Family Business 25 (Patreon)

Commissioned by Kejmur

Family Business
Chapter 25

-VB-

The king’s push for greater inclusion and expansion of magic in Damacia, of course, didn’t come without opposition.

My work outside of Jorasmang City, the seat of my power, worked to turn the powerbrokers of West Demacia to the king’s side.

The first of these was my own family.

As the carriage pulled forward along the road, I looked out of the carriage window to see my hometown, High Silvermere. The road looked a little worse for wear, the walls a little grayer, and the guards looked a little older.

Was this really High Silvermere, the seat of the Crownguards and the representation of their loyalty and duty to the Kingdom of Demacia?

The guards saw my carriage and the symbol it carried, and quickly opened the wooden gates.

I was still a Crownguard, after all, and nothing like a gate would keep me waiting to enter my own home.

Unless father says so, which doesn’t seem to be the case!

Lux and Sona looked out of the windows as well. My twin sister looked happy to be home again, and Sona looked a little nervous.

“What’s wrong?” I asked my second wife, and she looked to me.

[I am just worried what your parent’s reaction will regarding me.]

I smiled for her. While I also worried about their reaction at my polygamy and Sona’s presence, I knew that at least father would be open to her. After all, he was open to me and Lux getting it on despite the fact that it would be incestous.

Mother, however, might not. While she had never been a vocal opposition to anything, she also preferred Demacians over anyone else. Sona, being an Ionian, might upset her.

Of course, I would do my best to smooth it out, which was why I had a lot of gifts for her, mostly cosmetic stuff, both magical and mundane. It was always important to have gifts on hand if I had to be the bearer of potentially bad news. Subjectively, of course. Objectively, it was great! Winning the biological race and all that.

Besides, Emma and Darren looked too cute for mother to withstand.

The carriage came to a stop in front of the Crownguard Manor, and we got out of it.

The manor possessed a distinct Greco-Victorian mixture feel to it, and being here once again made me see it even more, because it had been a long time for me since I came back home.

Mother and father greeted us at the front of the house with big fat smiles, and their smiles didn’t wane even a little bit when they saw Sona and Emma.

Good. That eased my mind on that point.

“Mother, father,” I greeted them with a bow. “This is Sona.”

“Yes, I have heard of her,” mother smiled. Her gold blonde hair shimmered in the noon sunlight and her light brown eyes sparkled. “She’s the Musician of Jorasmang, is she not?”

I blinked. Sona’s musical talent was well known, even out here in northern Demacia?

“She is,” I replied. “Sona, do you want to introduce yourself?”

Sona stepped up and curtised while still holding onto Emma.

[Greetings, mother and father in law,] she “spoke” with her music.

“Oh!” mother jolted in surprise, but I didn’t see any of the irrational or societal fear ingrained into normal Demacian. It didn’t take her long for her to curtsy in reply. “I am Augutha Crownguard. Welcome to our house.”

Dad nodded. “I am Pieter Crownguard. Welcome to the Crownguard Manor… and the family.”

Sona smiled beautifically, and I grinned happily together with her.

“And this one here,” I said with a smile as I scooped up Emma from Sona’s arms. “Is Emma, my second born. Your granddaughter.”

Father was a little less enthused about my daughter, but mother was very happy.

“May I…?” she asked quietly.

I gently handed my daughter to mother.

She cradled Emma and cooed. “She has your nose.”

I blinked. “She does?”

“She has her mother’s hair and ears, though. She is such a cute baby!” I wanted to say something memey like “I made that” but it would ruin the moment.

“Hi, mom, dad.”

Dad and mom gave her a greeting smile as well, but their focus was more on Sona and Emma right now. Considering that Lux met with dad and mom not too long ago, it wasn’t an insult or dismissal. It said a lot about Lux’s own maturity that she went along with it instead of being upset about the lack of attention, especially considering that she just became twenty.

… Well, I was the same age, too (being her twin and whatnot), but my age mattered less compared to everything I’ve done so far. In fact, it merely gave me more opportunities and connections. It gave me time to do more rather than become satisfied with where I was.

After all, I was the Duke of Jorasmang. I was the one, through my specialists, brought the would-be usurper Sylas to justice. I was the one who showered my people with wealth and safety. The king trusted me, though didn’t keep me in his inner council.

And I had more time to accomplish more.

All of them still had no idea that I wanted to keep changing Demacia. The king wanted a strong magical supplement to Demacia, but I wouldn’t stop there.

Why should I stop there?

I smiled to my father, loyal as he ever was to the kingdom but equally loyal to his family.

“Father, can we talk in private?” I asked him.

He nodded. “Ladies.”

As our three women walked into the manor, we stayed outside.

“What did you want to talk about?” he asked me.

I grinned.

“How do you feel about building a road between High Silvermere and Jorasmang City?”