CHAPTER 17: Mother Complex

"You're grounded, Leon. Until this blows over you're not allowed to step outside"

"But-"

"I am not budging on this! You're grounded until further notice!"

"Ana-"

"I am of the same mind as the Madame, Young Master. No amount of bribing will sway my opinion"

"Tsk"

Inside the living room of the Greenfield estate, a rather rare arrangement was playing out. Where it would usually be Leon scolding Ada and Anastasia, it was now the two women who were dominant in controlling the young man.

The reason was because of a certain post he had made with a few pictures he had taken the other day. Wanting to get into social media, Leon absent-mindedly shared his group photos on Twitter and Instagram.

He expected it would just fly under the radar as he didn't have any sort of internet presence prior, but it turned out he was severely underestimating this world's appetite for anything related to men.

In a few hours after posting his photos, his account and name became trending search words, breaking past other trending searches by a wide margin.

His notification inbox was constantly being updated with new updates about more people liking and reposting his photos, to the point he had to disable notifications for a while.

In an instant, the world learned about the young man known as Leon Greenfield. And as if to torment him further, his likeness was eventually connected to a dead thread online about a certain Blond Prince that appeared in the Central Shopping District a few months ago.

Seeing that not only was he handsome, but kind and outgoing, enough to help other women and not be afraid to take pictures with them, he immediately became a heartthrob for many online users.

『DILFLover64: How can such a handsome man exist on this planet? His sharp nose. His prominent jawline. His blonde hair. His alluring eyes. He's like a woman's fantasy come to life!』

『WeLiveWeLoveWeLie: How lucky those three women are to have such a kind man in their lives. I would pay a fortune monthly just to receive a text message from someone like him!』

『ShotaSupremacy: Does anyone know if this man has any other online presence? Is he a trainee idol or an actor in any agency? It would be a waste if he wasn't!』

Because of the amount of attention now focused on Leon; Ada and Anastasia, who were slowly growing lax about his public activities, suddenly reverted back to their old selves. Constantly on a state of red alert, they prioritized Leon's safety from other women above all else.

Following this new state of mind of theirs, their first priority was to lock down Leon in the safety of the Greenfield estate. 

Using the connections the two women held, the already secure mansion was beefed up considerably with countless external and internal security measures being added.

In the face of all this, Leon wanted to say they were both overreacting, but his usual tactics began to fail as Ada and Anastasia's paranoia won over his ultimatums.

"..."

Unable to do anything, the young man simply accepted his fate and retreated to the premises of his bedroom under the reluctant and sade gazes of his mother and maid.

He wasn't completely ignorant of their position. He also understood what it was like to possess something rare that many others coveted greatly.

But he wasn't an object, he was a person, he wouldn't be content living his entire second life trapped within a gilded cage. 

No matter how extravagant the cage was, at the end of the day, it was a restriction that wouldn't allow him to achieve what he wanted to do with this second chance of his.

As Leon thought about how he could break his current predicament, he passed the time by getting back into FF XIV.

Though he was hesitant at first to get back into it due to his previous behavior of addiction and obsession, he was now able to balance his work and leisure time more effectively.

Spending one half of the day studying in his room with his study books and online resources, and spending the other day playing FF XIV.

But despite being able to do what he was essentially doing before in his house, it didn't give him the same sense of accomplishment.

The constant scenery bored him, and not being able to meet the people at the cram school like the little girls and Amane greatly saddened him.

He wasn't able to get their contact information so he couldn't exactly find a compromise for interaction, so all he had was his online friend 『Freyja』to rely on other than his family.

But it would seem that his online friend was all he needed. As he complained about his situation vaguely to 『Freyja』, out of nowhere, the number one ranked tank player imparted a nugget of wisdom that showed Leon the strategy to break his stalemate.

『If the people around you fear the prospect of you heading into unknown territory, then you only need to force them to get used to it, right?』

It was as if Leon was talking to some ruthless businessman who understood how to play with the psyches of their opponents.

If Ada and Anastasia simply got used to him receiving plenty of attention on a regular basis, then he wouldn't have to constantly deal with their overreactions.

In other words, if he pushed them hard enough, something had to give. Following the advice of his online friend, Leon set out to try and find a way to implement the strategy. And it just so happened that the perfect opportunity to do so fell right into his lap.

『New Direct Message from: Cromwell Advertisement and Marketing』

…

..

.

On an inconspicuous day in the Greenfield estate following the security lockdown, Ada and Anastasia were idly passing the time in the living room.

The grown woman working on her laptop whilst sitting on the couch, and the young maid dusting a nearby bookshelf with finesse.

As the two continued to work in silence, the quiet was broken as the doorbell sound began to echo through the mansion.

Catching their attention, the two women narrowed their eyes as they knew what was happening. People have now arrived at the estate's entrance to look for Leon.

With Ada closing her laptop and Anastasia lowering her cleaning tools, the both of them headed to a console on a wall that connected to the cameras overlooking the estate's gate.

On the screen, a group of formally dressed women could be seen standing respectfully as they awaited a reply from the intercom. But what their eyes were drawn to the most was the logo on their briefcases and neckties.

"Cromwell…"

"Tsk…"

The two of them were familiar with the Cromwell Group. They had a major presence in the daily lives of most people, to the point that it would be weirder if someone hadn't heard of them.

Knowing their influence and power, Ada and Anastasia were annoyed at the prospect of what they would have to do to chase them off from approaching Leon.

But just as they were about to activate the intercom to begin their plan to reject the group of women that had arrived, someone else quickly intervened and answered the intercom first.

"Leon?!"

"Young Master?!"

Appearing swiftly, Leon looked at the two women with a gentle smile. His appearance shined more so than normal. 

His body gave off a serene and pleasant scent from his body wash and shampoo. His hair gave off a gentle atmosphere as it was tied up casually. And his simple attire of a white shirt and some jeans served to focus one's attention on his features which complimented the colors of his clothes.

Before they could break their minds free from how good he looked, Leon opened his mouth and uttered words that greatly shocked Ada and Anastasia, as they would become the starting point of his domination of the world.

"I invited these women. They're my guests. Please do be courteous"

"Eh?!"

"What?!"

…

..

.

"Please come inside, the temperatures have been getting hotter in recent days due to the coming of Summer. Would any of you like a drink? We have some fresh lemon water"

"O-Oh, please you needn't trouble yourself, Mister Greenfield"

"I insist. As people who have come from my invitation, it wouldn't look good on me to leave you all parched. We might be working together in the future after all"

"A-Ah, then I would accept graciously"

"Good. Go take a rest on the couch. It must be tough working so hard on a day like this. Right, Miss Locke?"

"Y-Yes! But it is not you need to worry about!"

"Is that so? Hehe"

"!!'

With the sun illuminating him from the large windows of the modern mansion, the group of women that came from the Cromwell Group couldn't help but stutter and grow flustered under the hospitality Leon gave all of them.

They were all seasoned professionals with a long history of successful negotiations under their belt, and yet they acted like greenhorns under the kindness and warmth of the man known as the Blonde Prince.

With his youthful attire that glowed in the daylight, and his complexion that seemed as if it were the blessed by seasons themselves, these women were left in awe at the ethereal beauty of Leon.

Watching him move elegantly to the kitchen to pour water into a series of glass cups, their eyes couldn't help but soak in his entire being as fast as they could.

The way the fabric of his white shirt clung to his toned body filled it out nicely. The allure of his casual hairstyle that not many would get to witness. The aroma of his body washes and shampoo seemed to dance in the air and tickle their nose.

It was too much for these women to be blessed with a single romantic encounter in their lives. They were the same as a bunch of nervous young maidens.

"Miss Locke! He called you out by name! He called you out by name!"

"Was he flirting? No way was he flirting! Why would he flirt with a group of older women like us?"

"Perhaps he has a natural attraction to older women? I heard there are some men who were into that"

"Huh?! You have to be lying?! Cause if that's true…"

"Ah! I have to be professional! But my fantasies and imagination…"

As their hearts quickened and their faces grew red with flush, their eyes inevitably began to converge in one location. 

A region of a man's body that greatly fascinated most women.Trapped beneath the denim of Leon's jeans was undoubtedly his-

"Ehem!"

With a loud clearing of her throat, the group of women tensed up as the image of a scary Ada Greenfield and slowly enraging Anastasia Romanov entered their periphery.

There were no businesswomen who didn't fear the Chief Prosecutor Ada Greenfield who diligently enforced the law with a severe ferocity.

And though Anastasia wasn't as well known as an individual, she was quickly recognized as a maid of the Continental, signifying that in her body laid the strength capable of offing anyone she deemed a threat to her mission.

Under the immense scrutiny of the two, the group of women from Cromwell hurriedly took their seats in the living room. Too afraid to sneak another glance at the handsome boy pouring glasses of clear water under the brilliance of the sunlight.

…

..

.

"We of the Cromwell Group have come here today to propose a partnership with Mister Leon Greenfield after he has expressed his interest"

"Proposal?"

"Interest?"

Hearing the words of the businesswomen, Ada and Anastasia were quickly informed by Leon about what had transpired as he set down numerous glasses of water on the table, capturing all of their attention as they watched his body bend over and warp the fabric of his shirt around his body, accentuating his waist and broad shoulders and back.

"The Cromwell Group reached out to me via Twitter and Instagram, expressing their desire to partner with me for one of their new ad campaigns that was to be launched in a month. Naturally, these women are here now because I expressed my interest"

Realizing this, Ada and Anastasia tensed their faces as they were pushed back into a corner. It would seem that their over-protectiveness had backfired on them as Leon began to recite verbatim one of the many lessons the two of them had reminded him every time he went outside.

"In the negotiation of a legally binding contract, should the target recipient be a male, his words and agreements are to be carried out without any tampering or influencing, correct? You taught me that, Mom"

Hearing Leon call out Ada, the grown woman's face grew grim as she knew that once Leon initiated the discussion of a contract her influence as his mother would be relegated before his own.

Knowing that they failed to keep the young man in check, the two women's fears began to grow rapidly. The last time they checked Leon's post, it had garnered millions of likes across both Twitter and Instagram 

Though they knew many of the people who interacted with his posts were law-abiding women, if even one percent of the people who saw him held radical and malicious intent, it would already be a considerable threat to his safety.

'Leon spent so long in isolation because he grew to fear women as a child. If he was that recluse from just reading what other women have done to other men…what would happen if something happened to him?...'

Ada tightened her fists as her worries didn't seem to cease. Anastasia who sat beside her looked at her with a similar expression of worry. But unable to stand their anxiety growing without stopping, Leon spoke to them both to try and give his perspectives.

"Mom, no matter how much you try, you won't be able to protect me from everything"

"Leon…"

Kneeling in front of Ada, Leon smiled gently as he wished to convey his feelings to her. He couldn't even begin to understand the responsibilities of having a partner, so he wouldn't dare to fathom what having a child must be like. Especially one with a track record of harmful behavior.

"I'm grateful you're worried about me. I don't hate you because you keep switching back and forth between being overprotective and respectful of my decision. I just want you to trust me and the decisions I make, Mom"

"Trust that no matter what happens, I want to stay with you. No matter who hurts me, I won't ever want to give up being a family with you. These few months of being together with Ana have already surpassed the many years I spent being alone"

Staring into the green eyes of his mother that he had inherited, Leon clasped his hands around hers, wanting to further assure the nervous Ada that her fears wouldn't come to pass.

"I love this family. I wouldn't give it up for the world"

Overcome with emotion, the indomitable Ada Greenfield who inspired fear among countless people, began to tear up as she embraced her beloved son. Her body trembling as she did her best to come to terms that her child didn't need her to protect him always.

"I spent so long gone from you…𝘩𝘪𝘤…that I'm afraid to ever see you get hurt, Leon…𝘩𝘪𝘤…"

"I know, Mom…"

"Is it wrong to just keep you to myself?...𝘩𝘪𝘤…I wasn't there to see you grow up…𝘩𝘪𝘤…I was too much of a coward to be there when you needed me…𝘩𝘪𝘤.."

"You're not a coward, Mom. And we can just make up for the time we lost…"

"But you'll be busy. You'll be meeting new people…𝘩𝘪𝘤…working hard…𝘩𝘪𝘤…I'm scared I won't have a place in your heart anymore…𝘩𝘪𝘤…"

"That's not true. No matter where I am or what I am doing, Mom will always be at the top of my priorities…"

"Even if you get a job?..."

"Yes"

"Even if you travel far away?..."

"Yes"

"E-Even…𝘩𝘪𝘤…Even if some villainous wench becomes your wife?...𝘩𝘪𝘤…"

"Hm?!"

With a sudden burst of more emotion, Ada began to cry even more as she imagined Leon walking down the aisle of a splendid church while some hateful brat stood to take him away from her.

Hearing his mother talk about him getting married at the young age of sixteen, Leon was quite flustered at first and didn't know what to do. In the first place, he wasn't sure if he was capable of having romance in the foreseeable future with his current set of priorities.

But making a hypothetical situation if he was married, and contrasting it with his past life's childhood of wandering the slums without any guiding figure…Leon quickly arrived at his answer.

"Yes, even if I have a wife. I can't help but want to dote on my Mom after all"

"!!"

"!!"

"!!"

Hearing Leon admit to having a bias towards his mother, the observing women were left agape as they saw something they believed would never transpire in the realm of reality. A boy with a mother-complex.

Though Leon simply had a bias towards his family, the other women weren't aware of that, and so their hearts raced with vigor as they saw a handsome young boy like him dote and fawn over his mature mother.

'Awawawawa! What is this feeling? This excitement? I'm starting to feel light-headed!"

'Is this how sons treat their mothers? Is this how blissful parenthood is? To have a handsome young boy fawn over you adorably?!'

'Oh no. I feel something aching. My body is responding to what I'm seeing. I'm growing hot with a desire. I think they call this, baby fever! Why?! Mister Leon Greenfield isn't a baby?!'

'Young Master…I realize now just how sinful of a person you are now…'

As the observing women sat quietly with their own thoughts on the situation, the recipient of this pure unbridled affection couldn't handle it anymore. 

Grabbing Leon with her hands, Ada began to smother the young boy with all the love she could express, pressing his head down into her immense bosom as she uttered endless words of love.

"Mom loves you too, Leon! Mom loves you more than the world!"

"M-Mom not in front of-"

"Let them watch! I want to show off just how amazing my son is!"

"C-Cant breathe-"

"I remember when I used to feed you my milk when you were younger…if it's now…I think I can do it. Do you want to experience it again, Leon?~"

"NO!"