Isaac ran while Celia’s furious voice followed after him.
"I’ll have my revenge, Isaac Hargraves! Just wait!"
Her voice echoed through the corridors even as he disappeared from sight. Isaac rolled his eyes and continued walking away without the slightest concern. The confidence in her threat almost made him laugh.
He was the one who had been wronged first.
Celia was the one who had suggested doing that in a public bathroom without feeling even a little ashamed. He had only paid her back with a lesson she would remember for a long time. Yet somehow she was acting as though she was the victim.
How exactly did that make sense?
’I think she won’t ask to do the deed in public spaces anymore,’ Isaac muttered with a relieved sigh.
Thinking back, he should have realized there was a problem much earlier. The moment Celia had suggested doing it in the meeting room of the Ashfang Tribe leader’s mansion should have been enough warning. At the time, however, he had assumed it was simply a one-time thing.
Now he knew better.
The girl was dangerous. Worse, her perverted tendencies seemed to be growing stronger instead of weaker. Every time he thought she had reached her limit, she somehow found a new way to surprise him.
Thankfully, this time he had taught her a proper lesson.
At least, that was what Isaac chose to believe. If his plan worked as intended, Celia would think twice before making such outrageous suggestions again. That alone made the trouble worthwhile.
Of course, he did feel a little guilty about creating a replica of Vale inside the dream.
The guilt only lasted briefly before Isaac found several convincing excuses. Vale was not actually there, and even that Vale had seen and known nothing. More importantly, everything had taken place inside a dream.
Compared to the problems that could arise if something similar happened in reality, this outcome was harmless.
Even though he tried reassuring himself, the guilt was still there. He shook his head in the end and left to meet Chairman Lucius, Selene, and Alice.
Chairman Lucius had already known that Selene’s evolution was completed before the concert. However, he had intentionally given her time to rest instead of immediately coming to meet her. Completing an evolution was exhausting, and he assumed she would need some time to recover.
When Isaac entered the meeting room, he immediately noticed an unfamiliar woman sitting with the others.
She looked to be slightly above thirty years old. Her black hair framed a beautiful face, and she carried herself with the calm confidence of someone accustomed to important conversations. There was a gentle warmth in her smile that gave her the feeling of a dependable older sister.
Selene was talking with her happily.
At least, that was how it appeared on the surface. Isaac could tell Selene was still somewhat awkward despite her efforts to hide it. Alice sat nearby, occasionally nodding and adding a short comment every few minutes.
Chairman Lucius, meanwhile, wore a nervous smile.
"Hello," Isaac greeted as he entered.
"Isaac, you are here!"
Chairman Lucius immediately stood up and wrapped him in a hug.
Isaac froze for a moment. Something was wrong. Very wrong. Chairman Lucius hugging him happily was not normal under any circumstances.
For a brief moment, Isaac wondered if someone had replaced him with an impostor.
Fortunately, the mystery did not last long.
"Meet her. She is Beatrice Govania, the CEO of the famous Govania brand," Chairman Lucius said.
Understanding immediately dawned on Isaac.
Chairman Lucius wanted help. More specifically, he wanted Isaac to ease the atmosphere and help his daughters become more comfortable around the woman.
A bright smile appeared on Isaac’s face.
The corner of Chairman Lucius’ lips twitched when he saw that smile. He knew Isaac was teasing him for needing his help.
Unfortunately, Chairman Lucius had no choice but to endure it.
"I’m Isaac Hargraves, the Lord of Imperium Aternum," Isaac introduced himself with a pleasant smile.
"Lucius already introduced me, but I’m Beatrice Govania. I’ve heard your name quite often, Young Lord. I must say, the stories about your appearance really do not do you justice."
Her tone was calm and sincere.
Isaac immediately turned toward Chairman Lucius. His eyes practically said: See? Even she thinks I’m handsome.
Chairman Lucius clicked his tongue and deliberately looked away.
Isaac felt as though he had won a small battle.
Satisfied with his victory, he sat down and turned back toward Beatrice.
"I didn’t know Chairman Lucius knew you, Lady Beatrice. How long have the two of you known each other?"
"We have known each other for a long time. If you are asking when we became close, then it would be around six years ago," Beatrice answered patiently.
Isaac’s eyes widened slightly.
He immediately turned toward Chairman Lucius again. The surprise on his face was impossible to miss.
’Six years? Were you planning to hide this until you had one foot in the grave?’
’Stop looking at me after every sentence.’ Chairman Lucius glared back at him.
"Lucius complains about you quite often. But judging from the way you two keep looking at each other, it seems you are actually very close," Beatrice said with an amused smile.
"No, we are not close at all."
"Yes, we are quite close."
The two men spoke at exactly the same time.
A brief silence followed before Beatrice chuckled softly.
Selene smiled as well. The awkwardness she had been carrying since earlier seemed to fade little by little. Isaac’s arrival had changed the atmosphere considerably.
Alice released a quiet sigh.
"Chairman, I know you enjoy making jokes, but there is a proper time and place for everything. What would Mother-in-Law think of me if you say things like that?" Isaac said seriously.
Chairman Lucius stiffened instantly.
The horror on his face was almost impressive. He stared at Isaac as though he had just committed a terrible crime.
His gaze practically screamed a question.
’Did you really have to bring that up already?’
Isaac ignored him completely.
In fact, he was enjoying himself far too much. This was the first time he had seen so many different expressions appear on Chairman Lucius’ face in such a short amount of time.
"Mother-in-Law?" Beatrice asked, raising an eyebrow. She showed no signs of embarrassment. Given her age and experience, such a title was hardly enough to make her lose her composure. She simply looked at Isaac with a calm smile.
"Aren’t you two in a relationship?" Isaac asked. "Of course, if it’s not a serious relationship, then I apologize for my words. However, I would like to know what your thoughts are moving forward. Chairman Lucius is definitely serious, so I hope you can tell us what your thoughts are as well."
Beatrice’s smile softened slightly as she listened. She seemed more surprised by the directness of the question than embarrassed by it.
"No, you misunderstand me. I’m not trying to deny your words. It’s just that Lucius has always avoided discussing anything serious. Even the news of this meeting came as a surprise to me. I never thought he would introduce me to his family, let alone consider marrying me," she said.
A faint bitterness appeared in her smile after she finished speaking. It was clear this was not something that had only bothered her recently.
Isaac immediately turned toward Chairman Lucius.
His eyes conveyed only a single word.
’Scum.’
Chairman Lucius immediately understood what that look meant. He sighed heavily and pinched the bridge of his nose. For once, he did not even try to argue.
"I am sorry. It was never my intention to make you think I wasn’t serious. It’s just that..." Chairman Lucius said.
His voice gradually trailed off. His gaze moved toward Selene and Alice, who were sitting quietly nearby.
Both girls looked very different from how they once had. Dragon horns now rose from their heads, and tails rested behind them. Their appearances had changed greatly over the weeks.
Yet Chairman Lucius still saw the same little girls he had raised.
Selene had lost her mother when she was young. Alice had lost both of her parents. Chairman Lucius had tried to give them as much love as possible, but he had always felt it wasn’t enough.
Even now, that feeling remained.
The idea of telling them he intended to marry someone else had always frightened him. He worried they would be disappointed in him. More than that, he worried Selene would think he no longer loved her mother.
It was an irrational fear.
Yet fears rarely listened to logic. Because of that, Chairman Lucius had continued hesitating year after year.
The room fell silent for several moments.
Beatrice looked at him quietly before placing her hand over his. The movement was simple, but it immediately drew everyone’s attention.
"It’s fine. I was only joking. I always knew you were serious about me," she said with a small smile.
Despite her calm appearance, she was nervous as well. She had only wanted to lighten the mood. Instead, she had accidentally brought up something that had clearly weighed on Chairman Lucius for years.
Selene and Alice exchanged a glance.
Neither of them said anything immediately. Still, understanding passed between them almost instantly.
A moment later, they both looked toward the older couple.
"I am happy as long as you’re happy, Uncle," Alice said. Her voice was calm and sincere. There was no hesitation or discomfort in her expression.
Selene nodded beside her.
"It’s the same for me. And I know Miss Beatrice is a kind person. I would be happy to have someone like her in our family."
The change in Beatrice’s expression was impossible to miss.
She tried to maintain her composure, but genuine happiness still appeared on her face. Hearing those words from the two girls meant far more to her than she had expected.
Her gaze immediately shifted toward Chairman Lucius.