Emily, who had been quietly eating, paused for a moment. Then she said, "I got something else too. It’s for you."
Isaac looked at her, a little surprised.
She reached into her storage and took out a straw hat: the simple kind farmers usually wore. Without saying anything more, she gently placed it on his head.
"For me?" Isaac asked.
Emily nodded, a small smile forming on her face. "All the items I’ve gotten before... you always gave them to us. So I’m happy I can finally give you something."
For a moment, Isaac didn’t say anything. Then he adjusted the hat slightly and smiled.
"Thank you. I like it."
He checked the item description.
...
Verdant Sovereign’s Straw Hat
Rank: Legendary
Effects:
– Tireless Labor (Passive):
Reduces stamina and mental fatigue during prolonged activity such as building, combat, or skill usage. The effect is steady, not explosive.
–Weathered Resilience (Passive)
Grants resistance to Corruption and environmental effects such as heat, cold, wind pressure, and rough terrain. The user remains steady and grounded, like someone used to working in all conditions.
– Simple Living (Passive):
Reduces dependency on external resources. Slows hunger, thirst, and minor exhaustion, allowing the user to operate efficiently even in poor conditions.
– Cycle of Growth (Passive):
The longer the user farms in the same area, the more efficient their farming become. Amount of harvest, quality of harvest, land quality, and mana usage, improve gradually over time.
...