Just as another season has come to pass, another generation has as well. The annual tea party began again; except this time the atmosphere was different. Nobles ensured that they kept their respectable distance from a table with such high-ranking figures. Likewise, all of the children kept their distance from the children descended from these high-ranking officials.

While their children had fun causing trouble, the parents sat around a table drinking wine and eating dessert. Mary sighed happily, "Ah… It's been so long since we all last got together."

​​

Artie chuckled, "Yes. I think we haven't had a chance to sit down in a while. It almost feels like we are back in the Academy again."

Seri groaned, "Ugh. Don't remind me of the Academy."

Millie giggled, "What's wrong Seri? You don't miss the Academy? I remember you would have a lot of fun in the student council room."

She crossed her arms in irritation, "Fun?! They made me work for free! It was so annoying!"

Artie chuckled, "But aren't you kind of working for free for King William now?"

William frowned, "Oi! I am paying her!"

Seri shook her empty glass, "More wine please!"

Dante looked at the empty glass with concern. William frowned, "You do realize you need to still protect me, right?"

Seri grabbed the new glass, "Relax. I'm not getting drunk."

Dante let out a sigh of relief.

She continued, "I'm just getting tipsy. I will still be able to fight. Actually, I will be more likely to fight."

As she drank the glass, Dante looked at it nervously. Artie chuckled, "But King William. You barely give her enough money to survive off of. Aren't you worried she may die from poverty?"

William scoffed indifferently, "She is fine. Seri has always been rich even though I never knew where exactly she got it from."

Lucius glanced up, "Hm? Didn't she get it because she is actually the Black Death and runs that secret organization?" Everyone froze at Lucius's remark. Lucius blinked in confusion, "What? Why are you all looking at me like that?"

William dropped his cup with a pale face, "W-Wha…"

Seri smacked her forehead, "God d*mmit Lucius. William didn't know about that!"

William spun to look at her, "Y-You're the Black Death?!"

Seri sipped her wine calmly, "Yup."

William covered his body like an embarrassed maiden, "B-But they said that the Black Death claimed me as his!!"

Seri rolled her eyes, "Relax. I only said that because I wanted people to stop trying to assassinate you. I didn't actually intend to take your body or anything."

William slumped down holding his forehead, "This is too much to take in…"

Mary rubbed his back, "It's alright William…"

He looked at her in disbelief, "You knew as well?!"

She chuckled, "Of course I did. You would have to be an idiot not to catch on."

Everyone: "…"

Mary gasped, "Ah! I didn't mean it like that!"

William laid his head down on the table, "No… You aren't wrong…"

Mary rubbed his back, "It's alright William… Hey, how about we try for another child? We can get started now~"

Everyone coughed awkwardly and turned their heads. William looked at her with a bright red face, "Woman! Do you know where we are?! Don't just say things like that when we are surrounded by people!"

Mary giggled, "But William. They all understand."

Seri glanced at Dante who had a smirk on his face as he stared at her. Suddenly she felt her back hurt and gave it a rub, "Ugh… It's okay William… I think I know what it is like to be attacked by a predator every night."

Lucius glanced at the smiling Artie and also felt his backside hurt. He nodded quickly, "Yup. I understand all too well."

Seri glanced at him, "Is that why you are sitting on a pillow?"

"BAAH! Shut up!!" Lucius hissed at her.

William groaned as he laid his head on the table, "You don't understand! She is like an insatiable demon!! If it wasn't bad enough having to do it frequently all day, every night she comes up with these new positions!! I am always so exhausted!"

Artie heard this and looked at Mary with excitement in his eyes, "New positions?!"

Mary nodded grinning ear to ear, "Yes! Queen Hypatia has lent me one of their books. There are over 500 new positions! Each one more fun than the last!"

Lucius immediately turned pale from an ominous premonition, "Wait!? 500!!!"

Artie grinned, "You must let me borrow it!"

Lucius immediately put his hands to protect his chrysanthemum. He panicked, "NOO! I CAN'T SURVIVE 500 POSITIONS!"

Mary giggled ignoring him, "Stop by after the tea party, Artie. I will let you borrow it."

Artie turned to Lucius with a mischievous grin, "Aren't you excited, Lucius? We get to try 500 new positions."

He collapsed on the table with a pale expression, "I'm going to die…"

William and Seri both looked at Lucius in sympathy. Just one thought of it made their waists hurt.

"Mother!"

They all looked over to see Leopold running over with a bloody nose. Artie panicked as he looked at his bloody nose, "What happened?"

The rest of the children went back to their parents. Anais followed Merigold closely,

Then there was Luther who had a black eye. He scratched his back awkwardly, "Long story…" Luther began to share the story about what happened.

The children all huddled up. Anais stood beside Merigold who listened to Luther explain his well-thought-out plan to steal all of the cakes for themselves. Leopold crossed his arms with a haughty expression as he listened. Nellie, who was the daughter of Mathias, listened to them as she wished she could have just been left alone to read under a shady tree. Prince William the fourth and Prince Jasper, the two sons of King William, nodded in excitement as they listened to the plan.

One thing led to another, and Luther and Leopold began to fight. Luther and Leopold attacked each other as they rolled around the ground. Merigold yawned as she watched and Anais stared at her with an expressionless face. Nellie, who was only two years younger than the twins, watched with a dark look.

As they rolled, Luther's face crashed into a tree. He gave a shrill cry, "Ah! My eye!"

At the sound of his cry, Anais turned to glare at Leopold with an evil glint in her eyes. Leopold panicked and threw his hands in the air, "It was an accident!"

*BAM*

Leopold held his nose as he cried on the ground after Anais punched him. Luther rushed over and held Anais back from attacking him, "Aaah! Stop! Mother's going to punish us!"

Merigold looked at the bloody nose and turned pale, "Ugh… Is that blood?! I'm going to faint…"

Anais immediately snapped out of her crazed stupor and rushed to Merigold's side to catch her. Merigold pretended to faint just so Anais would catch her. Once she was held in her arms, Merigold snuggled in with a smug expression.

Leopold jumped up, "MOTHER!"

As he ran off, Luther panicked, "WAIT! NO! Don't tell her! My mom is going to kill me!"

Luther ran after him and the rest soon followed. That was how they found themselves in their current situation. Seri shook her head, "You must be joking… Why were you two fighting in the first place?"

"Uhhh." The two said simultaneously.

Dante turned to Luther. His voice was cold, "Why?"

Luther flinched and looked down timidly, "He said that we must listen to him because he is the handsome one of the group."

Artie smacked his forehead. Why was this boy so much like his father?

Leopold stuck out his tongue at Luther, "Well you were the one that said I was butt ugly and should die from a venerable disease!"

William narrowed his eyes, "Why does that sound like something Seri would say?"

Merigold blinked innocently, "I still don't understand what a venerable disease is."

Everyone else: "…"

"Nevermind that." Seri stood up and grabbed the two boys. She put their backs together and wrapped a rope around them so they couldn't leave each other's side.

Luther shouted, "Oi! Mom! What are you doing!?"

Seri spoke with a frown, "You two are always fighting. It's annoying. As punishment, you will both be tied together for the rest of the party."

Luther cried out, "Nooo! I didn't get to eat cake yet!"

She flicked his forehead, "No cake until you learn your manners. Really, Luther. You will be attending the academy next year. You need to grow up and stop misbehaving."

Leopold chuckled as Luther was scolded. Artie frowned at him, "Why are you laughing? Did you forget you are three years older than him? Why aren't you acting your age?"

Leopold and Luther spent the rest of the party tied up to each other. They continued to grumble at each other while occasionally being scolded by their parents. Merigold kept stealing glances at Anais bashfully. Whenever Anais looked back, Merigold would blush and look away.

Mary noticed this and gave a coy smile, "Meri~ Don't you have something you want to give to Anais?"

Merigold froze when she felt all eyes turn to her. Her face began to turn red, "Whaa… I… No… That's…"

Mary chuckled, "Don't be shy."

Anais noticed Merigold fidgeting more and grabbed her hand gently. Her expressionless face peered at Merigold and was immediately entranced by her beauty. Anais spoke, "I want to see."

Merigold bit her lip in embarrassment and shakily reached into her pocket. She pulled out a white handkerchief and shoved it into her hands, "H-Here!"

William turned pale seeing the white handkerchief, "M-Meri!?"

Anais held it up and noticed that Merigold had embroidered a black dragon and written their names together neatly in a corner. It was such fine craftsmanship that only the Princess was capable of.

Seri snickered, "Anais… Do you know what that means?"

Dante gave a nod, "Marriage."

Merigold's eyes swirled feeling flustered, "I-It's not like I wanted to marry you or anything… I mean! AH! I do! NO! I just knew no one else would give you it- I MEAN! AAH! I-I… It…"

Anais calmly looked back at Merigold who looked as if she was about to faint from her embarrassment. Anais calmly strolled to the flower bush beside them. She reached down and plucked the white rose not even caring if the thorns pierced her skin. She walked back and held out the flower to Merigold.

Merigold looked at it in confusion, "H-Huh?"

Anais nodded, "Yes."

Merigold took the rose from her and flushed even more. It was as if she was turning into a lobster. "R-Really?"

William hung his head, "Ah… My only daughter…"

Seri chuckled, "Anais. Don't just say yes. What else should you do?"

Anais looked at her mother and gave a nod. She leaned forward.

Chu~

Merigold stepped away in surprise holding her lips that had suddenly been kissed. Dante gave a grunt of approval. Then Anais leaned forward and spoke loud enough for all to hear, "I can't wait to [censored] you."

"ANAIS!!!" Seri shouted in a panic. Everyone blinked in disbelief at Anais's bold declaration.

Anais looked at her mother with a blank look, "But it's the truth."

Artie's face twitched, "Oh. Now I see how she takes after her mother…"

Merigold looked between the adults in confusion, "What does [censored] mean?"

Seeing his daughter look so happy, William sighed. "Ah… I want another daughter…"

Mary heard this and looked at him with fire in her eyes, "Another one?! Well let's try for one now!"

William shouted as he was being forcibly dragged away by his wife, "AAAH! Not now woman! I meant later! LATER! Don't you realize where we are?!"