How to Survive as a Knight’s Son – Chapter 68

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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Teottry
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Witches’ abilities don’t affect each other. That’s why, in the future that will no longer be, Anya and the Blood Princess became as close as sisters in a short amount of time.

I had sent Anya to Quaran’s castle hoping the Lord would protect her.

But her life being in danger? That meant a threat beyond the Lord’s control had emerged. I had a suspicion.

‘Is it because of the fishing rights?’

Earl Dressten, locked in a fierce conflict with the Lord over the herring harvest, would covet my fishing rights more than anyone.

He had already pressured the Baron into summoning me to Quaran.

If he knew Anya was my sister, he would likely threaten her to gain leverage in future negotiations.

‘Was the ambiguous contract, sharing the fishing rights, the problem?’

Honestly, I hadn’t anticipated such a sharp escalation in the conflict between the Lord of Quaran and Earl Dressten.

In the future that would no longer be, the Lord’s ability had activated as soon as Earl Dressten formally raised the issue.

Natural disasters had struck Earl Dressten’s territory, leaving him no time to worry about herring.

However, the future had changed. And not for the better.

There was one variable… me acquiring a significant share of the fishing rights.

I had thought that even with shared ownership, I would still benefit from the Lord’s ability. However, the outcome was vastly different from what I expected.

Was it because the Lord’s share was too small? But if the Earl seized the rights, it wouldn’t be beneficial to the Lord either.

Considering the Lord’s immense luck, it was an incomprehensible situation.

The bigger problem was that losing Anya would mean losing my leverage over the Lord. It would unravel my grand plan.

I stopped thinking about it. The situation had already unfolded, so it was more productive to focus on resolving the immediate threat to Anya.

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“Master Allen!”

Someone was waiting for me at the gates of Quaran. It was a beautiful woman with ebony hair, shimmering ash-grey skin, and dark, blue-tinged eyes.

“Whoa, Jin?”

“I’ve been expecting you. Follow me. It’s urgent.”

Jin, without explanation, mounted her horse and rode into the castle. Worried about Anya, I had no choice but to follow.

I couldn’t ask for details. Speaking while riding at such speed would only result biting my own tongue.

Quaran’s eastern port was filled with sailing ships, their masts and sails fully rigged, and fishing boats with pathetic scraps of cloth that could hardly be called sails.

In previous years, the fishing boats would have occupied most of the berths, but now, there were also numerous sailing ships carrying salt and dried herring.

Quaran’s castle stood at the edge of a cliff that rose steadily northward from the harbor.

The guards at the gate didn’t stop us. They even offered a casual salute. Was it because of Fiore? Or because of Jin, who was leading the way?

I hesitated before the gate. It was because of the Lord. I might be caught in her ability if we encountered each other.

Of course, the Lord, knowing her own ability, would avoid people, but one could never be too sure.

“Master Allen?”

My hesitation was short-lived. Urged by Jin, I entered the castle. Jin led me deep inside.

“Is Anya alright? Is she hurt?”

Finally regaining my composure, I started asking questions. Jin, still hurrying along, replied,

“She’s fine. For now…”

“For now? Who threatened my sister?”

“There are many in Quaran’s political circles who dislike Lady Anya. Contrary to your concerns, it’s because she has adapted too well.”

My suspicion that Earl Dressten was the culprit was wrong. It was Quaran’s own power players who were threatening Anya’s life.

“They’re threatening my sister’s life because she’s close to the Lord?”

“If it were merely a close friendship, they wouldn’t have done so. You can hear the details from Lady Anya herself.”

Fiore, who had been silent due to the seriousness of the situation, nudged me and whispered,

“Isn’t this strange? There’s no way Father would stand idly by while Quaran’s power players threaten your sister.”

Fiore was right. Andrei was the most influential vassal in Quaran. He wouldn’t overlook a threat to Anya, not for Fiore’s sake.

I finally realized I had lost my composure at the news of Anya being in danger. I also noticed a discrepancy I hadn’t been aware of before.

“Lady Anya?”

Jin had always referred to Anya as my sister. But now, she addressed her with a respectful title, as if Anya were her superior.

Jin flinched. Fiore and I simultaneously placed our hands on the hilts of our swords. The atmosphere grew heavy, as if gravity had doubled.

“Lady Anya will explain everything.”

Despite the change in atmosphere, Jin calmly reached for the doorknob. We had already reached our destination, a secluded room within the castle, thanks to her brisk pace.

Click.

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We tensed, ready to draw our swords, and looked inside. Our suspicions melted away.

“Anya…?”

Anya was inside. But not in the way I expected.

She was lounging in an armchair, her legs crossed on a small table before her. Her delicate toes wiggled playfully.

A fire crackled in the nearby fireplace, an orange glow illuminating Anya’s skin.

Half-eaten snacks were on a table beside her, and she held a book in her hand. She didn’t look like someone whose life was in danger.

Anya looked up from her book. Her eyes widened, then curved into a smile. Her gaze swept over me from head to toe.

“You look terrible.”

“You…”

As I struggled to comprehend the situation, Jin quietly moved behind Anya and bowed her head.

“It only took a week to travel from Polton to Quaran. You should consider yourself lucky you’re not in worse shape, considering you must have ridden day and night.”

Anya nodded and smiled at me.

“You pass!”

I finally understood what was happening.

“You tricked me?”

“Brother, are you angry…?”

Anya, who had been so confident, now looked at me nervously. She knew I was truly angry. I ignored her and turned to Jin.

“Jin, I didn’t expect this from you.”

“I simply switched to a stronger rope.”

“A stronger rope. Anya?”

“What I said before wasn’t a lie.”

Anya, her smug expression returning, placed her hands on her hips and looked at me.

“Ahem.”

I frowned and approached Anya. Sensing the dangerous atmosphere, Anya tried to retreat, but I caught her.

“B-Brother…?”

Anya smiled nervously and looked up at me. I took her ears and folded them.

“Ow! That hurts!!”

Anya yelped and struggled. Her ears were incredibly sensitive.

“It’s supposed to hurt. Do you know how worried I was?”

“I was scared too! We were apart for so long. The Lord said that time dulls everything, even love.”

I frowned at the unexpected mention of the Lord. Anya continued,

“And the danger was real. For you, not me.”

Jin, who had stepped back and was watching us with amusement, chimed in,

“Lady Anya is right. We received a request to assassinate Master Allen. That’s why we needed to summon him immediately.”

“There was no need for such deception.”

“Hehe, well…”

Anya smiled awkwardly and glanced at me. I sighed and embraced her.

“Haa… You smell like Brother…”

Anya buried her face in my chest and inhaled deeply. Her slightly tense expression softened.

“My, my, you’ve become quite the young lady.”

She had gained some weight, filling out her previously thin frame, and she seemed taller. Her beauty had also blossomed as she lost her baby fat.

When we lived together at the manor, she had looked like a young girl of thirteen or fourteen, but now, she looked like a young woman ready for marriage.

“I’m not just different on the outside.”

As Jin discreetly excused herself, Anya grew bolder.

She pushed me onto the bed, then climbed on top of me, straddling me and wrapping her arms around my neck. She nuzzled her face against my shoulder and subtly rubbed her hips against mine.

“Y-You… w-what are you doing?!”

The problem was that there was another person in the room who wasn’t pleased by this display of affection.

Fiore, who had been watching our reunion with a smile, finally realized something was amiss as the intimacy escalated.

Anya, glancing at Fiore, smiled condescendingly.

“Sister, you like Brother, don’t you?”

“Uh… uh…?”

Fiore was flustered by Anya’s casual mention of her secret feelings.

Anya, smirking at Fiore’s reaction, pulled my head down and kissed me. It was a proper kiss, her tongue slipping into my mouth.

“…!”

Fiore’s eyes widened as her suspicions solidified. Anya’s arms coiled around my neck, tugging me closer, met Fiore’s gaze with a smile.

“Then you’d better stay on my good side. If you want to stay by Brother’s side, that is.”

It was a declaration of war. It seemed she wasn’t just physically different. Though to me, she was still just my little sister.

Moreover, Fiore wasn’t one to back down so easily.

“What are you talking about? You’re just his little sister!”

Fiore strode towards Anya and grabbed her, pulling her away from me and pushing her aside.

“Uh… uh…?”

Now it was Anya’s turn to be flustered. Fiore grinned and threw herself at me. Strong and heavier than most women, I was pushed back onto the bed.

Straddling me, Fiore licked her lips, her gaze fixed on the bewildered Anya.

“Allen is mine.”

Then, as if Anya’s response wasn’t necessary, she kissed me passionately, making loud, obscene sounds for Anya’s benefit.

“Brother!”

“Allen!”

The two women glared at me, demanding I choose between them. Greedy as I was, I refused to choose.

“Gasp…!”

“Ahh…!”

I pulled both women into my embrace, one hand firmly gripping each of their ass.

The two women, now pressed against my chest, glared at each other, but their eyes softened as I kneaded their ass.

“If you two fight, I’m not seeing either of you again.”

“W-Who would be scared by that?”

Fiore yelled, yet she didn’t try to escape my embrace. Anya, in a show of defiance, nuzzled her face against my chest.

“Good riddance! If you’re not going to listen to Brother, then leave! You nuisance!”

“You really…! I’ve been going easy on you because you’re Allen’s sister, but don’t push it!”

“Anya. Fiore.”

As the two continued to bicker, they both, as if on cue, pinned my arms down as I tried to get up.

“We’re not fighting. This is how women bond. Right, Sister?”

“Huh? Oh, yes. Of course.”

Anya was the first to extend a hand of reconciliation. Perhaps it was because she had more experience with sharing me than Fiore.

“Anya, what was that about an assassination attempt? Who wants me dead, and why?”

“Because I’ll inherit the fishing rights if you die.”

I frowned as I considered the implications.

“Marriage?”

“Yeah, some distant relative of Earl Dressten proposed. He was so arrogant, acting as if I didn’t know he was just an empty shell with no real power. Hmph.”

Anya continued, frowning,

“It’s a good thing the Lord protected me. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have been able to refuse. So many people want me gone so they can have peace.”

“Who dared say such a thing?”

“Are you going to punish them?”

“Of course. You’re mine.”

I was angrier than when I heard about the assassination attempt. Those who dared try to dispose of my possessions without my consent would pay the price.

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Once’s mine is mine my G!