Ray frowned.
With Ray’s senses, he could detect the sound of a person’s heartbeat within a few meters.
There were very few people in the Baron’s Territory who could hide in a room without being detected by Ray.
To avoid detection, one would need to use barriers or artefacts to conceal their presence, but controlling the flow of mana around such magical techniques was no easy feat for just anyone.
“Shit…!”
As Ray muttered under his breath, the table nearby where the sound had come from tipped over.
The concealment charm vanished, and Karen, holding Luna under her arm, sprang up and fled toward the window.
Karen swiftly opened the window and leaped out with Luna into the air.
Thanks perhaps to the wind spirit, Karen landed softly on the ground and disappeared into the alleys with Luna at lightning speed.
Ray watched the entire scene unfold, tightly closing his eyes and wiping his face.
Ray shook his shoulders, overwhelmed by an indescribable sense of despair. Jimmy approached cautiously and asked,
“Hey, you really not going to do it?”
“I am! I said I’m ready! That was obviously a joke before!”
“Hmph…”
Jimmy stroked his chin, suspicion still evident on his face.
Living alongside someone so extraordinarily powerful for nearly 20 years made it hard not to suspect something.
“Was it really a joke…?”
“Jimy!!”
Only upon seeing Jimmy’s skeptical expression did Ray realize how carelessly he had spoken.
“I’m perfectly fine, I swear!”
“Yeah, let’s go with that.”
“No, I’m telling you, I’m perfectly fine!”
Unable to show Jimmy by pulling down his pants, Ray just got irritated.
Meanwhile,
Karen and Luna, who had fled through the alleys, soon met up with Johanna.
Johanna, breathing heavily, asked Karen,
“What, what happened?”
Though Johanna had rejected Karen and Luna’s suggestion to secretly follow Ray due to pride, seeing them both rush back so urgently sparked her curiosity.
Karen excitedly shouted to Johanna,
“R, Ray…!!”
“Ray?”
“C, co…”
“Co?”
“…”
It was difficult for Karen to blurt out that Ray’s “co-” wasn’t working properly.
Embarrassed and unable to continue, Luna answered impassively,
“…Ray isn’t getting it up well.”
“Ray isn’t getting it up?!”
Johanna, who had initially widened her eyes in shock, soon nodded as if understanding something.
“No wonder, even though Karen tried so hard, he didn’t fall for it.”
Not just Karen—there were plenty of women who showed mild interest in Ray. He could easily date this woman or that woman if he wanted, yet Ray was always quite stingy about meeting women.
Finally, Ray’s behavior made sense.
‘There was a problem there all along!’
So that’s why Karen couldn’t tempt him no matter how hard she tried.
Johanna felt both relief and unease simultaneously.
While it was comforting that Ray didn’t flirt around with other women, it was also bothersome that he seemed disinterested in women altogether.
As Johanna’s expression shifted, Karen suddenly shouted,
“Let’s go buy medicine!”
*
Jack, once a fruit vendor, now worked in the distribution business.
After inspecting some of the supplies coming into the Baron’s Territory, he supplied them elsewhere, earning a substantial commission.
It was Jimmy who assigned Jack to this role, thanks entirely to Ray’s influence.
Thanks to this, Jack was living quite comfortably these days.
Rejoicing that his past good deeds were paying off, Jack cleaned his general store.
Since the shop displayed goods he purchased gradually from the distribution network, it contained a variety of items.
At that moment, the shop door burst open with an urgent voice echoing inside.
“Ah, Uncle!”
“…Karen?”
Karen, along with Johanna and Luna, now young women, rushed into the store.
Jack scratched his head, feeling a strange emotion.
All three were children Ray had picked up.
When Ray first brought them in, barely alive, Jack wondered if they’d ever grow up to be normal people.
Seeing them all grown up and running around like this made him feel incredibly renewed.
‘That guy’s suffering wasn’t in vain.’
And neither was my act of giving them apple juice.
With a smile, Jack asked Karen,
“What brings you here?”
“I need something good for men!”
“…?”
For men?
Jack was confused whether what Karen wanted was indeed what he thought it was.
Then Luna stepped forward and clearly stated their request.
“…Do you have any herbs effective for treating erectile dysfunction?”
“…”
Jack, massaging his temples awkwardly, asked hesitantly,
“Um, is there something wrong with Ray?”
*
After parting ways with Jimmy, Ray visited Bella’s house with Lea.
Upon arriving, having played along with Lea’s antics, Ray noticed no signs of life inside the house.
Realizing Bella hadn’t returned yet, Ray pondered what to do next when he spotted Bella approaching from afar.
A few members of the Jimmy Family were guarding Bella closely.
Pointing at Bella with his finger, Ray saw Lea immediately spot her and dash over shouting,
“Mommy~!”
“Our daughter!”
Bella opened her arms wide and embraced the rushing Lea.
As Ray slowly walked over, he watched Bella kiss Lea on the cheek while holding her.
Compared to a few years ago, Bella certainly looked older, but much happier than before.
Every time Ray looked at Bella’s beaming face, he reaffirmed that he’d made the right choice.
Lea, snuggling her face against Bella’s chest, began squirming and complaining,
“Mommy! Cookies! I want cookies!”
“Eating too many cookies will make you fat.”
Despite her scolding, Bella handed Lea a sweet cookie she had bought on the way home.
Lea squealed with delight, grabbing the cookie and starting to munch on it.
Looking at this scene fondly, Bella asked,
“Did you have fun with Uncle?”
“Uncle tripped me! Lea got hurt!”
Seeing Lea rat him out for tripping her, Ray pinched the bridge of his nose.
Startled, Bella questioned,
“My goodness, why would Uncle trip you?”
“He? Strong? Grab!”
“Hmm…?”
Bella alternated her gaze between Ray and Lea with a peculiar look.
Meanwhile, Lea, having finished her cookie, began whining again.
Bella gently patted Lea’s head and ushered her inside first.
The guards from the Jimmy Family also withdrew, leaving only Bella and Ray outside the house.
“Son!”
Bella opened her arms, and Ray naturally stepped forward to embrace her.
Now taller than Bella, Ray’s eyes were level with her forehead.
After caressing Ray’s back, Bella smiled warmly from a step away.
“You must’ve worked hard today.”
“Not really. Watching you take care of the baby makes me think you’re the one who works hard usually.”
“Hmm… Son.”
Looking Ray in the eye, Bella spoke hesitantly,
“Don’t hate your sister too much.”
“Why would I hate my sister? She’s cute. She is.”
Just her eyes remind me too much of that kid, making me uncomfortable.
Hiding his true feelings, Ray smiled as Bella slowly caressed his cheeks.
“Are you going to keep living alone?”
“Living alone is convenient. I’m an adult now, after all.”
Regardless of loving Bella, Ray, who often traveled around, found living alone definitely more convenient.
Looking at her trustworthy son, Bella hugged him tightly again.
“How would I have survived without my son?”
“…”
Without me, wouldn’t your life have been easier?
Swallowing that thought, Ray chuckled,
It was fortunate for Ray that Bella had finally found her own happiness.
In that regard, Lea was also a precious existence to Ray.
After talking a bit more with Bella, Ray parted ways and walked toward his house, which was fifteen minutes away, watching the setting sun.
It was already late.
Thinking that he should scold Karen and Luna tomorrow, Ray continued walking when a girl with sunset-red hair appeared in front of him.
“R, Ray!”
“Shit, Karen.”
Ray immediately grew irritated.
However, regardless of Ray’s frown, Karen abruptly thrust a box at him.
“T, this! It’s a gift!”
“…What is it?”
“T, th…”
Karen, her cheeks flushed red, struggled to continue.
“It’s, it’s something good for men! L, let’s try hard together!”
Ray threw his head back and tightly closed his eyes.
Even for someone as focused on his path as Ray, receiving such a misunderstanding left a deep scratch on his pride.
“Together try hard? What are you talking about…!!”
Shaking his shoulders, Ray explained step-by-step to Karen, as he had done with Jimmy.
Addressing not only Karen but also Luna and Johanna who had followed her,
“Karen, there’s nothing wrong with my lower half. Got it?”
While explaining, Ray cursed under his breath.
‘Shit.’
Having raised these kids since they were young, showing them things they shouldn’t see, explaining himself like this filled Ray with immense self-loathing.
The problem was that Karen didn’t believe Ray’s words.
‘Lies! I tried so hard, and he never even glanced at me!’
Karen silently complained, biting her lips.
‘I, I’m pretty enough! My chest has grown significantly! I’ve trained hard in swordsmanship, so my body is toned! Ray just wasn’t interested in me!’
Karen was indeed very popular.
Knowing she was reasonably attractive, Karen had aggressively pursued Ray, but Ray always treated her like a child.
Because of this, her pride had been deeply wounded, but now she finally understood Ray’s reactions.
“R, Ray! You don’t have to be embarrassed! I’ll take good care of you!”
“No, I’m fine! I have plenty of energy! Every morning!”
As Ray continued to protest, Karen twisted her waist and awkwardly pressed herself against him.
Sliding her upper body onto Ray’s arm, Karen whispered shyly,
“S, so… prove it… to me…”
“Karen!!”
Ray grabbed Karen’s cheeks irritably.
“What am I supposed to prove to you!”
“Augh!”
Karen acted petulantly with teary eyes, seeing no difference in Ray’s usual response.
At that moment, Johanna, standing nearby with her legs crossed and arms folded, watching Ray and Karen, burst out laughing briefly.
“Pfft…!”
The mocking laughter from Johanna caught Ray’s attention.
Meeting Johanna’s eyes, she tilted her head provocatively and taunted,
“Hmm, scared?”
“?”
“You, lack confidence, huh?”
Maybe it’s too small to show others?
Hearing such remarks from Johanna, Ray wore an extremely disgruntled expression.
