World 01 Arc 01 Ch. 01 – Coming Back Home

Neigh!

A horse-like beast suddenly came to a halt in front of a towering gate. The rider, his youthful face bathed in the fading sunlight, couldn’t help but feel a tinge of melancholy as he murmured, “I’m finally back, huh?”

A charming smile adorned his handsome visage as he urged the creature forward.

…

As I gazed upon my childhood home, a sigh escaped my lips. It had been ingrained in my memories for the past five years. However, my expression turned into a frown as I muttered while dismounting, “Where are the guards?”

Under normal circumstances, someone should have emerged by now. After all, it was already nighttime, and my arrival had caused quite a commotion.

Taking my horse towards the stable myself, I suddenly heard a flurry of footsteps emanating from behind the closed mansion doors. Three women, dressed in maid attire, hurriedly approached and halted before me. Tension lined their faces, which only dissipated once they recognized my identity.

Their surprise was evident as all three of them blurted out simultaneously, “Young Master Daniel!?”

“You–you’re back?”

“Yes, I have returned,” I replied with a gentle smile, relishing in the familiarity of the way these people addressed me after so many years.

Curiosity piqued, I inquired further, “What’s going on? Where are the guards?”

Two of the women, though they tried to conceal it, displayed a subtle hint of worry in their eyes upon hearing my question. My keen observation didn’t let it go unnoticed.

Before I could delve deeper, Aunt Yena, one of the maids and a middle-aged woman who had been serving my family since before my birth, calmly smiled and spoke, “Madam has instructed them to attend to a task. They will return shortly.”

She reached out and gently took the reins from my hand. “Leave this to us, Young Master Daniel,” Aunt Yena assured me. “Madam will be overjoyed to see you. She should still be in her room. Why don’t you go in and give her a surprise?”

Neigh!

Just as Aunt Yena’s hand was about to touch the leash, my beloved mount, Bert, began displaying the pride of a black-horned colt. Calming him with a gentle pat, I assured Aunt Yena, who appeared slightly intimidated, “Don’t worry, Aunt Yena. He has a temper, but I’ll handle him myself.”

Aunt Yena nodded, stepping back slightly. However, she didn’t leave my side; instead, she followed me to the stable after giving instructions to the other two maids.

Catching my gaze, Aunt Yena smiled once again and said, “Don’t fret, young master. They won’t inform Madam and spoil your surprise.” Her expression softened as she added, “You have truly grown up, Young Master.”

Returning her smile, I sensed that she had more to say. However, perhaps taken aback by my unexpected visit, her emotions seemed to leave her momentarily speechless.

We swiftly made arrangements for my mount, ensuring a comfortable resting place and plenty of hay, before proceeding towards the mansion. The hallways, so familiar yet changed, unfolded before me as I walked alongside Aunt Yena.

At that moment, Aunt Yena’s smile widened, and she inquired, “How long will you be staying this time, Young Master?”

Considering her question, I pondered for a moment before replying, “I have some tasks to attend to in this part of the kingdom, so I anticipate staying until they are completed. Around two days, possibly three at most.”

A tinge of disappointment flickered across her face, though it was quickly masked by a hint of relief. Their peculiar behavior didn’t go unnoticed, and my curiosity deepened. Why were they all acting so strangely?

Lost in my thoughts, I suddenly realized we had arrived in front of another familiar room–the chamber where my mother resided.

“I will take my leave now,” Aunt Yena announced, her smile unwavering as she observed the mix of nerves and anticipation on my face. “Young Master, please make an effort to spend more time with her while you are here.”

With her advice given, Aunt Yena departed, leaving me standing in the dimly lit hallway. Taking a deep breath to steady myself, I gently knocked on the door.

After a few moments of silence, when no response reached my ears, I knocked more forcefully. Finally, I heard the sweet and gentle voice I had longed for all these years. Curiously, her voice seemed to carry from a distance, but I dismissed it as a minor detail.

Paying no mind to such nuances, I entered the room with an elated and childlike smile adorning my face, ready to surprise my mother.

But to my surprise, the room was empty. Confusion filled my mind as I scratched my head, trying to recall that there was a small garden located behind my mother’s chamber. She took great pride in tending to her collection of fragrant flowers and medicinal herbs.

The thought of surprising her in the garden ignited a renewed sense of determination within me. Hastening my steps, I reached the back of the room, where the door to the garden stood before me. Taking a deep breath to calm my excitement, I pushed open the door and stepped inside with a single stride.

As I entered, my throat tightened, and the words I had intended to speak, “Mom, I’m back!” got caught in my mouth. The sight before me left me speechless. Within the garden, there was a stone tub, approximately six feet in diameter, firmly fixed to the ground. Steam billowed from the bath, obscuring the view within. However, I could make out a figure inside.

It was my mother, leaning against the edge of the bath with her back turned towards me. In that moment, the idea of fleeing from the scene overwhelmed my thoughts. But before I could act, my mother suddenly stood up, revealing her wet body emerging from the hot water.

My feet felt as if they were weighed down, and I couldn’t tear my eyes away from her enchanting figure. Droplets of water cascaded down her waist-length black hair, tracing a path along her porcelain-white back, curving over her firm and round posterior, and then flowing down her soft and supple thighs before returning to their source.

Softly, my mother called out, her voice breaking through my stupor, “Yena? Please come here for a moment.”

Her words snapped me back to reality, and I broke into a cold sweat, realizing the precarious situation I found myself in. It seemed my mother had heard the sound of the door opening, and I could no longer use the excuse of having entered her room unknowingly. It appeared that fate was playing a cruel joke on me.

Just as panic set in, my mother turned around, her face covered by a napkin she had just picked up. It was my chance to escape. However, my legs failed me once again, and I couldn’t decide whether to scold or thank them.

Frozen in place, I stood there, my gaze fixed on the scene before me, knowing that it was forbidden even as a thought.

My mother was using the white napkin to dab her face, unaware that the rest of her front was fully exposed to my gaze. Normally concealed beneath her loose dresses, her alluring figure exuded elegance and authority. However, the sight of her ripe and toned body, now on full display, felt illicit and sinful.

Her ample, perfectly firm breasts, seemingly defying gravity, swayed with the movement of her arms, sending my heart racing uncontrollably. My eyes involuntarily drifted downward, traversing her flat belly and tracing the curves of her slender waist, until they settled on her intimate area.

Despite the distance between us, my heightened vision allowed me to observe the glistening pink petals, moist with dew. Just above them, a delicate tuft of curly black pubic hair served as a contrasting complement to the vibrant pink.

I struggled to swallow as my throat felt parched, my thirst seemingly unquenchable even by the bath before me. The erratic thoughts swirling in my mind threatened to overwhelm me.

Just as my mind spiraled further into chaos, my luck ran out. My mother finally lowered the napkin from her face and addressed me, her words catching in her throat, mirroring my own confusion.

“Yena, why are you not–?” Her voice trailed off as our eyes met, and a mix of surprise, shock, and joy danced across her features. She jumped slightly in her place, exclaiming, “Daniel? You’re back?!”

My eyes widened, taking in the sight of her breasts bouncing up and down. The words of apology that had formed on the tip of my tongue vanished into thin air.

As my blood pressure soared, threatening to make me faint, my mother suddenly became aware of her current state. Her initial elation quickly turned into intense embarrassment and a hint of anger.

“You–why are you here?” My mother quickly submerged her body back into the water, scolding me, “Daniel Marvson! Have you forgotten your manners after leaving this house for a few years?”

Surprisingly, her scolding and familiar way of getting angry brought me a sense of calm instead. My first words after reuniting with her after so long were not the greeting I had planned, nor were they about apologizing for seeing her naked in the bath.

Instead, I asked, “Why is there a bath here, Mom?”

To my surprise, my words seemed to have a greater impact than I had anticipated. She appeared both surprised and at a loss for words for a moment.

“Mom?” I broke the silence, unable to bear the sight of her struggling to cover herself with water any longer. I also noticed a change in her behavior, similar to the maids, whenever I asked certain questions.

My mother snapped out of her thoughts, once again confronted by the embarrassing reality of the situation.

“You little rascal! Why are you still standing there?” she exclaimed angrily, before giving an order, “Get out! I’m coming out to teach you a lesson!”

I smiled wryly, realizing that perhaps I was overthinking things.

My mother is still the same as always.