Deadline Is Raining in the Status Window - Chapter 309

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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“Hmph! I’m two whole years younger than my sister!”
“Two years younger doesn’t make you that much of a catch!”
“Oh, the young miss doesn’t understand. Even one year younger is so adorable.”
I don’t care! I prefer older men, so I have no idea what the appeal of younger guys is!
“Huh?”
So that’s it. I really do prefer older men. No wonder all three of my husbands were older than me. And their average age was around thirty-five hundred years old. I’m quite something, aren’t I?
“Heh.”
“Evan, would you do me one favor, whether you’re taking sides or being conceited?”
“Of course I’ll take your side, Uncle.”
I need to get my head on straight and support Uncle. Even if Mother doesn’t end up with Uncle Thomas, I absolutely had to prevent her from getting together with Aying Prime Minister. If that damned man married my mother, I’d die. From stress-induced gastritis.
“Eleanor, I have a wish too.”
“Oh? What kind of wish?”
“To die♥ just♥ one♥ day after you, Eleanor.”
“My goodness.”
Ugh, how tasteless. Why does Mother like that sort of thing? Is there something that only appeals to women who’ve lost children and been widowed? That whole “I’ll follow right after you” sentiment—older ladies absolutely eat that up.
“Hey! Don’t be so crude!”
“What crudeness am I being accused of?”
“The only one who can truly make Eleanor happy is me!”
“Stop spouting nonsense.”
But it’s strange. When I put Uncle Thomas and Aying Prime Minister side by side, why does the age gap look so pronounced? Aying Prime Minister seems much younger than Uncle Thomas. Meanwhile, Professor Ilyong, who actually has a larger age gap with Aying Prime Minister, looks like they’re the same generation with no sense of incongruity whatsoever.
As I glanced at the Professor, troubled by the thought, Professor Ilyong shrugged his shoulders as if he’d peered into my mind, speaking with pride.
“That’s what friendship is.”
“Or maybe you just have the same mental age…”
Right. This guy abandoned his duties as Dragon King because he didn’t want to do it. How mature could a dragon like that possibly be? He’s just a brat.
“Then let’s settle this with a date!”
“Oh, all right!”
Huh? What did I miss? I can’t follow the thread of conversation. While I was distracted by Professor Ilyong for a moment, the flow suddenly changed?
When I poked Titi in the ribs and asked what happened, the little one giggled and neatly summarized the conversation between the two uncles.
“They’re going to have a competition to see whose date was more fun, and whoever wins gets to monopolize Mother while she’s staying in Ilram.”
“Huh, and Mother just accepts this?”
“She said it sounds fun.”
Well, the person involved would find it entertaining. With two men she likes providing date content for her while she’s bored, she probably wanted to try that whole “don’t fight because of me” game.
“Getting help from our daughters would be unfair! Let’s not do that!”
“Hah! I know Eleanor’s tastes inside and out, even without Evan!”
That’s true. Mother spent half her life with me, but Uncle Thomas knows the other half.
The two uncles played rock-paper-scissors to decide who goes first, then agreed to meet Mother at Ilram Plaza at noon on the next day and the day after that, respectively, before turning away.
Professor Ilyong laughed heartily, pondering which date he should watch first.
“Shouldn’t we help Aying Prime Minister?”
I thought he’d follow along with some talk about friendship, so his hesitation was surprising.
“Evan, let me offer you some advice.”
As a dragon who had lived a long life, the Professor added that his counsel would become flesh and blood for me, who would live far longer than his own dragon years.
“Sometimes doing nothing yields the most entertaining results.”
“Ooh.”
“Wild-caught fish tastes better than farmed, doesn’t it?”
“Ooh!”
Wild-caught really did taste better than farmed. The analogy made it click for me.
“Then we should stay completely hands-off.”
“How about we each do some reconnaissance and report back?”
“Okay.”
After the Professor and I formed an amusing entertainment alliance and shook hands, Titi tilted her head in confusion.
“But sister, you have three husbands.”
“Hmm.”
“Shouldn’t Mother be able to marry two men too?”
“Well….”
This girl, noticing that detail. But there are certain battles in this world from which one cannot retreat. And the biggest reason I was able to have three husbands in the first place was.
“It was only possible because Gerth is a bodhisattva.”
“The old man made a great sacrifice for world peace.”
“Huh, is that what it is, chirp?”
That’s what it is. In truth, Earth remaining safe today, not burning or splitting apart, is all thanks to Gerth.
“Every night before bed, make sure to pray and thank Gerth. I do it every day.”
“Yes, chirp.”
“I should add that to my routine as well.”
Cha Cha ought to know this too. Of course, Seian already does—he’s had years of reading the room.
“Anyway, I’m going to Thomas. We’ll exchange information later.”
“Of course.”
I summoned my ice wings and followed Thomas’s car with a whoosh.
For someone who’d made a fortune, Thomas lived in a relatively modest house. Though it did have a garden, a separate cottage, and was spacious enough for a family of four….
“Hmm….”
This was a house that showed his ambition to marry my Mother and live with Titi and me. I’d give him points for that. I chuckled wickedly as I spied on Thomas’s dating plans.

◇ ◆ ◇

The next day, Aying Prime Minister’s date was disastrous from the start—no, magnificent. The Duchy Military Band even came to celebrate the two of them, and they raced through the Harbor in what amounted to a full parade.
“Tch, Mother’s going to hate this.”
“Didn’t you try to stop him?”
“Why should I?”
For the sake of an exciting event, he shows no mercy even to friends. A true dragon, one who abandoned his own clan in pursuit of entertainment. You are first-rate as a dragon. The true dragon of this age.
“Evan, you yourself didn’t offer any advice to him—you simply came to watch.”
“The competition must be fair, after all.”
“Tch, be honest with me.”
“Honestly, as long as Aying Prime Minister fails, it doesn’t matter to me whether Thomas ends up with Mother or not.”
“You certainly are an honest student.”
“That’s my only bad point, tch!”
I grabbed Titi by the head and shook her. Why would I have no good points? Am I not the most beautiful in the world? I am the sole most beautiful thing, and beauty is everything in this world. One is all, all is one. This is the truth.

After that, Aying Prime Minister dined at the most expensive restaurant and shopped at a jewelry store in Ilram Harbor District that dealt in the priciest gems. Judging by what he was doing, he seemed to have applied my tastes directly to Mother….
“Wait, wait a moment.”
“Sister, why?”
“Can I leave in the middle of the date? If it doesn’t suit me, I can just stop.”
“Eeeek!”
How unfortunate. Mother and I have completely different interests. If he’d applied this course to Iyongi, well, that woman probably would have enjoyed it…. So blood truly cannot be deceived.
In any case, with Mother declaring her withdrawal midway, it became a battle Thomas could win simply by fishing at the Breakwater all day.
But Thomas did not underestimate the situation. He did not grow careless. When noon came the next day and Mother appeared for a new date, Thomas first gifted her athletic shoes that fit her feet perfectly. I wouldn’t have gone near the Flower Field Walking Path, but the two of them excitedly strolled through it together, and later they stomped barefoot through some place that supposedly restored health by treading on soil.
After washing their feet like children at a water spout, they went to a Korean restaurant and had a hearty meal, then visited an Antique Shop to look at ancient relics and old records. They even entered the Pawn Shop next to the antique store and purchased a crystal orb containing footage of a Dekarucha performance from the Academy Festival.
That thing had a premium attached and was worth about an entire castle. For the first time, I truly realized Thomas had so much money it was rotting away.
“Today was sooooo much fun!”
“Right!”
Thomas was going to win.
After the date ended, we gathered again in front of the Prime Minister’s Residence. Aying Prime Minister was already sniffling and crying, while Thomas stood with confident pride.
So then, while Mother is in Ilram, who will she spend her time with?
“Hmm….”
What is there to think about? Just say Thomas already!
I glared as if forcing her hand, but Mother paid me no mind and deliberated a moment longer before breaking into a bright smile.
“Let’s call it a draw! Do I really need to choose just one? Why don’t we all have fun together with the young lady for the remaining time!”
“Si, sister….”
“Hmm, well, I suppose Eleanor would say something like that.”
As Mother smiled like sunshine itself, Aying Prime Minister clung to her crying, while Thomas shook his head as if resigned.
Stop acting like this is some heartwarming ending. Don’t be ridiculous.
“Mother just can’t resist a younger man!”
A draw? What nonsense. Thomas had won that battle.
I was so frustrated I smashed the crystal orb containing the band performance footage. Then Mother appeared from nowhere like a ghost, brandishing a broom and charging at me.
“Hey! Evan Laef! Do you know how much that cost?!”
“If you treasured it so much, you should’ve kept it in a safe. Though honestly, I could grind through the safe itself if I wanted to.”
I stuck my tongue out at Mother in a teasing manner and summoned my ice wings.
I was going to flee. Getting scolded by Mother terrified me.

– fin.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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