Chapter 67

The dinner party had ended, and Leord thought he would be set free, but for some reason, he ended up returning to his parents' house with his family.

To explain the situation, a celebration was to be held at the royal castle to commemorate the successful resolution of the monster panic.

Leord, who had no idea about this, asked Gilbert in surprise.

"What's going on? I didn't hear anything about this!"

"Don't blame Gilbert. I deliberately didn't tell you."

"Why not!?"

"…Sorry, Leord. I asked him to do it."

"Mother? There must be a reason, right?"

Given what he had learned about Olivia's character during the dinner, he didn't think she was being malicious. However, he still felt uneasy about not being informed beforehand.

"Actually, I heard that you had lost weight, so I thought you would need new clothes, and I had you brought here."

"…You mean, a designer?"

"Yes! So, Leord! When we get back, let's change into something new!"

"Mother, I'm sixteen. I can choose my own clothes."

Though it pained him, Leord knew that sometimes a mother's taste could exceed a child's imagination. Often, the results were worse than expected. Therefore, he decided to refuse Olivia's request and choose his own clothes.

"But… it's a rare reunion with your mother… Can't you grant this one request?"

Leord's face twitched as his mother pretended to cry. However, after being comforted during the dinner, he found it hard to refuse.

So, Leord decided to set aside his embarrassment for his mother's happiness.

"Alright, Mother. Please choose something that suits me."

When Leord said this, Olivia stopped pretending to cry, covered her face, and then took Leord's hand with a broad smile, overjoyed.

"Yes, yes! Leave it to me, Leord! I'll choose the perfect outfit for you!"

"Heh… heh heh…"

Leord, now confirmed to be a living doll, realized that even the saintly Olivia had a playful side. However, he could only manage a dry laugh.

Leord was moved to return to the ducal mansion after so long.

(Thinking about it, it's only been about half a year, but it's been a while since I've been back home…

Ah, I remember. The memories of Leord that weren't much talked about in the game.

Yes, that's right. I did a lot of things here during my childhood and adolescence.

I unjustly fired servants and took out my tantrums on them. There are no good memories!

No wonder I was disliked!

But there are some beautiful memories too. My father praised my swordsmanship, and my mother praised my magical talent. My parents were very happy when I won the youngest championship in the youth division of the martial arts tournament.

Well, after that, I got carried away with the idea that I was special and great, and I veered off the path to success!)

Leord, who was dragged along by Olivia, was made to try on party outfits multiple times for the evening.

His twin brother and sister were also invited by Olivia but declined, saying it was embarrassing. Olivia was disappointed but endured it this time because she hadn't seen Leord in a long time.

Perhaps as a reaction, Olivia seemed to enjoy choosing Leord's clothes. She would pick out new outfits and recommend them to Leord, who would take them with a wry smile and change into them, causing Olivia to exclaim with joy.

"Hehe! It suits you, Leord!

How about this one next?

The design you're wearing now is nice, but I think this one will suit you too."

"Ugh…"

His responses had become perfunctory. Even if Leord gave odd answers, Olivia didn't scold him because he was reluctantly indulging her whims.

Olivia continued to choose new outfits and hand them to Leord, who silently changed into them, almost reaching a state of mindlessness.

At one point, Olivia spoke to Leord.

"Thank you for indulging my whims, Leord."

"No, it's me… I've always been selfish… I've caused a lot of trouble for Mother and Father…"

"It's fine. You're our child. It's okay to cause trouble. Just not too much, though."

Leord felt a mix of emotions as Olivia smiled and said this.

Even though his past self and his current self were different, he had hurt his mother, who had always showered him with unconditional love.

Leord firmly resolved not to hurt Olivia, who continued to pour her love into him despite everything.

He had gained a new goal beyond just surviving. Leord decided to become the kind of person his mother could proudly boast about, setting a new objective for himself.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing, it's fine. How about this? Does it suit me?"

"Of course! You look wonderful, Leord!

Hehe! You'll definitely stand out at today's party!"

Olivia's genuine happiness made Leord smile in response.

"Right, Leord. That smile is good. I love that smile."

"…It's embarrassing, so I'd appreciate it if you didn't look at it too much."

"Oh! Why hide it? Show it to me more. We don't get to see each other often, so it's fine now, right?"

"Ugh… Alright."

The coordination session with Olivia continued.

Though he was reluctant, the time spent with his mother was indeed peaceful.