Chapter 13: Stockings for Sister Maki

The summer sun sank heavily in the west, and all around was silent and still.

Mother and son gazed at the sunset from the courtyard, wrapped in a warm and gentle atmosphere.

The evening glow spilled across Makie Matsudaira’s face, casting an orange-red halo upon her features, so beautiful that one couldn’t help but want to embrace her. Yet, a trace of annoyance seemed to linger on her lovely face.

It was because Shimizu Matsudaira had slipped free from her arms.

“Yuki is still cooking. I should go help,” Shimizu Matsudaira said.

“Yuki’s old enough to make dinner by herself!” Makie Matsudaira’s beautiful, commanding eyes glared fiercely at him. “And you, as your mother’s eldest son, should stay here and keep me company!”

Shimizu Matsudaira felt suddenly weary.

“Yuki’s been clinging to you more and more lately, and she even sleeps with you often. That won’t do—girls should have some sense of distance as they grow up. I’ll have to teach her properly!” Makie Matsudaira muttered gravely.

Oh, so you’re aware there should be boundaries.

Why not reflect a little on yourself, then…

Shimizu Matsudaira thought his mother was becoming increasingly unreasonable.

The early June sunset leapt through the dense branches and leaves of the Japanese bush clover. Petals of crimson and purple danced in the wind.

Makie Matsudaira seemed to have taken a fancy to a cluster of particularly beautiful blossoms and stepped deeper into the flowerbed.

“Be careful,” Shimizu Matsudaira reminded her.

Driven by curiosity, he opened the system to check his mother’s profile.

[Name: Makie Matsudaira]
[General Tags: Company President, Strong Woman, Mature Lady, Fitness, Sexy Figure, Radiant Charm, Widow, Jocasta]
[Premium Tags: First Beauty of the Old Noble Houses, Queen, Temptress]

Hmm, three premium tags as well.

Compared to Ms. Mikami, his mother’s tags were even more extreme—each one a testament to her personal allure.

[First Beauty of the Old Noble Houses], that was straightforward enough.

The Matsudaira clan was one of the ancient noble families of Japan; Tokugawa Ieyasu’s original surname was Matsudaira, and the Tokugawa shogunate was formed by branches of the Matsudaira house, ruling Japan for 270 years during the Edo era.

In the Meiji period, the Tokugawa family returned power to the emperor. As a token for the peaceful transition, the last Tokugawa shogun was granted a duke’s title, standing at the head of the nobility, and the Matsudaira family was included among the noble ranks, enjoying an exalted social status.

These privileges lasted until after World War II, when, under the guidance of the five-star emperor MacArthur, the noble system was officially abolished, and the once-great aristocrats faded away, their fortunes dwindling until they became little different from ordinary citizens.

Of course, many old noble families still hold sway over Japan’s economy and politics even today.

So his mother’s reputation as the “First Beauty of the Old Noble Houses” was no small matter.

Then there was the [Queen] tag, which the description said could only be earned by a stunning woman with a strong hand, domineering personality, and overwhelming personal charm.

[Temptress] denoted a “walking hormone.”

All three tags reflected just how beautiful his mother was.

Shimizu Matsudaira thought about it and found it true. After all, he had never seen anyone more beautiful than his mother.

If his younger siblings were like 4K, then his mother was 8K—mature, gorgeous, radiant, and brimming with feminine allure.

As for [Jocasta]...

Shimizu Matsudaira recalled the explanation he’d read at the school library that noon.

This often appeared in single-mother households, manifesting as intense doting, protection, and dependency towards children—sometimes even possessiveness and controlling behavior.

But as a strong woman, his mother should be fine.

Nothing problematic.

“We’re a perfectly normal family of three!” As the sun set, Shimizu Matsudaira laughed easily.

“Hey, Shimizu—”

Makie Matsudaira turned from the bush clover, a flower crown woven atop her hair, making her look especially youthful.

“Don’t you think your sister looks good?” she asked with a smile.

“Sister?” Shimizu Matsudaira was puzzled.

“What, I’m seventeen and a half this year!” Makie Matsudaira lifted her neck, which truly seemed to belong to a seventeen-year-old.

With her hair up, her neck was particularly prominent—full and graceful lines, seen from the right distance and angle, under the soft summer evening light, she really did exude the air of a young girl.

“Alright, my lady sister.” Shimizu Matsudaira accepted her age setting.

It was strange—she’d always liked him calling her “sister,” and the feeling of being addressed as siblings gave her inexplicable delight.

“Pretty?” she pressed.

“Very pretty. The most beautiful seventeen-year-old girl I’ve ever seen.”

“Hmph, you pass~”

Makie Matsudaira’s lips curled with satisfaction as she reached out her hand.

Shimizu Matsudaira took her hand and gently pulled her out from the flowers.

“Ah~” Makie Matsudaira glanced down.

Her stockings had been snagged by the bush clover, exposing a patch of fair skin where the threads had come undone.

“These stockings have only been worn twice—such a pity…” Makie Matsudaira sighed, then tilted her head, “Hey, you brat! Your sister’s stockings are torn, and all you do is stare?”

Right, he shouldn’t just look.

Shimizu Matsudaira thought his sister Makie made a good point.

So he took out his phone and snapped a picture.

“?”

Makie Matsudaira was bewildered, eyes wide. “Hey, how could you do that?”

“What else did you expect?” Shimizu Matsudaira countered.

Makie Matsudaira glared at him, cheeks puffed in indignation. “Blockhead!”

She looked so much like a young girl at that moment.

“What style do you want?” Shimizu Matsudaira asked helplessly.

“Tights!” Makie Matsudaira’s face instantly lit up.

“Color?”

“Black!”

“Thickness?”

“30D, light and tearable!”

“Perfect…” Shimizu Matsudaira drew out a pair of tights from the system.

Ms. Mikami, forgive me—not that you’re any less beautiful or sexy, but your rival is simply invincible…

Seeing him pull out a pair of tights as if by magic, Makie Matsudaira frowned, evidently suspecting he might have gotten them from another woman, her eyes flashing with murderous intent. “Where did you get those tights?”

“I bought them myself—meant to give them to you, sister,” Shimizu Matsudaira replied, utterly unperturbed.

“Really?” Makie Matsudaira narrowed her eyes, her aura pressing in. “Then why are the style, color, and thickness exactly as I requested?”

“Isn’t it possible that these are just what I like? Maybe you simply echoed my preferences.”

“Eh? Really? Oh, you’re so annoying—just a coincidence, that’s all…” Makie Matsudaira forced a smile to cover her embarrassment.

Shimizu Matsudaira said nothing, only gazed at his seventeen-year-old sister with an air of mock seriousness.

Noticing the teasing glint in his eyes, Makie Matsudaira snorted softly, then leaned in and whispered threateningly, “Shut your pig mouth! If you dare to make fun of your sister, you won’t be allowed in for dinner tonight!”

Her damp, warm breath brushed his earlobe, like a dreamlike beauty whispering softly to him.

“Mua~”

Suddenly, Shimizu Matsudaira felt a coolness on his cheek.

“All right, that’s your reward.” Makie Matsudaira gently pushed his head and whispered again, “Remember to keep this a secret from your sister.”

With those words, an even more beautiful smile than the sunset blossomed on her lips.