Chapter 1550: The Smothering Hug ( 1550 )

Garius smirked, his eyes gleaming with amusement as he watched the seven Javiers scatter across the stone path.

Heh~ I’m sure he won’t last ten minutes. He won’t break his previous record either. He’s clever, but I know all his tricks.

He took another slow sip from the coconut, his gaze drifting toward the distance. His smirk widened before he vanished from the treetop, leaving behind a perfect afterimage of himself, still standing with the coconut in hand, as if he had never moved.

Meanwhile.

At the beach.

Liana glanced toward where Alf sat calmly on a chair, his legs crossed, a cup of tea in his hand. Beside him, Marcellus, Cedric, Aelius, and Heres were bound to chairs with glowing golden chains.

Marcellus and Cedric were trying to wiggle free, their bodies twisting and straining against the bindings. Aelius had given up, letting out a long, weary exhale as he slumped in his seat. Heres bit his lower lip in frustration, his eyes burning with resentment.

"This is all Javier’s fault," Heres muttered, his voice low and bitter. "If he hadn’t pranked me with that stupid simulation, I wouldn’t be in this mess. I was having a peaceful morning with Kliatana. And then he ruined it. He ruined everything."

Aelius let out another long, weary exhale, his head tilting back.

"If Javier hadn’t used me as bait for that ’combined attack’ on Father, we could all be enjoying the vacation right now. Instead, we’re all bound to chairs like criminals, waiting for Father to finish with him and come back for us."

Marcellus paused mid-wiggle, his body going still as he turned his head toward Heres. A smirk spread across his face.

"It was your own fault, Heres. Using those sweet words on a ’simulation.’ Even if it was just a fake scenario, it’s still creepy. And besides, why use those charming words if you didn’t intend to do it? It’s not like Javier forced you to whisper poetry into the girl’s ear. That was all you."

Heres narrowed his glare at Marcellus, his jaw tightening.

"Shut up, Marcellus. You’re just as bad as he is."

Cedric joined in, wiggling his eyebrows with a weird, mischievous grin as he leaned toward Heres.

"Next time you want to charm a girl, be like me. Straight. Direct." He paused, flipping his head so his hair swept to the side in a smooth, graceful motion.

"Look at me. I didn’t need to charm either of my wives with any words. My handsome face and charming smile were enough. They fell for me the moment they saw me. No poetry. No promises. Just pure, natural charisma."

Heres grumbled under his breath, mumbling about how annoying his brothers were. He shifted in his chair, the chains clinking softly as he tried to find a more comfortable position.

Athine approached from the direction of the grill. She walked with her usual elegant grace, her hips swaying gently with each step, her medium breasts bouncing softly beneath her silver bikini. She carried a large tray in her hands, the aroma of the food wafting ahead of her.

Marcellus’s eyes lit up. He grinned wide.

"Athine~! Give me some!"

Aelius narrowed his eyes at him, his voice flat and possessive.

"She’s my wife."

"Yeah? So?" Cedric wiggled his eyebrows at Aelius, his grin turning teasing. "She’s also our sister. And you’re her brother. So technically, we all have equal claim~"

Aelius shook his head, giving them both a flat look. He let out a weary exhale.

"You two are impossible."

Athine arrived beside Aelius, her smile warm and gentle as she looked down at him.

"Dear~ Are you hungry?"

"Mm~" Aelius smiled and nodded. Athine reached down and picked up a piece of food from the tray, holding it gently to his lips. Aelius took the bite, chewing slowly, his expression softening.

Marcellus narrowed his eyes at the display.

"Oi, Athine. We’re hungry too. Feed us as well. We’re your older brothers, you know. It’s only proper to take care of your elders."

Athine let out a soft laugh, her eyes crinkling with amusement.

"Lithia and Harny are preparing food for you right now, Marcellus. You just need to wait a little longer."

She glanced at Cedric.

"And Meira and Zania will be here soon with something for you too. So be patient."

Heres looked up at Athine, raising his palm awkwardly. The chains glowed faintly as he lifted his hand, pointing a finger toward himself.

"Err... Athine? What about me?"

Athine gave him a teasing look, her smile turning sly.

"Hmm... I don’t know. Kliatana is still sulking over there. Javier’s girls are trying to cheer her up right now." She tilted her head, her voice light. "But if you want, I can ask the maids to prepare something for you."

Heres exhaled and glanced toward the tables where everyone was gathered. Kliatana sat among them, stabbing her food with her fork while Gloria nudged her glasses, speaking to her in a calm, soothing tone. Kliatana pursed her lips, her expression still sour.

Heres looked back at Athine, his voice carrying a note of resignation. "Yeah... Could you ask the maids to bring some food for me? And hurry, please. I can sense Father will be here soon. I don’t want to face him on an empty stomach."

"Okay~"

Meanwhile.

Javier kept running, his feet pounding against the stone path. He glanced over his shoulder, his eyes narrowing as he scanned the area behind him. Nothing. No chains. No glowing magic circles. No magic chasing him at all.

Hmm?

Weird...

This never happened before.

Are my clones actually working?

Did Father get tricked by my clone technique?

No... that can’t be right. Father has the Eyes of Truth. He can see through any illusion, any decoy, any trick. He would never fall for something as simple as a clone technique.

Something’s not right.

He kept running, his legs moving on instinct while his mind raced. He glanced over his shoulder again, his brow furrowing deeper.

No chains. No crystals. No magic circles. This is too quiet. Too easy. Father wouldn’t just stop chasing me. Unless...

Before he could finish his thought, he crashed into something solid. He stumbled back, his butt hitting the ground with a soft thud. He blinked, dazed, and looked up.

"Ow! Sorry..."

He glanced up and froze.

Fransesca stood before him. She wore an elegant, beautiful swimsuit, a stunning two-piece in soft gold and white that hugged her curves perfectly. The top was a halter style with delicate lacework, and the bottom was a high-cut design with a sheer, flowing sash tied at her hip. Her long, silky hair cascaded over her shoulders, and she tilted her head, tucking a strand behind her ear as she leaned down toward him.

A warm, radiant smile spread across her lips, and her cleavage was clearly visible from this angle as she leaned forward.

"Honey Bun?"

"Ah... Mother..."

Fransesca’s smile widened. She clasped her hands together in front of her chest, her eyes sparkling with joy.

"My, my~ Honey Bun~ You came all this way just to greet me? I’m so happy~"

Before he could explain, she reached down, wrapped her arms around him, and pulled him into a tight, smothering hug against her chest. She pressed his face firmly between her breasts, rocking him gently from side to side.

"My baby boy~ My cute baby boy~ You’re so thoughtful~ Coming all this way just to find your mother when she wasn’t around~ I’m so proud of you~"

( End Of Chapter )