Chapter 96 - Outsider?!
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Although the twins usually acted without care or concern for anyone, Isla's harsh words quickly made them go back to their best behaviours in no time at all. This was probably Isla's way of telling them who's the boss around the place.
Seeing Isla elatedly talk with nearly everyone present, Jorah rushed over towards her and hugged her arms as she pouted and spoke as if wronged,
"Mom! I am back too... Don't forget about me, okay~~?"
A bright and cheery smile came over Isla, as she rubbed Jorah's head lovingly and kissed her forehead as she replied,
"Hahaha, of course not, Jorah. Really, is it even possible for anyone to miss out on you, naughty girl? Your old mother was just waiting for you to speak up when you were comfortably settled down. You must have been very exhausted already, right?"
"No no, nothing like that, Mom. Big Sister Carene and Big Sis both took very good care of me. In fact, I wasn't exhausted at all!"
Upon hearing that, Isla glanced over in Celesta's and my direction once again as she spoke teasingly,
"Oh~ ho~? I see... that's good then. And so? Did you have fun today being together with them?"
"Absolutely, Mom! it was so much fun that I almost forgot how hot it was out there today..."
Seeing Jorah's excited and happy look, Isla's face became overcame with emotions as she spoke to us three,
"Yeah, it's really hard outside. And you girls must have forgotten your Sun Lotions and such stuff too, right~?"
Jorah flinched lightly as she heard that and pulled Isla's arm teasingly and asked,
"Eh? How did you know about that, Mom? You weren't even home back then!"
With a mischievous glint in her eyes, Isla laughed in delight as she briefly explained,
"Hohohoho, the skin tanning is obvious enough for me to tell~~."
Hearing the true reason behind Isla's correct guessing, Jorah pouted angrily as she threw a little tantrum of her own.
"Muuh... not fair, Mom! You don't know how troubled we had been because of that. Fortunately, we found the chance to rest properly in the middle of our trip, otherwise... it would have become a very troublesome situation."
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As the youngest daughter and her mother talked pleasantly together, Celesta went into the kitchen to prepare some refreshments, while I glanced at the time and realised there were still 15 minutes to the family meeting time set by Isla earlier.
"And then, the other visitors were really scared. But, I wasn't! You know me, right? Mom? I am so courageous that I even dared to look at the face. In the end, even the animal decided to avoid my glare and turned away!"
Isla helplessly sighed and flicked Jorah's little nose as she softly admonished,
"Oh... I see. But, the fun matter aside, it's not a good idea to agitate or engage with agitated wild animals, even in a protected Zoo environment, okay. Always remember, accidents don't give chances of regrets to anyone, regardless of who they might be."
Jorah smiled a bit awkwardly to deflect Isla's probing gaze, after which she began to divert the topic again as she spoke,
"I understand, Mom. Ah! Big Sis had so much fun today as well! I noticed that she smiled a lot more today than any other before!"
Isla looked extremely interested in that, as she leaned closer towards Jorah and asked,
"Hmmm? Tell me more about it."
With a delightful smile, like that of a successful fisherman, Jorah cheerfully teased her,
"No no no. It's a secret between us sisters, okay? I can't possibly tell Mom about it so easily, right~?"
Isla's eyes narrowed as she glared at Jorah for a bit before she began to ponder over the thing and spoke,
"How cheeky. I presume it has something to do with you, right? Let's see then. If my guess is right... you must have troubled your elder sister to see her flustered reaction again."
Looking extremely shocked at Isla's repetitive correct guesses, Jorah became as deflated as a balloon as she spoke grudgingly,
"Eh?!! H-How did you even know that~?!"
Isla smiled triumphantly in return and giggled to herself at Jorah's reaction while she spoke,
"Hm hm. I am your mother, alright? I know you girls better than anyone else after all~!"
Jorah continued to pout sadly as she glanced at me for help,
"Not fair... And here I was hoping to tease you a bit longer too..."
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Seeing how excitedly Jorah was describing her experiences today, I knew that it would take a while for her to finish talking. Still, since Isla had so kindly invited me over into her personal space, I couldn't possibly get away, and neither did I want to. Isla responded cheerfully to Jorah, while at times she frowned, at time she laughed, but she seemed very engaged with her, unlike how I and remember her behaving previously.
Isla really has changed a lot. Well, it would be too presumptuous of me to think of her change happening due to me. I'm not sure how, but she seems to have realised the true meaning of being a guardian and a family leader, both caring and responsible. I can very happily say that Isla had change for the better.
As he noticed me staring at her, Isla smiled and winked at me mysteriously before turning back to continue talking with Jorah. I couldn't help but blush and Isla's sudden action in a public setting, but I found out that I didn't really mind it all that much. In fact, my heart began to jump around like a deer in a Jungle instead.
Unfortunately for me, someone other than me also noticed Isla winking at me, as she glared daggers towards my direction and exploded with a voice full of rage,
"You..! What are you still doing here, you animal! Are you trying to lure them all with your sweet act?! I've had enough of it now! You... get lost from here already!"
Who could be the one saying such words full of hatred towards me, other than my number one fan girl, the Tenant herself.
Her chest rose up and down as her breathing became haggard due to her own tumultuous emotions.
But, just because you don't feel comfortable with me being here, doesn't mean that I would actually get lost from here, you know?
As I have already decided to stop being passive any longer and to chase a beauty like Celesta, getting scolded or called out is something that just comes along with it. Might as well get used to it all now than later.
And while I was in no mood to give any kind of response towards the over tensed lady, Isla looked between us two in confusion as she at last looked at me and asked,
"Uh... what? What's going on?"
Instead of me though, Jorah began to flare up as she angrily pointed towards the Tenant and scolded,
"This Woman..! Mom, I am telling you, this Tenant is no good already. She has been trying to talk down Big Sister Carene many times already. Why is she so adamant of going against her every time?"
Isla looked to have understood the situation somehow, as she turned to glare at the Tenant with a severe expression and gravely spoke,
"It's strange anyhow we look at this. Karime, I don't appreciate you being so loud and rude in my house. And to think that you would even dare to scold one of us... You had been here for a long time already, right? I think your graduation day is coming nearer too. Please don't interfere so much in my family matters and focus on your own studies properly. You were here to do just that, right?"
The Tenant stared at Isla while looking completely lost for words. Her eyes revealed her confusion as she asked while stuttering,
"That, Landlady... I..."
Isla shot down the Tenant instead, as she ruthlessly continued,
"No need for excuses. Please leave. I have something to talk with my family members now. It's not something outsiders to be involved in."
The Tenant's face turned pale in an instant, as she backed away a few steps and spoke in a voice like she had lost her soul,
"O-Outsider... me..?"
Even I was surprise at the Tenant's sudden outburst, but since Isla already handled her gracefully, I too decided not to mind her anymore.
The Tenant angrily glared at me for a while before she stomped heavily and walked off, back to the upper floors.
She is being so antsy today. Is she suffering from hormone imbalance or something?
As the time approach six in the evening, Celesta distributed the prepared refreshments to everyone in the living room, after which she quickly took her place, sitting right next to me.
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A/N: *Cough*! ... end of non smut chapters?