When they got home that evening, Vivian told Alisa about the stupid things Leon and Fio had done that day.

Alisa even embellished the story, making it sound worse than it was. Leon and Fio didn’t dare say a word, and stood off to the side, looking terribly nervous.

As Alisa listened to her daughter describe what had happened, she actually started laughing.

Leon was starting to get scared. He’d much rather his mother be angry—but if she could smile like that after hearing about their outrageous behavior…

He was dead this time.

“You two, come with me. We need to have a proper talk.”

Alisa took Leon and Fio to her room so she could speak with them privately.

Alisa, usually so gentle, sat there smiling in silence.

Fio was the first to crack under the pressure. In tears, she started listing Leon’s crimes, while Leon chose not to deny any of it.

Alisa patted her on the head and whispered a few soothing words in her ear. Fio’s mood brightened at once, and she bounced out of the room.

“Mother, what did you say to Fio?” Leon asked.

“Nothing. But you, Leon—just look at what you’ve done.”

“I… I’m sorry, Mother. I’ve let you down—”

“You’ve let me down big time! Why didn’t you just do it with Little Fio back then?”

“I’m sorry. I should’ve done it then—wait, what???”

“Leon, I’ve told you this before: get on the ride first and sort out the ticket afterward,” Alisa said, sounding disappointed.

“Wait! I don’t think that’s the part you’re supposed to be scolding me about! And besides, Fio seems to…” Leon’s voice dropped. “She likes someone else.”

“I knew it… I knew someone would steal Little Fio away. But it’s all part of my plan. I calculated this possibility ages ago.”

Alisa patted her eye-catching chest, assuring him she’d take care of everything.

Leon swallowed. Hope flared in his eyes, and he asked urgently, “Mother! Is there— is there a way?”

“There is.”

Alisa blinked, the corners of her mouth lifting slightly. It was a unique charm only a grown woman could possess.

“And that is…?”

“That’s right! The ultimate finishing move—get her pregnant, then get married.”

Leon felt like he’d just heard something too bizarre to understand.

His brain instinctively tried to make sense of this absurd suggestion. What was this? This kind of thing—

—was a crime, wasn’t it?

How long would you go to jail for something like that? At least three years, right?

“If you get Little Fio pregnant, no one will be able to steal her away, right?”

“I can’t do that, Mother!”

Leon firmly refused. There was no way he could do something like that. Absolutely not. Not even if they killed him!

Alisa knew her son very well. Her eyes rolled around as if she’d thought of something, and her manner suddenly changed.

“Son, I was only joking just now.”

“Phew… Mother, don’t mess with me like that.”

Alisa produced a vial of potion from who knew where. “Oh, right, Leon. This is a special aphrodis... I mean, Extreme Recovery Potion I’ve developed. It’ll instantly give you a huge burst of energy and heal your battle wounds in a very short time.”

Alisa was a top-tier alchemist, but she’d retired from the front lines after marrying Leon’s father.

“I know what you’ve been planning lately. It has something to do with Fio, right? I hope this comes in handy.”

Alisa pressed the potion into Leon’s hand and made him take it.

Leon’s lips moved. He almost blurted out what he was really thinking.

Lately, he’d had a feeling that if he kept hiding Fio away, Donghui Kingdom would discover her sooner or later. And when that happened, a major battle would be unavoidable.

So Mother had seen right through him all along. Honestly… he’d thought he was hiding it pretty well.

“Thank you, Mother.”

…

And so, their everyday life quietly went on.

Although Leon was the Sword Saint, he wasn’t actually a civil servant of Donghui Kingdom. He was a free adventurer.

He often had to go out, but since Fio wasn’t an adventurer, he had no choice but to leave her at home.

He’d told her not to go outside, but Fio had already slipped out alone to buy novels. That day, she got lost.

If Leon hadn’t found her in time, the Ice Dragon King—who couldn’t handle social situations—might have blown up the entire shopping district right in front of everyone.

So Leon made up his mind: he had to keep Fio by his side at all times. He couldn’t let her cause any more trouble.

Leon went to Fio’s room. The door was unlocked, so he coughed a few times, pushed it open, and went inside.

“Heh heh heh!! This is so stupid! The hero got it on with this little-loli healer after taking an X-pill!”

The silver-haired girl was sprawled on the bed in a disheveled state, with crumbs from the fried potato chips she was chewing falling onto her pillow. Fio kicked her legs happily as she read her novel, completely unaware that Leon had arrived, lost in her own little world of fun.

Leon saw that the Ice Dragon King really was just as Myron had described: she spent every day lazing around and eating, a textbook example of a social parasite.

“Hey.”

Leon called out. Fio looked back, then bolted into a corner with her pillow, as frightened as a mouse that had spotted a cat.

“W-What do you want?”

Fio held the pillow in front of her and hunched her shoulders.

“Come with me to the Mage Guild. We’re getting your mage rank assessed.”

“Why?! I don’t want to! You’re not planning to make me work, are you?” Fio protested. “If I work, I lose! I can’t work for the rest of my life!”

“It’s not work. Once you pass the assessment, you’ll be a mage. Then I can bring you along when I go out on certain missions.”

“Yeah, right. I’m not stupid. First you say I don’t have to work… then as soon as I become a mage, you’ll force me to fight!”

Leon frowned in frustration. This shut-in little gremlin really was beyond saving.

“D-Don’t try to scare me! I’m not afraid. I’ve already made peace with the fact that I might die!” Fio stubbornly held her ground.

Forget it. There was no way to reason with her. He’d just have to bluff his way through this. Leon started making things up on the spot.

“Do you really think I just want you to get a job?”

“…!?”

“Think about your situation. You might be safe for now, but do you really think no one will ever discover who you are?” Leon had no idea what he was saying anymore. He was just making it up as he went along.

“You’re the only one who knows my identity. Could it be that you mean…”

To Leon’s surprise, Fio caught on to his serious tone. She thought it over for a moment, then seemed to realize something.

“That’s right. Looks like you’re not so stupid after all,” Leon said, going along with it. “Understand now? This is part of my plan.”

“So that’s what it is…! Leon, you’re a terrifying man. No wonder you’re so good at calculating everything. You even thought of this!”

Fio bit her finger, suddenly enlightened.

Leon was curious what Fio meant, but since he’d managed to fool her and get what he wanted, he decided not to question the details.