I AM A MAGE BUT WITH MILF SYSTEM

Liam chuckled. He turned back toward the window, gazing out over the duchy as if the answer might be written somewhere in the morning light.

“I’ll think of something,” he murmured.

At that, Louisa gave a bitter smile.

She could not bring herself to tell her husband what was truly forming in her mind. The idea had taken root the moment Cathy had spoken those words the previous night, and it had only grown stronger with every passing hour. She still hadn’t fully decided if she was willing to go through with it.

Even if she did, she would prefer to keep it hidden from Liam entirely and carry it out in secret.

***

The same morning had reached Vanessa’s quarters in its own way.

The room was warm, the curtains drawn to block the early light and a single mana lamp burnt low on the writing desk.

Vanessa stood before the tall mirror near the wardrobe in her silk nightgown, the fabric pale and close-fitting, and took her time with the lipstick she had just retrieved from the table. She pressed her lips together, examined the result, and then reached for a cloth to correct something invisible to any other eye.

Sera sat in the chair beside the window, watching the young lady with confused expression.

She had just finished speaking several minutes ago.

Sera had recounted everything that had happened the day before in vivid, careful detail – from the moment she entered Julian’s room with the soup, to the way he had poured it into her cleavage, to the rough way he had used her breasts, and finally to the confession.

Her excitement was visible in the way she spoke, in the slight flush on her cheeks, and in the way her hands moved animatedly as she described every moment.

She had succeeded.

This was the breakthrough they had been waiting for. Their whole purpose had been to find out if the young lord was still the same person deep down.

And Sera had delivered.

She told Vanessa everything exactly as it happened: how Julian had confessed to still fantasizing about his mother Olivia, how he had used Sera’s body while imagining it was hers, and how intensely he had reacted when the roleplay deepened.

But unlike what Sera had expected, Vanessa showed no visible reaction.

The future queen now sat with perfect composure, one leg crossed elegantly over the other. Her expression remained calm, almost serene, as if Sera had just told her about the weather rather than a explosive confession from her brother about lusting after their mother.

Sera finished her report and fell silent, waiting for praise, for shock, for something.

Vanessa remained quiet for a long moment.

“…”

Finally, after a few suffocating seconds, she spoke.

“So he hasn’t changed completely.”

Sera nodded quickly, but remained silent, watching her lady’s face carefully. There was a certain alertness in her gaze, as though she were trying to read every subtle shift in expression.

Vanessa then turned her eyes toward the young maid. Sera still wore that proud, almost triumphant smile, the kind that came from completing a task well and knowing it had mattered.

“You did good, Sera,” Vanessa said softly.

The young maid’s smile widened instantly. A faint blush colored her cheeks as she lowered her gaze for a second, clearly pleased by the rare acknowledgment.

The praise, simple as it was, clearly meant far more to her than she would ever openly admit.

For a second, she allowed herself to enjoy it.

But just as quickly, something else began to surface. Confusion.

“But… my lady,” she asked hesitantly, her voice quieter now, tinged with doubt, “why do you seem so detached? Wasn’t this something you wanted to know?”

At that, a complex expression crossed Vanessa’s face. It wasn’t indifference, exactly, neither was it satisfaction. It was something closer to confusion mixed with helplessness.

She leaned back in her chair.

“I don’t know, Sera,” she admitted after a pause, her voice quieter now. “At first, I only wanted to know if Kraven was still the same brother I knew… or if someone—or something—had replaced him after seeing how drastically he had changed.”

Her lips pressed together briefly before she continued.

“That was the only reason I sent you. To find out the truth.”

Sera nodded, listening intently.

Vanessa continued and her voice carried a rare note of uncertainty.

“But now… knowing that he still has those feelings for our mother… it means he never truly changed. He simply learned to suppress them. To hide them better.”

Sera could feel a certain sadness in her tone.

phew

Vanessa let out a slow breath and looked toward the window. The light from outside fell across her face, but her expression remained distant, lost somewhere far beyond the room.

“But now I feel like we have forced it out anyway. So I feel a bit confused on what to do from here on.”

Sera raised her brow slightly. She had not expected that kind of reaction. To her, everything had gone exactly as planned. It had been clear, simple, and successful. But seeing Vanessa like this made her hesitate.

For the first time, she realized the situation might not be as straightforward as she had thought.

Still, she straightened a little and spoke with quiet confidence.

“My lady, I would not worry if I were you,” she said. “The young lord is very dangerous and always knows what he is doing. Even when he said those things… I believe he was aware of it. He would not let something slip unless he was certain it would not harm him.”

She paused briefly, then added more carefully,

“He does not seem like someone who loses control so easily.”

Seeing the young maid defend Kraven so naturally, Vanessa’s lips curved into a small, knowing smile.

“Have you taken a liking to my brother, Sera?”

Sera’s eyes widened. A fresh blush spread across her face as she quickly shook her head.

“N-no, my lady! It’s not like that. I’m only saying… he is not someone who makes careless mistakes. Even when he appears vulnerable, I feel like he is still in control. That’s all.”

Vanessa’s smile didn’t fade. She studied the maid for a long moment, as if seeing her in a new light.

“You’ve changed too,” she said softly. “A few days ago you were confident and teasing. Now you speak of him with caution… and perhaps even a hint of respect.”

Sera lowered her gaze, embarrassed.

“He is… different from what I expected. Dangerous. But also… magnetic. When he looks at me, it feels like he sees straight through me. Like he already knows what I’m trying to do.”