[A / N: I'll be calling him Ren from now on]
Rowan woke up the next morning feeling more refreshed than he had in weeks.
He stretched an arm and turned, only to freeze at the sight of his wife sleeping upside down.
Stella lay on the bed with her legs straight up against the headboard, her feet almost touching her face like she was performing an ancient yoga ritual in her sleep.
'Stella sure has some weird sleeping positions,' he thought, blinking twice just to make sure she wasn't possessed.
He slipped out of bed quietly. Judging by the first signs of sunlight creeping in from the curtains, it was barely 6 A.M on the house clock which meant it was early enough to get to Pagoda Waterfalls without a rush.
He grinned proudly to himself.
'I managed to pull some favors and get all of these fuckers to bring their sons today,' he thought.
It hadn't been easy convincing multiple noble families to participate in a fake mission nor had it been easy pretending that the search for a "Unique Item" was legitimate. 'Though there's not even any Unique Item in the Pagoda Waterfalls, so it's a perfect time to chill with the boys.'
Yes.
Today was supposed to be relaxation disguised as duty.
Hot springs… Beer… Silence away from work… No paperwork… No clan politics… Just peace and paradise. Rowan practically floated into the adjoining bathroom.
He brushed his teeth, took a long refreshing bath, and put on a new set of expensive robes that were deep navy blue with silver embroidery and enchantments woven into the fabric.
It was perfect for hot springs.
'I'm ready to soak in the hot springs and drink some beer,' he thought with a content sigh.
He left the bathroom and walked toward the training room, mentally preparing himself for a day of father-son "bonding" that would mainly consist of him chilling while Ren did all the work.
The sun had risen a little higher now with orange light filtering through the mansion's windows.
Ren was usually in the training room at this time, screaming as he sliced dummies into pieces so being a bit late wouldn't be a problem… until Rowan passed by Ren's bedroom.
He paused and he heard noises… Soft, sleepy noises.
He narrowed his eyes.
'Is Alina in her brother's room?' The sounds didn't match her light airy voice though.
They sounded deeper and definitely did not belong to his daughter. 'Or is it his personal butler sleeping on his bed…?'
Ren was known for strange behavior, maybe he'd finally snapped and taken his butler hostage. Regardless, curiosity and a healthy dose of dread pushed Rowan to open the door.
The moment he did, his face ran through forty different emotions in two seconds.
Ren was sprawled across the bed with one leg dangling off the edge, hugging his pillow. He was drooling and sleeping like a baby who hadn't experienced emotional trauma.
He looked… peaceful.
Rowan's jaw dropped. His eyebrows shot up and his eye twitched then he stormed forward in a blur of righteous fury.
"Ren!!!!"
He grabbed the boy by the ankle and yanked him so hard off the bed that Ren slid all the way across the mattress with a confused grunt.
"You're STILL sleeping?! At this time?! Did you forget we have somewhere to go?!" Rowan barked, tugging again as if Ren were an oversized sack of flour.
"Five more minutes…" Ren mumbled, hugging the pillow tighter. "The bed is just too so—"
Too soft? Too comfortable? Too heavenly for someone who used to sleep on a collapsing mattress back on Earth? Yes but Rowan was not having it.
Not after spending half the night begging, bribing, and borderline blackmailing multiple noble families to bring their sons to Pagoda Waterfalls today… All because Ren had volunteered.
The son who had never shown interest in anything other than the Saintess or training.
"GET. TO. THE. BATH!" Rowan commanded, lifting Ren entirely by his leg and flinging him toward the personal bathroom.
Ren crashed straight into the bathroom door and the door shattered but Ren still raised a thumb.
"I'm awake."
"Good," Rowan growled, crossing his arms. "Get to freshening up, fucker."
…
A short while later, Ren and Rowan stood outside the mansion, with Alina trailing behind them clutching her drawing book.
She wore a long dress that covered her legs completely, a bit nervous but visibly excited.
Ren, on the other hand, wore an outfit suited for exploration that was enchanted to expand or tighten depending on movement.
Meanwhile, Rowan was glaring at Ren like a disappointed gym coach.
"Alright, let's go get the griffins… we're late because of someone."
Ren only smirked, adjusting his hair. He had been busy looking at the different assortments of creams that were available in this world.
They reached the backyard, dominated by an ancient towering tree. Several butlers trimmed the grass around its roots.
Rowan stepped beneath the massive branches and whistled sharply then a rush of wind followed.
"Get down, girl," Rowan said proudly as a massive griffin descended with a powerful flap of its wings.
The griffin had golden feathers and majestic eyes.
Rowan stroked her head affectionately. "We'll be going to Pagoda Waterfalls."
The griffin nodded, then turned to Ren and tilted her head at him with open confusion because this was the same boy who normally used Reo only to sprint toward the church at ridiculous speeds… Why was he with them?
"I'm confused as well, Eli…" Rowan muttered then he sighed. "Come on, Ren. Call yours down."
Ren stepped forward, clearing his throat dramatically.
"Reo."
A smaller, more timid griffin swooped down.
He was still majestic with white and blue feathers shimmering under the sunlight but noticeably shy, his wings lowered as he avoided eye contact.
Ren could guess why. The original Ren had probably mistreated the poor thing, using him for rough flying and yelling when he didn't obey instantly.
Ren reached forward and gently massaged Reo's head. "We need to go."
Reo's eyes went wide with shock. This was the first affectionate gesture he had ever received from his master.
The griffin practically yelped in excitement, his wings spreading as if ready to prove itself.
"Alright, it seems Reo is raring to go," Rowan said proudly, patting Eli's back. "Alina, would you like to get on?"
She shook her head.
"I want to ride with big brother… if that's okay," she murmured, looking up at Ren with the cutest pair of puppy eyes she could muster.
It was SUPER EFFECTIVE.
Ren melted immediately. "...Yeah sure, get on."
Alina climbed onto Reo's back first, gripping the reins lightly. Ren swung up behind her, making sure she was secure.
She blushed and her heart skipped.
'Big brother cares about my safety…'
Rowan stared jealously before climbing onto Eli's back. "Let's go."
With a single powerful flap, the griffins shot into the air, soaring above the estate. Everything seemed perfect… until Reo suddenly veered hard left and straight toward the Holy Church.
"Oi… oi! Not the church, we're going to Pagoda Waterfalls," Ren said, grabbing the reins. "Follow Eli!"
Reo screeched mid-air, his wings flapping wildly as if confused.
Was his master actually changing? The only times Ren rode him before were to sprint to the church. What was happening to the universe?
Reo turned sharply, rushing back behind Eli.
"Are we ready now?" Rowan asked, glancing back.
Alina was woozy with her head tilted slightly from the sudden whiplash.
Ren noticed immediately.
He placed a gentle hand on her head, smoothing her hair. "Reo, slow down. Alina is with us, so be on your best behavior… Now let's go."
…
"I can't believe he invited us over and he's late." Caesar Whitelocke, the clan head of the illustrious Whitelocke line, crossed his arms as he stared at the misty scenery of Pagoda Waterfalls.
His voice carried through the steam-filled valley. The man was tall, stern, and always wearing a permanent judgy expression.
The Pagoda Waterfalls region was breathtaking with massive cliffs, stone steps carved into natural terraces, and a steaming cascade that created veils of warm mist.
Pools of naturally heated water were scattered across the land… a completely perfect place to sit back and relax.
However, it was priced so high commoners would faint at the entrance.
Jeremiah Morcant stroked his beard and scoffed.
"Can you blame him…? He has that bastard of a son. Even though he's talented, he's still chasing after the skirts of the Saintess… Could never be my son."
The other clan heads grumbled in agreement.
There were ten high noble clans in total, and all the heads had arrived. Each man wore the same enchanted water-resistant robes Rowan was wearing, looking stylish and color-coded to their house crest.
All of them had come for the same reason:.. Pretend there was a Unique Item to find… Use their sons as free labor and relax in the hot springs.
"Oi… is that man going to show up? I brought the Infinite Beer Cup," boomed the Evermere clan head from the edge of the springs.
The man was extremely round like a noble who had conquered every buffet in the empire and held a glittering goblet.
The Evermere clan specialized in Expansion Magic, a spellcraft that allowed a mage to extend certain body parts.
Most clans had amazing combat applications for their magic lineage but the Evermere? They mostly used it to get fatter.
The noble sons all sat far away from their fathers near a patch of grassy terrain, talking amongst themselves. Some were chatting, others comparing magic, and a few were pretending not to stare at their rivals.
Just then, the sound of flapping wings echoed across the valley.
Two majestic griffins descended with their feathers shimmering under the early sunlight. Their wings beat the air in powerful gusts as they landed on the warm stone ground.
The clan heads straightened slightly.
Rowan Crowhurst had finally arrived and he brought both his son and… daughter?
Ren hopped off Reo and helped Alina down gently, his hand staying protectively on her back as she steadied herself. "Thanks, Reo. You can go rest with the others."
Reo nodded proudly… quite proud of himself after receiving actual affection from his master and trotted away. Eli followed suit, joining the other griffins by the terraces.
Alina's golden eyes sparkled as she looked around.
"This looks so beautiful…" Her fingers twitched. She clearly wanted to draw everything in sight: the waterfalls, the steam, the rocks, the people.
Meanwhile, Rowan rejoined the group of clan heads, who immediately wore suspiciously mischievous smiles.
"So you managed to bring your son somewhere else apart from the Church… nice," the Evermere head said, raising his bottle. "Let's host a cheer to these kids was—"
BANG.
A chunk of ice smacked him straight in the forehead.
The fat man froze mid-toast before tipping forward like a falling tree, plunging into the steaming spring with an enormous splash.
All heads turned sharply.
The Dawnlarke family head with flowing silver hair and cold blue eyes cleared his throat. "What…? He was going to ruin the quality time."
No one argued.
Ren walked over to the other noble kids, who immediately tensed as if a wolf had wandered into a puppy pen. They stared at him in silence and avoided eye contact.
'Isn't this the time when they try to bully me?' Ren thought, scanning the group.
His eyes landed on someone that made his eyelid twitch.
A silver-haired boy from the Dawnlarke clan stood rigidly near a rock. He was not too tall but not short either, muscular enough to pass for a noble son, but…
Something was off.
『You have encountered a Heroine』
『Character is being analyzed…』
A purple bar unfolded in front of Ren.
『 Name: Randy (Reina) Dawnlarke 』
『 Age: 18 』
『 Race: Human 』
『 Relationship: None 』
『 Affection Points: 0 / 100 』
『 Hearts: 0 』
『 Emotional State: Nervous, Doesn't Want To Be Here 』
『 Likes: Drawing, Warm coats, Sword maintenance, Dressing like boys, Cool accessories, Night walks, Biology 』
『 Dislikes: Loud scolding, Being forced into dresses, Bright sunlight, Flirty nobles, People who touch her hair without asking 』
『 Special Notes: First daughter of the Dawnlarke household. Forced to act like a boy due to lacking a male heir. Crossdressing is currently her lifestyle. 』
『Note: Since when were you into tomboys, huh?』
Ren grumbled internally. 'Oh, I nearly forgot about her…'
Reina Dawnlarke… the crossdressing heroine.
The original protagonist had discovered her secret by accident after a major fight. She was a beauty under the uniform… the "mysterious tomboy type."
Ren did like tomboys but not ones who looked exactly like a man unless you stared suspiciously long at their eyelashes.
He spotted a long stick on the ground.
'This should be nice,' he thought, picking it up. With a bit of sword aura, it would serve as a perfectly humiliating weapon since he had forgotten to pack a sword.
Rowan cleared his throat loudly.
"As your fathers have told you," he began, pacing before the sons. "We received information that there is a Unique Item in the forest above the waterfall."
Several nobles side-eyed each other and even the sons raised eyebrows.
Rowan continued proudly. "Your jobs are to find it and bring it back for Appraisal. It's friendly competition, but that doesn't mean you can't put down other competitors."
Friendly… sure. Everyone knew Rowan's definition of friendly usually involved broken bones.
He pointed upward dramatically. "Now go!"
The noble sons moved instantly, running toward the jagged rocky wall leading up the waterfall's cliff and Ren rolled his shoulders before walking forward casually but one heir stopped, turned and insulted not only Ren's pride but his morning peace.
"Eat this!" the heir of the Briarhallow clan yelled, drawing back his fist.
A swirl of mana coated his knuckles… this was a punch meant to send someone into a week-long coma, or at least into the water at the side.
He dashed at Ren with the momentum of a charging bull.
Ren didn't even flinch.
He raised the stick lazily… and poured sword aura into it. Blue aura surrounded the wooden stick as it hardened with destructive intent.
Crack!
Ren blocked the punch effortlessly. The Briarhallow kid's eyes widened as his fist slammed into the stick instead of Ren's face.
'It really is nice being an overpowered villain.' Ren thought calmly then he swung.
The stick slashed sideways, tracing a clean arc of power.
THWACK.
The heir's head snapped to the side, mana dispersing instantly as the blow caught him right across the face. The impact launched him straight off his feet.
He flew with his arms flailing, screaming something unintelligible before plunging into the steaming waterfall pool below.
SPLOOSH.
Silence followed and even the other sons froze in shock.
Ren inspected the stick casually, spinning it with a flick of his wrist.
"That was satisfying," he whispered.