23 CHAPTER 23: Emilie Enters The Fray

Inside a resplendent modern mansion, within the impeccable halls of this incredible home, and behind a set of large wooden doors, lay a sleeping beauty of red hair who was beginning to wake from her slumber.

Rising from the weighted covers that warmed her body from the cold of night, the young girl slowly opened her deep green eyes between her messy red bangs before yawning greatly, heaving her chest as she did so.

This young beauty was Emilie Cromwell, the sole heiress to the world-renowned Cromwell Group, and today, she was beginning the day as usual, early in the morning.

With a knock on her door, Emilie's drowsy attention was brought to the voice that stood in wait for her beyond her room, something she expected without any sense of surprise.

"Lady Emilie, may we enter your room?"

"Feel free, and do we need to do this every time, Maria?"

Upon getting her permission, the large wooden doors opened to reveal a line of well-trained maids who had come for a single purpose. To freshen up and ready the young mistress of the house for the morning.

"Of course. Lady Emilie must always be ready to respect proper etiquette as a member of the Cromwell family."

"Yeah, yeah, or else our rivals will cling to it and tarnish our reputation. Honestly, why can't you guys just let me relax fully in my own home?"

"Don't we already allow you enough relaxation with how much you indulge in those video games of yours? You're quite fortunate compared to other notable heiresses, you know?"

"Geh-"

Bantering with her lifelong caretaker Maria, Emilie was attended to by numerous servants as she prepared to begin yet another day as the young and talented future head of a prominent corporation.

…

..

.

"Hm, the new summer advertisement campaign will soon begin, right?

"That would be correct, Young Mistress."

Fresh from the bath and now indulging in a well-planned breakfast that provided the most optimal diet for Emilie, she and her maid began to discuss the latest big developments regarding the business arms she was assigned to head.

Chief among them was the latest summer advertisement campaign. It was the talk of the company because it involved male models.

But for the talented Emilie, who wasn't as fascinated with men as others, she talked about it with much interest for another reason.

"That whole project was quite an ordeal, wasn't it?..."

"It goes without saying that it was quite the mess…"

Emilie and Maria had wry smiles as they remembered how chaotic things had been near the end of the project's completion.

In a sudden, unexpected twist, all the male models they had contracted to work with from prominent agencies had unanimously refused to show up at work, sending the project at the final stretch to a complete stop.

"Men in the modeling industry tend to be professional, but the roster the agencies gave us was quite new to the field, right?

"Yes, it would appear that them being rookies had meant they had yet to cultivate some professionalism."

"Well, we can't complain really. It's fortunate enough we even had a means of hiring men for a project…I suppose it was just bad luck this time around."

Emilie was naturally informed of this predicament, and she scrambled to try and find a solution, but just as she was about to tear her head off in frustration, a blessing came for her out of nowhere.

The man they had contracted to be a minor model for their campaign due to a brief internet trend that saw his fame rise slightly had decided to cover all the tasks the other male models were supposed to fill.

"Leon Greenfield. I honestly didn't expect someone we hired for a minor role would suddenly take the initiative to cover for us."

"Yes, and it would appear the shoot was more successful than the lead photographer Leyla originally expected."

"Hm, is that so?

Emilie's usually disinterested eyes flickered upon recalling just how much of a godsend he turned out to be, especially for her reputation as the company's heiress.

'Most men I meet tend to be quite reserved and wary, with a small portion being quite blatant with their desires, so It's quite a surprise to see someone be so kind and selfless.'

As a child destined for fortune with her lineage and talent, she was naturally desired by many men as their spouse. 

But just as ordinary women would be fortunate to meet a man in their lives, so too would these men be fortunate even to be considered by Emilie and her family as potential candidates for marriage.

As such, Emilie had grown desensitized to the natural tendencies of her peers about relationships. Between the greedy women and men surrounding her, she had long switched her perception to value a person's character above any appearance, wealth, or influence.

'Maybe this Leon might be an interesting fellow for a change…though undoubtedly my true interests lie elsewhere.'

As Emilie thought so, she smiled softly as she remembered her online friend whom she often partnered up with in FF XIV—laughing slightly as she recalled his distressed voice as she played along with him during a recent raid attempt.

'If only that person would stop using a voice changer, though…'

But just as she was about to complain about her misconception regarding her friend's voice, Maria noticed that the commercial the Cromwell Group produced was soon to air, raising the television's volume slightly.

Not only had they bought out a considerable amount of advertising space in the physical world, but they also bought quite a lot of commercial television ad space.

While Emilie was lost in her reminiscence, the commercial began to play after playing the company's staple jingle, and in a few seconds, the young heiress' eyes would grow wide.

『Hey, you there?』

"Huh?"

Emilie audibly voiced her sudden confusion as her eyes wandered to the screen. In front of her, a clip of a young blonde boy began to play, speaking to the viewer in a kind and familiar tone.

She instantly recalled her numerous late-night talks with her online friend. All the times they claimed to be a boy, and how she would sarcastically accept their words as truth.

『I am a boy, Freyja!』

"No way"

Her heart began to hasten as she wordlessly continued to watch the commercial. How the model Leon captivated the camera with his acting and poses that brimmed with youthful emotions of genuine happiness.

As the commercial went to a close, there was nothing but silence to be heard in the large Cromwell mansion. 

The nearby maidservants were captivated entirely by Leon's presence; even the experienced head maid, Maria, couldn't help but find herself blushing from the experience.

But contrary to their expressions, Emilie's seemed only to darken as she quickly deduced what must be happening.

Complete and utter infatuation. Her experience as a businesswoman told her there was no reality where the women of this world wouldn't find themselves captivated by the young boy who had been shown.

And she would be okay with that; usually, she would be…except this wasn't just any boy that had captured the public's affection…this was one of the few people whom she could show her true self with. Her friend whom she treasured dearly despite never meeting in real life once.

"..."

The young girl's hands trembled as her eyes darkened. Her mind raced as she deduced the most probable chain of events that were to come from this sudden bombshell.

Undoubtedly, people will begin to clamor for more information on the no-name male model, and media corporations will try their damnedest to gather whatever little tidbits they can.

But the Cromwell Group had already guaranteed Leon's protection from large media groups as a stipulation of his employment contract as a rookie model.

Such precautions were necessary when working with men on such a large project. Still, with the amount of appeal Leon had generated, more than the basic media protection the Cromwell Group offered would be needed. 

Because the scum of the industry would have already begun to take notice of this lucrative new opportunity.

In a few seconds, Emilie had already predicted the result of what would come from this whole ordeal. Leon Greenfield would be preyed upon by some of the most evil women.

"Unforgivable"

The air around Emilie grew thick with anger as she naturally had a distaste for such an outcome. Every fiber in her being simply wouldn't allow it.

Her years of isolation had allowed her to become a spending young lady who didn't want much, but at the same time, it only intensified her desire to protect the very few things she considered precious.

And it was at that very moment that yet another terrifying person would be added to the list of people who would hunt down those same unscrupulous women who set their sights on Leon.

…

..

.

"I would like to thank you very much for allowing me to meet with you today, Ms. Greenfield."

"The pleasure is all mine, Emilie. Your mother and I are acquaintances, so don't trouble yourself with appearances."

Inside the office of the Chief Prosecutor, Emilie was currently meeting with the feared Ada, who had just finished with her bloody purge of the people who sought to exploit her son.

The reason the two were meeting was quite simple: along with the Romanovs and Azumas, the Cromwells had assisted quite a bit in the purging of Leon's enemies.

Ada, who was quite busy in her bloodlust, didn't seek to question at the time why precisely such an influential group wished to aid her. 

But now that the storm was beginning to settle, she would ascertain precisely why the young heiress of Cromwell sided with Leon so quickly.

'Is it because the young Cromwell wished to leave a good impression on me and my son? Is it to invest early and form connections? Either way…if it's to Leon's detriment…'

As Ada eyed up Emilie with caution, Emilie simply smiled as she calmly answered Ada's question with little trouble.

"Anyone would naturally choose to help a precious friend, Ms. Greenfield. Mr. Leon counts among the few people whom I have formed a genuine connection with."

"...Eh?"

Being struck with an answer she didn't expect, Emilie further elaborated on her point. Explaining how exactly they had met despite never meeting each other face-to-face. 

Hearing how her son formed a relationship with her via a video game, Ada's blood immediately ran cold as she quickly called her son to confirm.

And to her dread, upon explaining what was happening, Leon seemed to be genuinely surprised and elated at the news.

『Huh? My online friend? Wait, are you talking about Freyja?』

The young boy's voice blared through Ada's phone speakers, and hearing his surprise, Emilie smiled before replying to his question.

"Yes. It's me, Wild Hunt. It's Freyja. Who would've known we would meet like this?"

『Really?! Wait, before all of the things I want to ask, since you know who I am now, take back all the voice-changer accusations you made against me!』

"How was I supposed to know you were a boy, Wild Hunt? Can't you forgive your trusted friend just this once?"

『As if! You're always teasing me when we talk, but now that I have the advantage, I won't let go of it easily, Freyja! 』

"Hehe"

『Hey! Take this seriously, won't you?!』

As Leon and Emilie seemed to get engrossed in their banter and forget about their current situations, Ada's face began to lose its color as she realized just what was happening.

Beyond her notice, a predator had breached her defenses and sank her fangs into the supple skin of her precious baby boy.

With Ana and Amane, she was confident she could keep them at bay as they were contractors under her employ. She could control their behavior with the punishment of ending their service to her son. 

But now, here was Emilie, a completely uninvolved person who managed to endear herself with Leon without going through her first.

This young heiress of Cromwell was undoubtedly a more significant threat than all the women and businesses she had just recently demolished.

『I have so many things to ask you, but doing it over the phone doesn't seem right. How about you come over, and we can talk face-to-face?』

'LEON, HOW CAN YOU BE SO UNGUARDED?! WHY DID YOU INVITE A WOMAN OVER?! YOU'RE NOT EVEN AN ADULT YET!!'

Hearing Leon's idea to talk with Emilie at their home, Ada began to shout with concern at how defenseless her son was.

All mothers feared to see their son get involved with a girl but to experience it right before her eyes was simply too much for even this cold-hearted Chief Prosecutor.

"Oh my, I appreciate the invitation, but you should run it through Auntie first. After all, I need my friend's parent's permission to come over."

'AUNTIE?! JUST CAUSE I KNOW YOUR MOTHER DOESN'T MEAN YOU CAN ACT FAMILIAR WITH ME HUSSY!! WHAT'S NEXT?! ARE YOU GONNA CALL ME MOTHER-IN-LAW AS WELL?! I WON'T ALLOW IT!!'

With her motherly instincts being activated with urgency, Ada was about to shoot down Emilie's attempt to grow closer to her son.

But as if he had predicted this, Leon turned the voice call into a video chat before giving his mother a pleading expression. One that was perfectly executed with his near-perfect impersonation skills.

『Mom, I would like to meet with my friend, especially after everything that's happened; it would bring me comfort to have another person I trust nearby』

'FINE. BUT I'LL BE SUPERVISING THE TWO OF YOU THE ENTIRE TIME, ALRIGHT?! MOTHER WON'T ALLOW FOR ANY EXPLICIT HAPPENINGS TO OCCUR UNDER HER WATCH, OKAY?!'

Ada's son complex was a double-edged sword. Against most people, it served as a powerful weapon that allowed the fearful woman to achieve anything she put her mind towards.

But against the son she dearly loved, it served as a fatal weakness that made her bend to his will, given enough coercion was applied even if it meant doing something she naturally disliked. 

…

..

.

On the other side of the phone, Leon was shocked at the sudden news but welcomed this development that he hadn't expected to happen. 

Having just finished taking photos of Ana and Amane being friends, his mood was considerably higher compared to before.

'Who would've thought that Mom was able to meet Freyja? I have so many questions about how that happened, but I'll leave them for when she comes over.'

Tucking his phone back into his pocket after the call ended, the young boy wryly smiled as he heard his mother's voice become somewhat empty as she bid him farewell.

It wasn't as if he was utterly oblivious to what his request meant. In his old world, it would be the equivalent of a girl asking his father to bring a boy over.

It was natural for his mother to be affected deeply by this, but in the first place, Leon didn't even have plans to pursue such a relationship for a while. 

'Just like with what I said with Ana, I just want to take my time and familiarize myself with this new life of mine.'

'Hopefully, Freyja will be okay with this. I'll need to prepare to let her down gently if she tries to shoot her shot.'

As Leon began to ponder on how to gently handle the matters of the heart, Ana and Amane, who had overheard his conversation, began to look at one another with grim expressions.

The both of them were well aware of Leon's position regarding romance, but just because he wasn't looking for it at the moment didn't mean it wouldn't be so in the future.

To better their odds and protect Leon's idyllic life, Ana and Amane will use everything to eliminate all women who wish to get closer to him. Especially those close in age to him.

'It's show time, Amane.'

'Loud and clear, Ana.'

…

..

.

"Phew, calm down Emilie, just act like this is any other meeting."

Standing at the gates of the Greenfield estate, Emilie began to feel nervous for the first time in her life as her meeting with her online friend approached.

The usually calm young girl was now left flustered as she didn't know how to deal with such emotions running rampant in her mind. 

How could any person remain steady despite the one thing she desired greatly for many years?

But between continuing to stand in place or reaching out to finally meet a person who managed to capture and retain her interest, Emilie boldly pressed the button on the intercom.

With a gentle ring, Emilie was greeted with a beautiful, soft voice that seemed to come from a girl the same age as her.

After stating her identity and gaining permission to enter, Emilie nervously walked through the entrance's garden before being finally met with a breathless sight at the mansion's doors.

"Nice to meet you, Freyja, though I should start calling you Emilie, right?"

"...Yes, it's nice to meet you, Wild Hunt."

"Hey, this isn't FF XIV. Start using my real name. You already know it, don't you?"

"...Hehe, then I'll repeat myself. It's nice to meet you, Leon."

Staring at the handsome young boy, Emilie smiled gently as she basked in an atmosphere that brought her immense warmth and comfort.

Finally, she could meet the person she wanted to meet desperately for so long. But the serene atmosphere between the two friends was broken by the accompanying people around Leon.

"Hello there, Emilie. Was the trip here long? Please come take a rest inside and feel free to relax."

"Welcome to the Greenfield estate, Ms. Emilie. Please call upon this humble maid should you need anything."

"Excuse me, Ms. Emilie, as one of Leon's personal guards, I will have to pat you down to check if you have brought any security risks."

Surrounding the young girl after sensing her natural rapport with Leon were Ada, Ana, And Amane, all of whom acted quite naturally for the situation if it weren't for the death stares they were giving her.

In response to their overflowing ill intent, Emilie simply smiled with no sign of nervousness. In this world of few men, it was natural that high-valued men would be guarded fiercely by those blessed to have them in their lives.

And she was more than willing to meet their determination with her own. After all, in this world of too many women and too few men, it was natural that those with strong desires would hold abnormally strong wills to match them.

…

..

.

"So you're the daughter of the current head of the Cromwell Group? What a small world we live in."

"Hm? How come I feel you aren't so surprised by that? I'm the sole heiress, you know? I feel kind of disappointed with your reaction."

"Ahaha…"

Chatting with Emilie, Leon could only awkwardly laugh as he had unconsciously exposed his past life's tendencies. 

As a former king of the underworld, he had often met with various characters, so meeting an heiress to a wealthy corporation wasn't shocking to him anymore.

Along with this, Leon felt a bit unnerved by the sudden courteousness of his friend in comparison to her usual crass behavior online.

It made their conversation quite challenging to navigate, and noticing a bit of strained emotion on Emilie's face, he could guess she felt the same.

'This isn't going too well…why can't we both get along with one another like usual? Is this an inherent drawback to friendships made online?... I must record this for future reference.'

But just as he was about to bring the conversation back on track, his efforts were dashed as his companions gave out their thoughts. Making him realize why he couldn't get along with his friend like he wanted.

"Miss Emilie, it would be wise to humble yourself when you're a guest in another person's home. It's the most basic of manners."

"Tch, stop acting so self-important, Cromwell. You think you're the only one with some special lineage right now?"

"Forgive me, Emilie. I'll scold and reprimand these girls later for their behavior…good job, Ana, Amane."

Seeing their coordinated attempts to try and intimidate Emilie, the young boy could only wryly smile as he watched his friend brush off their attempts calmly with a gentle smile, apologizing to her about her family's overprotective nature for him.

This trend of interactions continued again and again throughout Emilie's visit to the Greenfield family home.

The trio of women watched over Leon like a hawk from the kitchen to the living room, to the garden, and even walking through the hallways. 

Eventually, the time came for the young heiress to leave, leaving her and Leon quite disappointed that their first meeting ended like this, while the other three began to celebrate secretly their success.

'HAH! THE YOUNG MASTER'S INNOCENCE AND FREEDOM HAVE BEEN PROTECTED!'

'YOU'RE A THOUSAND YEARS TOO EARLY TO OVERCOME THE GREENFIELD-ROMANOV-AZUMA DEFENSIVE WALL PROTECTING LEON!'

'TOO BAD YOU WON'T BE ABLE TO CALL ME MOTHER-IN-LAW NOW, CROMWELL!'

As the three of them smiled widely with such thoughts in their heads, Leon was currently seeing Emilie off at the door to his home.

The two of them were silent in seeing the clear intentions of the peanut gallery that had hounded them the entire day, and a small laugh was shared between them both.

"Haa, did we need to act like we were meeting each other for the first time? It felt so weird seeing you be so polite, Emilie."

"It would seem we think the same. I do quite regret I couldn't tease you as much as I usually did in FF XIV."

"You-"

Having arrived at the end of their meeting, the two finally realized that though they met each other in real life for the first time, it didn't necessarily mean they had to act differently from their usual interactions.

It was pretty sad that both of them had only realized this near the end, but from their brief genuine happiness without having to walk on eggshells or unconsciously keep up an appearance.

With silence descending on them both upon this realization, Leon and Emilie exchanged gazes. Though they no longer had the time to talk about everything they wanted, they would simply air out what they wanted to know.

Set against the amount of time they spent with one another with their unfiltered selves online, such a rough social interaction was only possible with the relationship these two shared.

"Emilie, if you're interested in me romantically, I'll have to disappoint and say I am not looking for such a relationship. If possible, I want to remain as friends simply."

"Wow, just because you're a boy, you assume every girl has the hots for you? You are the same overconfident Wild Hunt. It's like how you always brag in raids before utterly embarrassing yourself."

"Quit with the teasing, and just give me your answer, Emilie."

"...Well, I wouldn't lie and say I wasn't exactly interested in you that way."

As the evening sun rested on Emilie, her burning red hair and deep green eyes began to shine brilliantly. 

Rather than the unfeeling fire that most people saw within the Cromwell heiress, in front of her only friend, she was but a warm and comforting ember.

Had Leon not been exceptionally versed in matters of the heart from his previous life and resolved his current trajectory in this life, he would've indeed fallen for her right then and there.

"But worry not, Leon. If you don't wish for it, I'll happily agree. It's not that I want to pursue romance specifically with you; I just simply want to have you as a presence in my life. Whatever form that may take."

Seeing Emilie's maturity at her age made Leon smile gently as he knew her groundedness would protect her from deviating from a life of regret. 

Perhaps it was the remnants of the old man in him acting up and praising the youth in front of him for avoiding the mistakes he had committed himself before.

"Great. I was worried that this might affect our friendship, so that aside, do you have anything to ask me, Emilie?"

"Yes, since you were pretty blunt, I will also be. You mentioned before in our conversations online that you were planning to enroll in high school…might I ask which high school you plan to apply for?"

"Hm? That's it? I'm planning to enroll in Lockhart."

"Lockhart?...Lockhart…I see. Then, I suppose I'll see you when the school year begins."

With a coy smile, Emilie declared her intention to follow Leon into the school of his choice, which greatly alarmed the young boy's three musketeers and sent them into a panic.

But before they could do anything to prevent Emilie from following her plan, the young heiress simply stunned them with another jaw-dropping move.

"Though it was short, I enjoyed our time together, Leon. Be well"

In an instant, Emilie closed the distance between herself and Leon before wrapping her arms around him tightly. 

It was a move that many women in this world believed to be impossible to pull off—a gentle and emotion-filled hug with a boy.

'THE YOUNG MASTER'S INNOCENCE IS IN DANGER!!'

'THAT CROMWELL HAS OVERCOME OUR IMPECCABLE DEFENSE!!'

'NOO!! MY SON IS BEING STOLEN AWAY FROM ME IN FRONT OF MY EYES!! AAAA!!-'

The three musketeers of Leon felt their strength begin to fade as their complexions turned pale with disbelief. 

How could it be that these three had a head start with their relationships with him, and yet, in a single move, Emilie had surpassed them all in a flash?

And to add more salt in the wound, the recipient of the sudden hug, Leon, didn't seem much averse to the gesture.

 Seemingly smiling even more brightly upon realizing what was happening and returning a hug of his own to the young heiress.

"Oh, you too, Emilie. It was fun finally getting to see you in the flesh."

Feeling the strength in the young boy's arms, Emilie was taken aback by the feeling of security Leon gave her. 

Far different from the courteous hugs she had received before, she was assured at that moment that none were better than the one she felt.

'How fascinating. To think a boy's body differed this much from a girl's. I was naturally aware of the inherent differences, but it is more eye-opening to experience it for oneself.'

In the brief few moments she had before the hug prolonged its stay, Emilie discreetly moved her body to feel a general outline of Leon's physique.

The broadness of his shoulders, the stability of his chest, the firmness of his arms, the tenderness of his muscles. 

Every aspect of him seemed to fascinate her more and more, the girl who was beginning to grow bored of the world slowly.

Emilie's actions weren't entirely hidden, as the three musketeers, now struggling to continue standing, felt their bodies go cold upon seeing what was happening. 

Undoubtedly, despite not being in the prerequisite relationship with Leon, they were being thoroughly cucked before their very eyes.

'YOUNG MASTERRRR-'

'LEONNNN-'

'MY BABY BOYYYY-'

After confirming she paid back the three musketeers' constant intimidation in full, Emilie pulled back from the hug before walking off into the distance and giving Leon a small wave of her hands as a last gesture to him.

"I seem to attract quite a colorful cast of characters…"

Being left to deal with the aftermath of the cold war between Emilie, Ada, Ana, and Amane, Leon couldn't help but mutter such a thing with a sigh.

A son-con mother with terrifying competence. A deadly maid who became gentle and compliant in front of her master. A feared and intimidating yakuza princess who became shy and flustered with her first friend. And now a cold, calculating corporate fortune heiress that can't get enough of him. 

At that moment, he wondered just how many other brazen people he would attract into his life.