Early the next morning, Sugar emerged from the room with Carl, her arm wrapped around his, a bright smile on her face. Compared to before, there was now a touch of maturity and fullness to her figure.
Carl tried to pull his arm free, but Sugar immediately tightened her grip, pressing herself even closer, nearly burying his arm between her chest.
Tilting her head, she looked up at Carl with an innocent expression and asked,
"Young Master, did the way I held you just now make you uncomfortable?"
Carl chuckled and shook his head.
"No, I just wanted to move my arm a little."
As he spoke, he raised his other hand and affectionately patted Sugar's soft, light-green hair. She let out a contented hum, much like a small, well-behaved kitten.
After last night's "exploration," Carl had come to understand Sugar on a much deeper level.
In certain aspects, she was surprisingly uninhibited. Not only was she obedient, but she also frequently introduced new ideas and eagerly put them into practice.
If not for the fresh red marks on the sheets, one would hardly believe she was still a "novice."
...\
Inside the hall, Monet and the others had been waiting for quite some time. The moment they saw Carl and Sugar step out of the room, they immediately gathered around.
Monet handed Carl a cup of hot tea. Glancing at Sugar—who was sticking her tongue out at her—she spoke gently,
"Young Master, breakfast is ready."
Carl nodded, then turned his gaze to Robin and Pudding, who both looked somewhat dejected. With a smile, he asked,
"Robin, Pudding, you two don't seem well-rested. Did you not sleep well last night?"
Hearing their names, the two girls lifted their heads, their expressions filled with grievance. They then shot a glance at Olvia, who was also side-eyeing them.
The moment their gazes met, Robin and Pudding instinctively shrank back. But with Carl right in front of them, they suddenly felt emboldened. Robin let out a small huff, about to complain about Olvia's "tyranny" from the night before.
However, before she could speak, Olvia cut in first,
"Carl-sama, I need to apologize for something!"
Carl tilted his head slightly and asked curiously,
"Oh? What is it?"
"As a mother, I failed to discipline Robin properly. She brought some… inappropriate books into the palace, which has negatively influenced the atmosphere here!"
Robin pouted and muttered under her breath,
"Those aren't inappropriate books at all!"
Pudding quickly echoed her,
"Yeah, exactly!"
Hearing their rebuttals, Olvia grew even more irritated and reached out, ready to pinch their ears.
At that moment, Carl spoke up,
"Robin's right. I've read those books too. They're just normal reading material—not inappropriate."
Olvia's eyes widened in disbelief.
"You've read them too?!"
"Yeah. They're quite interesting, though a bit too tame in certain aspects."
"...…"
Silence.
Olvia was at a complete loss for words, while Robin gazed at Carl with deep appreciation.
In her memory, Carl had never read her books before—he was clearly just covering for her.
Feeling touched, Robin quietly moved to Carl's side and wrapped herself around his other arm.
Seeing even Carl take Robin's side, Olvia had no choice but to surrender. Massaging her temples, she sighed,
"Fine, fine… Do as you like."
She cast another glance at Robin, who was now clinging tightly to Carl, and let out another quiet sigh.
Her precious daughter, once her closest companion, was now practically draping herself over Carl.
...\
Carl glanced at the golden clock hanging on the wall and smiled.
"Alright, let's eat."
Everyone gathered around the long dining table. Carl took his seat at the head, while Sugar pulled up a chair right beside him.
Since today was, in a way, Sugar's "newbie protection period," Monet and the others let it slide without comment.
With Lucia absent, Monet assumed the role of head maid. She clapped her hands, and immediately, a group of maids dressed in elegant uniforms entered, each carrying a tray of dishes. Following Monet's directions, they swiftly arranged the food on the table before bowing in unison and withdrawing in an orderly manner.
Monet was meticulous, efficient, and highly capable of handling complex affairs—traits that made her an excellent secretary. Lucia had always valued her for these qualities.
Carl complimented Monet on her competence, to which she responded with a quiet, graceful smile before taking her seat next to Charlia.
Just as Monet sat down, she caught a glimpse of Sugar out of the corner of her eye. Her expression immediately changed as she spoke in an exasperated tone,
"Can you drink milk normally, Sugar?"
Carl turned to see Sugar licking the rim of her glass of milk with her small tongue, her movements slow and deliberate, carrying an inexplicably suggestive air.
Those who had read Robin's collection of books—like Monet—immediately made certain associations.
Only Olvia remained oblivious, finding Sugar's actions rather cat-like and cute.
Of course, given her intelligence, she could tell from the others' reactions that something was off, but no matter how much she thought about it, she couldn't figure out why.
With a soft slurp, Sugar licked up the last drop of milk, then wiped the corner of her mouth with her hand. Grinning mischievously, she said,
"Big Sister, what are you thinking? I was just drinking my milk. How is that improper? Young Master, look, she's picking on me again!"
Carl simply chuckled, raising his hand to signal the start of breakfast.
Sugar speared a small piece of cake with her fork and held it up to Carl's lips. He took a bite, then patted her on the head, making her squint in delight.
After spending the night together, Sugar had become even more attached to Carl, as if she wished she could melt into him completely.
...\
As they ate, Carl suddenly turned to Monet and said,
"Monet, arrange for the tailoring department to make a few black, slit-hem robes. I'll sketch a design for them to follow. Use Sugar's measurements for the sizing."
Monet responded softly,
"Understood, Young Master."
Sugar blinked and looked up at Carl with admiration.
"You can design clothes too, Young Master? You're amazing!"
Carl chuckled, setting down his utensils.
"This style should suit you well. Speaking of which, most of you are Devil Fruit users, so I've come up with some titles for you."
At this, all the women put down their utensils, their eyes filled with anticipation as they looked at Carl.
Carl glanced around the table and announced,
"Sugar, your title will be Tornado Sugar."
"Monet, you will be Snow Woman Monet."
"Pudding, your title will be Fleeting Dream Pudding."
"And Robin… yours will be Thousand Hands Robin."
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+175 chapters on p@treon/tambeerg