Reborn As Papa Silva

It is with Family that we can act the worst, and in return receive the best - Yours Truly

—

August 31, 1619

Spade Kingdom Castle

As the brilliant sun rose over the Kingdom, an eye-patched woman, sporting a dangerous blush on her face, could be seen sneaking through the castle halls, glancing over her shoulder as she neared the castle's exit.

Just as she was about to take flight, she froze in her tracks at the sound of a cold voice behind her.

"Where are you going, Vanica?"

Vanica audibly tsked in displeasure and turned around to look down at the seemingly emotionless tall man with dark, messy black hair and a strange cross mark on the left side of his face, scrutinizing her indifferently.

Vanica crossed her arms and snorted. "What's it to you, little brother Zenon?" She emphasized little brother as if to highlight her superiority.

Zenon didn't seem the least bit offended. He parted his lips and spoke coolly. "Don't do anything stupid."

Vanica sneered and turned back around, flying away, heading south. As she did, her eager, devilish grin returned in full, drool visibly gathering at the corner of her mouth.

Zenon narrowed his eyes, sparing a single glance at his older sister as she swiftly disappeared into the distance before turning back around and walking into the castle.

—

An Hour Before

Sebastian and Acier's Bedroom

Acier was flushed red, her face steaming, her breath and words escaping her as she sat up on the edge of her bed in the early morning, looking down at her husband kneeling before her.

Sebastian smiled softly, raising the bouquet of flowers higher as he repeated his words for the umpteenth time, not showing a shred of impatience.

"Happy birthday, Acier."

Finally, Acier took the flowers from Sebastian, clutching the bouquet tightly.

It was only one type of flower—blue hyacinths, her favorite—representing many different things: fidelity, sincerity, loyalty, rebirth, and love.

She felt Sebastian was trying to convey all those things to her, making her eyes lightly tear up. Blue hyacinths were the first flowers he had ever given her.

And from the wrapping, she could see that they were from the same place he had first gotten her those flowers—Jardin De Fleurs.

As she gazed at the bouquet, she suddenly froze, her eyes going wide as she noticed the number of flowers.

Twenty.

Twenty blue hyacinths—for twenty years of acquaintance, for twenty years of love.

Acier felt dizzy, her body heating up, only to be grounded by Sebastian placing a gentle hand on her lap, looking slightly bashful.

"I know doing this first thing in the morning is a bit much. I also know it's a bit of a cheap gift," he admitted. "But I don't want to do this in front of anyone else… it's a bit embarrassing… and it was the only thing I could think of getting you… so once again, happy birthday, Acier."

Acier's eyes watered as she gently placed the bouquet down beside her on the mattress. She flashed him a shaky yet radiant smile and nodded. "Thank you, Sebby… I love them."

Sebastian grinned and stood up, gently pulling her off the bed by her wrist and looking her in the eye. "Well then, let's clean up and join the others to celebrate your birthday. What do you say?"

Acier slightly leaned against Sebastian's chest and nodded with a sniff. "That sounds wonderful."

Sebastian grinned wider and suddenly swept her off her feet, lifting her into a princess hold. Acier blushed all over again with an audible gulp as he carried her to their grand walk-in closet.

—

House Silva, Dining Room

The Silvas ate breakfast harmoniously, their expressions ranging from soft smiles to radiant grins—or, in Nozel's case, an impassive facade.

The dining room was a bit emptier than usual today. Florian's family, along with Amara, was absent.

Sebastian was satisfied. He hadn't communicated it personally, but it seemed they had somehow gotten the unspoken memo—that the Silvas wished for Acier's birthday to be a private affair between Acier, him, and their children.

It would have been an incredibly awkward conversation if Sebastian had to say those words himself, but thankfully, Florian was as understanding and perceptive as they came.

From what Sebastian understood, it was Florian who had convinced Amara to return to House Vermillion for the day.

Personally, I wish she'd stay there forever. He was quite uncomfortable around her now. Before the dream, he had felt fine dismissing her, not showing her a hint of respect, but now… there was a bit of guilt for how he had treated her.

Only a bit.

Those feelings were much stronger for Florian and Aurelia, but thankfully, those two were Vermillions. It's not like he lived with them.

Either way, Sebastian much preferred his mother-in-law to go back to living in Castle Vermillion, as she had for the past ten or eleven years.

By the expression on his wife's face, it seemed the feeling was mutual.

Unfortunately, neither of them had the stomach to communicate that message—especially to a woman who didn't seem to have many years left.

Perhaps that was awful of them, but Amara wasn't exactly a saint. No matter how much he and Amara tried to act civil with one another, at the end of the day, their relationship was essentially irreparable.

Perhaps things would be different with Florian, who was just a very nice guy, or Aurelia, who still had decades ahead of her—plenty of time to move past feelings of hurt and betrayal. But Sebastian and Amara could only act civil. They couldn't be civil.

They could only hope Amara was perceptive enough to comprehend that she wasn't exactly welcome here. Or, if she did insist on staying in Castle Silva, that she would at least understand when it was and wasn't appropriate to insert herself into their family dynamics.

They could only hope.

But putting that aside, today was supposed to be a happy day—Acier's happy day—so Sebastian pushed those thoughts away.

Thankfully, someone changed the topic for him.

"Mom? Dad?"

Hmm?

Sebastian glanced to his right, toward Nebra, who was seated on Acier's immediate left for the day.

Acier did the same a second later, shifting her attention from Noelle, who was resting in her lap. She smiled softly at her daughter.

"Yes, Nebra? What is it?"

Nebra raised her hand and pointed at Acier's right hand. "What are those things you and Dad are wearing?"

Nozel, Dorothy, and Solid followed Nebra's finger, curious.

Acier and Sebastian blinked before looking at each other's right hands, recognition suddenly dawning on them. Nebra was pointing at their matching plain brass rings.

Their old friendship rings—their most precious rings—were once again on their hands, this time on the right.

They exchanged a soft smile before Acier beamed. "Twenty years ago, your silly father basically proposed to me—asking to be best friends. The magnanimous me gave him my hand. We haven't worn these in a while, but now they're back."

Sebastian heated up slightly, his neck flushing as Dorothy shot him a sly grin, while Nozel regarded him with an unreadable expression.

That wasn't one of my proudest moments.

He had known back then that Acier felt the same way he did, yet he had only asked to be friends. He hadn't felt ready to take things to the next level.

He had hoped that piece of dark history would stay between them. But now, Nozel and Dorothy had seen all his and Acier's embarrassing memories.

At least most of them were Acier's, he tried to reassure himself. However, it seemed she wasn't the least bit mortified that her son and daughter-in-law had seen through her pure facade. That left him as the only one bothered by it.

Sebastian wasn't sure how he felt about that. His face simply continued to heat up as he struggled to maintain his indifference.

Watching his father turn red as a tomato while his mother beamed, Solid felt a bit lost and confused. He didn't really understand what was happening, but his parents seemed happy and were getting along even better than usual—so he was happy.

Little could ruin the four-year-old's mood. He had already been over the moon yesterday upon hearing about his mother's complete recovery. Not to mention his palpable excitement and eagerness to give his "very, very, very big gift away."

So Solid smiled—like a boy his age should. A rare sight.

Nebra, meanwhile, simply nodded, her curiosity satisfied.

—

Sebastian and Acier's Old Cottage

"It stinks!"

Nebra pinched her nose in disgust, looking like she was about to puke her guts out at any moment.

Sebastian looked at his daughter speechlessly.

After breakfast, he had brought his family to his old hill, where his and Acier's old cottage sat. It was still a bit too early to start giving out presents and whatnot, so he figured they should do something fun. The best this world had for entertainment were card games, casinos, plays, theaters, and orchestras.

They also had carnivals, circuses, and idol concerts, but no such events were happening in the capital today. So, he brought them here.

In Sebastian's fake life, he had worked a few jobs to pay for his tuition—construction being one of them. Personally, one of the most satisfying parts of that industry was demo day. Especially when his supervisor told him he didn't have to preserve or avoid anything—just go wild and break everything.

It was like a free ticket to a rage room. No—it was like being paid to use a rage room. Who doesn't love destruction and chaos, right?

He thought his family would feel the same way—giddy and excited.

Acier, for her part, did.

But Nebra?

Even before they stepped inside, even before they had fully crossed the broken fence, she was already doubled over, looking like she was about to throw up her breakfast.

Sebastian parted his lips slightly. "If you think this is bad, try going inside—"

"NEVER!"

Nebra hissed, startling him. Her eyes were red as she glared at her father, looking like she would be out for blood if he made her.

"Alright, alright. Calm down. You don't have to go inside."

Sebastian raised his hands in a placating manner before looking at the rest of his family.

Nozel, though not as dramatic as Nebra, had visible displeasure written on his face. Noelle, still in his arms, seemed fine, though.

Dorothy wasn't much better. After all, she liked colorful, beautiful, and adorable things. A rodent-infested nest of urine and feces was evidently not her cup of tea.

Even Acier's grin had faded as she wiped an imaginary tear and sniffed.

"Sebby… how could you? It's my birthday, yet you want to throw me into a pile of shit. Do you not love me anymore?"

"You even brought our baby girl here. How terrible of you! What if she gets sick?"

Sebastian blinked at her blankly, then spoke curtly. "Watch your language."

Then he ignored her as his grimoire flew out beside him. He sighed.

"Fine. None of us have to go inside. We can destroy it from the outside. Alright?"

Nebra looked up at her father, relieved, before she paused.

"…Why are we even here? What is this dump?"

Sebastian and Acier's expressions darkened slightly at their old home being called a dump, but before they could say anything, Nozel looked down at his sister and spoke plainly.

"This was Father's old home. He and Mother built it together in their youth. It has been abandoned for many years—ever since Father became engaged to Mother and entered Castle Silva."

Nebra blinked before her eyes widened.

"Oh yeah… Dad isn't from the main line…"

She trailed off before shooting Sebastian an apologetic look.

"Sorry for calling your old place a dump, Dad."

Sebastian nodded before she asked another question.

"So why are we destroying it? Doesn't it mean something to you?"

Sebastian paused, then smiled softly.

"It's already gone. I'd rather be the one to do the last job instead of nature. And then, in its place, we'll build a new cottage—one for all of us. So we can get away from the castle and relax. How does that sound?"

Nebra's eyes lit up as she grew excited.

"Ooh! Can I design it?! Please? Please?!"

Sebastian chuckled and nodded. "Sure, Nebra."

Dorothy looked just as excited as she raised her hand.

"Let's paint it pink—no, purple! Wait—no, let's paint it both! Yeah, both!"

Sebastian gave her one look and promptly ignored her, pretending he had never heard those words.

Dorothy comedically deflated, like a balloon losing air.

Acier stifled a laugh as she pointed a finger at the old cottage. Her eyes took on a nostalgic gleam as, in the place of the wrecked structure before her, she saw the shadow of what had once been a cozy, decently built dwelling.

She sighed before smiling. Her finger glowed silver as she prepared to flick the place to smithereens—

Only to pause as she felt a tug at her leg.

Acier blinked and looked down to see her youngest son staring up at her, stars in his eyes.

"Mommy, can I do it? Pretty please?"

Solid asked, seemingly trying to look as cute as possible.

Acier, upon hearing Mommy, nearly swooned, her eyes turning heart-shaped.

Kyahh!

She beamed inwardly before nodding heavily.

"Of course, baby! Go ahead!"

Solid looked as excited as a kid on a sugar rush as he stood in front of everyone, drawing their attention and curiosity.

He stretched out his small arm, summoning a tiny bubble of water in his palm. It spun rapidly, picking up speed and growing slightly until it reached the size of a softball. Then, with a decent burst of force, it shot forward toward the old wrecked cabin.

The loose front door—already looking like it could collapse at the slightest gust of wind—was blown apart entirely. Solid's little water ball drilled straight through it, leaving a hole in the lobby entrance wall and echoing a sharp crash inside.

Sebastian glanced down at his son and sighed. It was a decent showing for a four-year-old, but at this rate, it would take hours to bring the place down. Solid's mana would run out long before that, and Sebastian doubted that would do much for his self-esteem. So, forcing a smile, he patted Solid's shoulder.

"Well done, Solid. Now let me take it from here—"

He cut himself off, realizing that Solid wasn't even looking at him. Instead, the boy was frowning at the house, mumbling something under his breath.

"Of course not… need more… power…"

Sebastian blinked. "Solid?"

No response. Solid continued muttering like a mad scientist on the verge of a breakthrough.

Sebastian furrowed his brows and gave him a light shake. "Solid, are you listening?"

This time, Solid snapped out of it, looking up at his father with a bright smile. "Sorry, Dad. Could you step back a little?"

"…Okay?" Sebastian raised an eyebrow, unsure but complying anyway. He exchanged a glance with Acier, who looked just as bewildered.

Then Solid outstretched his right arm again, but this time, he braced it with his left, gripping his elbow for stability. His boyish face split into a wild, excited grin.

A silver-gray circular runic array, about the size of a basketball, materialized in front of his palm. At its center gleamed a pentagram.

Sebastian's pupils dilated. What?!

Before he could react, Solid channeled his water magic into the array. It flared bright blue.

"W-Wait, Solid! Stop—" Sebastian lunged forward, but it was too late.

From the small array, an enormous ball of water—nearly as high as two doors—burst forth, cracking the air with its sheer force. The recoil sent Solid flying backward.

Sebastian reacted instantly, catching him midair and cushioning him with his water magic, like a soft pillow. Meanwhile, they both watched as the four-meter-wide sphere of water hurtled toward the cottage, tearing through it like a boulder.

BOOM!

The attack plowed straight through the structure, gouging a deep trench in the dirt before finally bursting. A moment later, the entire 18-year-old cottage collapsed in on itself.

Silence.

Dorothy, Nozel, and Nebra all stood slack-jawed.

Noelle blinked, confused.

Acier, on the other hand, was beaming with pride, squealing in delight as she gazed at her youngest son.

"W-What was that?!" Nebra shouted, scrambling to Solid's side.

Solid rubbed his right arm, wincing slightly at the residual vibration, but otherwise, he looked smug. "Hehehe… this is the power of trap magic!"

Nebra froze.

Solid carried on like a teacher giving a lecture. "Sister, with trap magic, even a support mage like you can make a-ar-art-artificial attack spells and more! You should join my and Father's lessons with Teacher Zara."

Nebra blinked.

Before she could reply, Sebastian grabbed Solid's right arm, startling him. His father's eyes darkened as he inspected Solid's palm, then channeled healing magic into it. A soothing, cool sensation ran through Solid's arm, easing the lingering pain.

Solid looked up at his father, expecting pride—but froze when he saw Sebastian's grim expression.

Solid swallowed. "D-Dad…?"

"Solid." Sebastian's voice was quiet. "Where did you learn this? We've only just started constructing arrays. Zara hasn't taught us anything like this yet."

Solid stiffened under his father's sharp gaze. He gulped and answered honestly. "I-I had nothing to do these past two days, so I looked through the teacher's notes… and did a bit of self-study."

He bit his lip. "Are you mad?"

Sebastian studied him for a long moment before sighing and ruffling his hair. Solid gaped.

"That was cool—very cool. But it was also reckless." His voice turned firm. "Zara warned us that applying runes directly to the body is dangerous, even for professionals. One wrong move could trigger a chain reaction. Especially with attack arrays—you could've blown off your arm."

Acier suddenly paled in horror. Solid's siblings weren't any better, immediately crowding around him, fussing over him, and checking him for injuries.

Solid ducked his head, shame welling up in his chest. "S-Sorry… I won't do it again…"

Sebastian blinked, then chuckled, shaking his head. "That's not what I meant. Just next time, don't practice alone. Have Zara assess your arrays first before trying them out. Alright?"

Solid froze, then his eyes sparkled. In the next second, he lunged at Sebastian, wrapping his arms around him in a tight hug.

"I will, Dad!"

Sebastian stiffened for a split second before slowly returning the hug, his expression softening. Of all things, he hadn't expected his son to have such a knack for magical runes.

Nebra watched the exchange, then abruptly raised a fist and declared, "I want to learn too, Dad!"

Sebastian glanced at her, then smirked. "Alright. But if you start, you're not quitting halfway. You'll have to see it through."

"Yeah, I know." Nebra crossed her arms and nodded firmly.

Dorothy and Nozel exchanged a look, both sighing softly. They were interested, no doubt—but with everything on their plates right now, they simply didn't have time.

Nozel, after a moment of thought, handed Noelle to Dorothy, then reached down and ruffled Solid's hair.

Solid flinched, startled. Nozel wasn't just his eldest brother—he was practically his idol. And now he was…?

"No bad, Solid," Nozel said with a rare, soft smile.

Solid's eyes widened before pure joy bloomed on his face. He looked like he was about to burst with excitement.

Sebastian watched the moment with a smile, then turned to Acier. "Let's clear the rest of this and head to Kikka. We're going out for lunch today."

Acier paused, then smiled. "That sounds lovely."

In unison, she and Sebastian raised their hands toward the remaining rubble—

Only to freeze as Dorothy nonchalantly snapped her fingers.

A swirling vortex of pink and purple engulfed the ruins. In the next instant, the entire cottage disappeared into Glamour World.

Sebastian and Acier blinked.

Dorothy looked up at them blankly, holding Noelle, who squirmed in her arms.

Oh yeah… I forgot she could do things like that.

Sebastian and Acier had the exact same thought.

—

2 and a Half Hours Later

The Silvas sat in the same café where Sebastian and Acier had often spent time together in their youth.

Sebastian had rented out the upper floor, leaving it empty save for them. As the waiters cleared the table and took away their plates, the Silva children rummaged through their bags excitedly.

Dorothy pulled out a pair of transparent, paper-thin covers—resembling book sleeves—and handed one to each of her in-laws with a grin.

"Happy Birthday, Mom and Dad!"

Acier smiled, while Sebastian hesitated, pointing to himself uncertainly. "W-why're you giving me one? It's not my birthday…"

Dorothy's grin widened as she laughed. "Yeah, but your birthday was only two weeks ago. I missed it by what, a day or two? None of us got a chance to give you a present, so we want to give you one now!"

Sebastian froze, glancing at his other children. Solid and Nebra were smiling, while Nozel looked impassive. Noelle, sitting in her big brother's lap, clapped her hands excitedly.

"Aga baboo! Aga mama!"

Sebastian blushed, only to pause as Dorothy's smile turned sly. She suppressed a chortle. "This was all Nozel's idea, Dad."

Sebastian snapped his head toward his eldest son, who was now flushed red. Nozel went silent, refusing to deny it, then snorted and turned his head away, averting his gaze.

Sebastian's smile softened. He didn't tease Nozel, instead looking back at Dorothy. "What is this, anyway?"

Dorothy paused, then slapped her forehead. "Oh, right! Just toss 'em at your grimoires."

Sebastian and Acier exchanged a look and shrugged before doing so—only to freeze.

They watched as the sleeves resized and molded to their grimoires, fusing with them seamlessly.

Dorothy crossed her arms smugly. "They're grimoire sleeves. I bought them off one of my sisters when I ran into her the day Nozel took us out. Seriously, I never expected old Dominante to wind up here in Clover, but anyway—she always has the strangest contraptions on her. She's a real magical tool genius."

She gestured at the newly covered grimoires. "These weightless sleeves fuse with any grimoire of any size and prevent them from getting dirty, marked, or dusty. Best of all, they're transparent and made of a strange material that you won't even feel when touching your grimoire! I'd say this was money well spent!"

Sebastian blinked. It was a strangely practical gift.

Acier, looking very pleased, reached out and patted Dorothy's head. "Thank you, sweetie." Then she leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to Dorothy's forehead, making her blush and duck her head. "I love it."

Dorothy, bright red, nodded meekly. "S-sure, anytime."

Sebastian smiled and turned back to Nozel, who awkwardly pulled out a simple black box and slid it across the table.

Sebastian and Acier exchanged a glance before Acier flipped it open—then both of them froze.

Inside were a pair of brooches, eagle-shaped, both evidently crafted from sapphire gems—one blue, the other purple.

Sebastian and Acier instinctively reached for them, but Nozel spoke up, still avoiding their gaze. "The blue one is for Mother. The purple is for you, Father."

The reason Nozel hadn't had Acier's gift delivered to the castle wasn't just because he wanted to retrieve it himself. He had wanted to return it and find something else—something they could both wear. Something that matched and complemented the other.

Sebastian and Acier looked at Nozel again before sharing a small smile. Without a word, they each took the brooch that matched the other's eyes and pinned it to their shirts.

Nozel, meanwhile, looked like he was about to die of embarrassment.

Sebastian felt an odd sense of déjà vu, wondering if he'd looked the same when he bought those floral brooches for Nathaniel and Amara during his first Christmas with Acier's family.

Chuckling, both he and Acier turned to Nebra, whose cheeks were slightly rosy.

She reached into her satchel, pulled out a pair of black cases, and flipped them open. Inside were two simple silver bracelets—one slender and feminine, the other wider and more masculine, with a subtle chain design. Each held a small, crystal-clear white gemstone.

"These are linked," Nebra explained meekly. "The gemstones work as communication devices, so you don't need to carry transponders anymore. What's more, because they're connected, the wearers can sense each other's presence and location… You can track your partner from pretty far away."

She hesitated before adding, "The jeweler said the range should cover the entire kingdom—unless you enter a strong magic region or a dungeon where there's mana interference."

Acier and Sebastian both smiled, but for entirely different reasons. Acier looked genuinely pleased. Sebastian… not so much. He could already imagine the kind of things Acier would get up to with this. Avoiding her—or escaping—would be nearly impossible. Refusing to wear it wasn't an option either.

Acier shot him a sly smile, licking her lips. Sebastian stiffened, swallowing his nerves as he weakly fastened the bracelet around his wrist before reaching out to pat Nebra's head.

"Thank you, Nebra. It's quite nice." Though it could really do without the tracking feature… He wisely kept that thought to himself.

Nebra blushed and nodded, just as Acier turned to Solid.

He grinned, practically bouncing in his seat before pumping his fists. "Alright! Let's go see your present!"

Sebastian and Acier blinked in confusion. "Go see?" they asked in unison.

Solid nodded, then glanced up at Nozel—who, all of a sudden, sported a rare, sly, and unmistakably petty smile as he shot a look straight at Sebastian.

Sebastian stiffened.

Still smirking, Nozel handed Noelle to him, which he accepted blankly, before leading them to the balcony. As his grimoire flipped open, a large eagle of mercury materialized before them.

Nozel hopped onto the shimmering construct, followed by his siblings, before glancing back down—relishing in the dark stare his father was giving him.

"Come on, Father. Daylight won't last forever."

Sebastian felt an immediate sense of dread.

Acier, looking just as blank, mirrored his feelings in her heart.

Still, she took his hand and, together, they were pulled along.

—

Beach Town, Raque

Acier and Sebastian stood blankly on the beach—the kingdom's number one tourist resort—their bare feet sinking into the sand as they gazed out at the clear blue ocean. Noelle, cradled in Sebastian's arms, looked around curiously.

Sebastian coughed awkwardly, catching Solid's attention as he forced a smile. "So, what exactly are we looking at? Did you buy Mom and Dad a boat? Or maybe a beach house?"

That wouldn't be so bad. House Silva didn't own a private boat, so that would actually be a nice gift. As for a beach house—well, they already had property in Raque, and a decent amount at that, but owning more wasn't necessarily a problem.

Still, Nozel's foreboding smile didn't give them much confidence. Surely, this wasn't such a simple gesture.

Solid blinked before shaking his head. "No, of course not! Didn't I say I'd get the biggest thing?!"

Sebastian bit his lip, swallowing nervously before forcing another smile. "Then… what did you get us?"

Solid beamed, spun around, and gestured to the entire area with a dramatic sweep of his arms. "I bought you this place!"

Sebastian froze.

Acier trembled slightly, forcing a hesitant smile. "Solid… y-you bought Mom and Dad the beach?"

Solid blinked, then shook his head. "Of course not!"

Acier barely had a chance to sigh in relief before Solid grinned even brighter.

"I bought you this whole town! All of Raque!"

Acier went completely still as Solid excitedly reached into his side bag, pulled out a piece of parchment, and handed it to her. She took it blankly, scanning the words in morbid shock.

I Hereby Award Certificate of Ownership of the Beach Town, Raque, to House Silva — Signed, King Augustus Kira Clover XIII

Acier began to tremble.

Sebastian whispered softly beside her, "Acier… you're in charge of household management. The finances are your responsibility. How did you not notice several hundred bars and thousands of gold coins disappearing from our treasury?"

Acier gulped, shaking her head frantically. "I-I s-swear, n-nothing is gone…"

"Oh, that's because it was free!" Solid beamed.

Sebastian and Acier froze again.

"Bwuh?!"

Solid giggled, rubbing the back of his head smugly. "Aren't I the best? I got you this entire town without spending a single coin! I'm great, right? Right?!"

Sebastian and Acier slowly turned to look at each other. Then, with eerily synchronized fake smiles, they faced Solid once more.

Sebastian crouched down, handing Noelle to him. Caught off guard, Solid instinctively took her as Sebastian spoke in an overly pleasant voice.

"It's wonderful, Solid. We love it. Now, why don't you go play in the water for a little while?"

Acier turned to Dorothy and Nebra. "You two go with them. Your father and I need a word with Nozel."

Nozel's smile vanished in an instant.

Dorothy, Nebra, and Solid—who was still holding Noelle—exchanged puzzled glances before nodding and heading toward the water.

The moment their younger children were out of earshot, Sebastian and Acier vanished, flickering like a blur.

They reappeared at Nozel's side in an instant, each clamping a firm hand on his shoulders, freezing him in place.

Nozel winced slightly at their grip but wisely said nothing.

Sebastian's voice came out in a low, dangerous growl.

"Alright, my stupid son, spill it! How did you purchase an entire town from the kingdom—for free at that?!"

Nozel gulped and confessed quickly. "F-Father, you're one of the most influential people in the kingdom right now, second only to the King—who, by the way, is very fond of you at the moment. With Mother's recovery and many nobles eager to cozy up to her again, it was easy."

"A-All I had to do was spread the word that Solid was looking to buy his very first present for the two of you. The King's agents met with us almost immediately. A-And when Solid asked for the biggest thing they could part with, they offered this place—since they remembered the news of you and Mother taking a walk here recently."

Acier's grip on Nozel's shoulder tightened. "Do we look like we were born yesterday, Nozel?! No matter how much people want to cozy up to me and your father, there's no way the royal family would give away Raque—the most profitable town in the kingdom—for free!"

Sebastian nodded vehemently while Nozel stammered. "I-I may have… promised that as the new owners, House Silva will be responsible for all costs associated with it year-round. Cleaning, management, security, everything."

He swallowed hard before continuing. "As for the income… it would be split 95–5. Five percent for our House. Ninety-five percent back to the throne and kingdom to use or distribute as they please."

"They actually gained a bit from the deal, since they no longer have to spend money or effort managing this place. Now, they get to sit back and rake in the gold while we do all the work. So, uh… they were more than happy to oblige."

Sebastian's forehead vein bulged. Without a word, he grabbed Nozel by the collar and lifted him off the ground.

"You know, Acier," Sebastian muttered darkly, "filicide sounds very tempting right now."

"I agree, Sebby," Acier said, voice calm but ominous.

Nozel paled. "F-Father, l-let's not be so hasty—"

"Nozel." Sebastian's voice dropped to a chilling tone. "If our house goes broke… if Dorothy, your siblings, and your children end up on the streets… just know it's your fault."

Nozel gulped. "C-Come now, Father, Mother, it's not that bad! With the income from the upcoming magic tool workshop with the Fausts, we'll barely feel the pinch. In fact, we should still be profiting greatly—"

Sebastian and Acier's smiles darkened.

That workshop had nothing to do with Nozel. He had no right to use it as leverage.

"Nozel Sebastian Silva…" Acier said simply, her voice cool and even. "If you don't find a way to at least break even on this stunt you pulled by the end of the year, I'm kicking you off the Silver Eagles."

Nozel stiffened. Then he shivered and nodded furiously. "I-I'll definitely think of something."

Sebastian sighed and released him, dropping Nozel unceremoniously onto the ground.

Nozel scrambled to his feet and darted past them, heading straight for his fiancée and siblings by the water. Sebastian and Acier watched him go, arms crossed, their expressions cold and unreadable.

A few moments later, though, their sharp glares softened into slight smiles.

Sebastian chuckled incredulously. "I think it's time to teach Solid about money management. He needs to understand that free things cost the most."

Acier nodded, before her smile turned just a little petty and venomous. "You know, Nozel should be the one to tutor him."

Sebastian raised an eyebrow. "That way, he has less free time?"

Acier's smirk widened.

Sebastian chuckled, wrapping an arm around her waist, making her flush slightly. "I like the sound of that."

Acier leaned against his shoulder, relaxed—until her eyes suddenly narrowed, her gaze shifting toward the ocean, staring north.

For a split second, a cold light flickered in her eyes. Then, just as quickly, her expression smoothed over, returning to its usual sweet, carefree smile.

Sebastian noticed nothing.

—

When the Silvas returned home, they enjoyed a grand feast for dinner. For dessert, they brought out an extravagant vanilla cake—Acier's favorite.

Through a simple spell, flaming numbers 33 hovered over the cake, along with a glowing Happy Birthday message for Acier.

Laughter filled the room as they celebrated, cutting into the cake and savoring each bite.

Well… not all of them.

Nozel got none.

His dinner consisted of stale bread, peas, and Brussels sprouts.

He acted indifferent, but Sebastian and Acier were quite certain he was dying inside.

That made them feel just a little better.

Just a bit.

—

Sebastian and Acier's Bedroom

"A-Acier?"

Sebastian flushed as Acier straddled him, pushing him down onto the bed while her fingers deftly unbuttoned his shirt.

She smiled, taking his hands and guiding them upward, pressing them against her breasts as she whispered,

"I'm the only one who hasn't given you a birthday present yet… Can I change that?"

Sebastian's throat went dry. He managed a stiff nod.

Acier's smile softened. Slowly, she lifted her nightgown over her head, letting it slide off her body, revealing her bare figure.

Sebastian took in her pristine, sculpted form and swallowed hard.

I seem to have won in life.

—

Author's Notes:

[1] There are several options for this sex scene. The main one is to just skip it. The second is to touch on it briefly. The third, which I don't really want to do, is write a full one. I'll make a decision based on the input of you horny degenerates. 

[2] Feel free to join the discord: https://discord.gg/s3MME8X8ar