36 - Son

Van returned to the dining room, fully dressed this time.

"Sorry for the show, wasn't quite ready yet," he apologized as he took a seat at the table, adjusting the shirt slightly.

Liz, overwhelmed and still processing the scene, barely managed a response.

"A-ah... N-no... Don't worry about it..." She stammered, her gaze flickering away shyly.

Van inwardly cringed at his earlier blunder.

'Ah, look at her. She probably thinks I'm some kind of freak now. Walking around topless in her house... Get it together, man. You're a guest here, act like one!' he scolded himself, feeling a mix of embarrassment and resolve.

Amoria concealed a knowing smile as she observed the pair.

"Liz, let me introduce you properly," Amoria said as she gently touched her daughter's shoulder, coaxing her to pay attention.

Elizabeth slowly lifted her head, giving her mother a nod of acknowledgment.

Amoria rose from her seat, subtly closing the distance between herself and Van. She casually leaned against his shoulder, pressing her large breasts onto him.

Van felt a jolt of surprise as her warmth pressed against him.

'Close...' he thought, taken aback by the sudden proximity. He turned towards Elizabeth, ready to introduce himself.

"H-hi... You must be Amoria's daughter, right? My name's Van—"

"—Junior. He's Van Hellix's son," Amoria interjected smoothly, flashing a mischievous smile.

'What is she doing!?' Van's mind raced, stunned by her improvisation. Amoria leaned in closer, her voice a soft whisper in his ear.

"Play along, okay? Just for a bit, little fella~" Her tone was light.

Taking a deep breath, Van decided to embrace the role Amoria had crafted for him.

"V-van? Van Hellix's son..!? No way...!" Elizabeth exclaimed, her surprise evident as she scrutinized Van more closely, her cheeks tinged with a blush.

"Yep... That's me..."

"And this adorable munchkin right here..." Amoria cooed, leaning in behind her bashful daughter, enveloping her in a warm embrace as she drew her closer, their heads nearly touching, while fixing her gaze on Van.

"Meet my daughter, Elizabeth. Can you believe she's actually a year older than you, Vanny? Turning 17 soon...!" she purred with a hint of mischief in her tone.

"A-ah... Y-yes... S-she's right... H-hello... V-van..." Elizabeth stuttered, her cheeks flushing as she struggled to meet Van's gaze, hoping to conceal her embarrassment.

Van observed Amoria closely, a sense of unease creeping over him.

'Please don't tell me she's doing what I think she's doing right now...'

"So, what do you think of my daughter, Van? Isn't she just... sooooo cute~...?" Amoria inched closer to her flustered daughter, a sly smile playing on her lips as she awaited his response.

'She does.....' Van reluctantly acknowledged in his mind, recognizing the hidden agenda behind Amoria's gaze.

'Hm... How do I respond to this...?' Van thought, a sense of urgency creeping up on him.

He then examined Amoria's daughter. Almost at awe with how similar she was to her mother, and how similar she looks to the Amoria from 16 years ago.

Van then smiled weakly.

"Well... she's your daughter. Of course I think she's cute," He said as he glanced at the two.

"Oh..!" Elizabeth blushed slightly.

"Oh...." Amoria echoed, sharing in her daughter's reaction with a blush of her own.

Amoria chuckled, a hint of warmth tinting her voice. "Ah, what a gentleman, just like your father," she remarked, a flush of embarrassment spreading across her face.

Van noticed their reactions and mistakenly thought he had made them uncomfortable. 'I said something wrong, huh...' he pondered, unsure.

Shifting the mood, Amoria stood up and joined her daughter at the table. "Now, let's not waste any time and dig in! I bet you two are hungry!" she announced cheerfully, clapping her hands together.

"W-wait, mom... Shouldn't we pray first?" Elizabeth gently interjected.

"Liz, we have guests. What have I always told you?" Amoria reminded her calmly.

"Person first, Goddess second," Liz replied with a smile, her eyes lighting up.

"Person first, Goddess second," Van echoed, his voice blending with Liz's.

Both Amoria and Liz turned to Van in surprise.

"E-eh? How did you know that, Van?" Liz asked, her curiosity piqued.

Van chuckled awkwardly, scratching his head.

"Hehe... well, my uh... My dad used to say that too," he admitted, his gaze drifting away as a blush crept up his cheeks.

'Ahh, what the hell. I'll just follow her lead,' He resigned.

Amoria's smile deepened, her eyes softening as she observed Van's embarrassed expression.