Gathering Wives with a System

Chapter 566: Althea’s Exasperation, Setting Isaac Up

After Vale left, Isaac returned to work.

Vale should have stayed with him, but Isaac told him to leave. Vale needed time to speak with Celia and obtain her permission, and that would take time.

Isaac spent the next several hours buried in reports and administrative work.

Messages continued to arrive from every corner of the City, each carrying updates about the damage left behind by the battle. Repair estimates, casualty reports, and requests for aid piled up on his desk.

Even after sorting them into categories, the amount of work remained substantial.

One of the first things he did was release an official statement to the citizens. The statement acknowledged the destruction caused by the battle against the Purification Cult and promised compensation for those who had suffered losses.

The conflict might have begun outside the City, but its effects had eventually spread inward. Entire sectors had been caught in the aftermath.

Isaac was worried about the compensation.

Not because he lacked money. In fact, he had enough resources to cover the expenses without much difficulty. The real issue was that he simply disliked spending large amounts of money whenever it could be avoided.

Even so, money was not the thing bothering him the most. Buildings could be rebuilt, roads could be repaired, and damaged infrastructure could be restored with enough time and resources. Gold could always be earned again. None of those losses were truly permanent.

Many of the citizens had lost things that could never be replaced. Someone’s lucky charm that had accompanied them for years was now gone. Someone else’s photographs containing treasured memories had been destroyed. Gifts from departed parents, keepsakes from old friends, and countless other personal belongings had vanished during the fighting.

No amount of compensation could return those things.

Isaac leaned back in his chair and looked at one of the reports for a long moment. Only a few months ago, he had been an ordinary citizen himself. If a battle of this scale had happened back then, he would have lost everything he owned. The few possessions he valued would have disappeared just as easily.

Because he understood that feeling, he found himself taking the situation more seriously. Repairing the damage was important, but preventing similar incidents in the future was even more important. The City needed to become stronger. If another disaster occurred, he wanted it to be far better prepared.

That meant accelerating development across every sector. It also meant making the awakeners working under him stronger. If he alone remained powerful while the majority of his City lagged behind, it would never be enough.

"How are your preparations going? Did you get permission from Master?" Isaac asked while reviewing another document.

"Not yet," Catherine replied.

Isaac nodded at the response. He had expected as much. Since there was nothing more to discuss, he returned to work.

The hours passed quietly after that. By the time late evening arrived, most of the urgent matters had been addressed. The following day, the visiting Lords would begin returning to their respective territories. Since everyone had been busy handling their own affairs, they decided to hold a small gathering before leaving.

Even Althea, the princess of Florathi, attended the event. Isaac contributed the bottle of alcohol that Priscilla had given him earlier. To his surprise, the drinks were an immediate success. Before long, conversations became noticeably more relaxed.

Watching the Lords interact with one another was surprisingly entertaining. Most citizens would imagine them as distant and dignified figures who spent every waking moment discussing serious matters. In reality, many of them behaved like ordinary people once formal responsibilities were set aside.

Lord Bella, the Lord of Mists, immediately caught Isaac’s attention. Rather than lifting her cup herself, she manipulated tiny currents of wind to carry droplets of alcohol into her mist-like body. The liquid disappeared into the pale fog that formed her figure. The mana was absorbed while the liquid became part of her body.

Isaac tried not to stare because it would have been rude. Even so, he could not help feeling curious. Mistborns lacked conventional physical bodies, yet they somehow possessed functioning digestive systems. The entire process was fascinating to observe.

Lord Fafnir was no less unusual. The serpent lord casually held his cup using his tail while chatting with the others. Every now and then, he flicked his tongue into the drink and took another sip. The sight was so absurd that Isaac had to look away several times to avoid laughing.

Across the room, Lord Qizhal seemed determined to test Lord Tella’s patience. The Seven Color Qil lounged comfortably near her while drinking and repeatedly bringing up the recent tournament. More specifically, he kept reminding everyone that his team had eliminated hers.

"You have mentioned that several times already," Tella said with obvious irritation.

Qizhal tilted his head. "Really? I thought I had shown remarkable restraint."

"You have not."

"I think history deserves to be preserved accurately."

Several nearby Lords burst into laughter. Tella looked moments away from proving that history could also be erased. The growing amusement around them only encouraged Qizhal further.

The atmosphere remained light throughout the evening. Isaac found himself relaxing more than he had expected. For once, nobody was demanding reports, asking for decisions, or presenting another crisis that required his attention. It felt good to simply enjoy himself.

Unfortunately, he also ended up drinking more than he originally intended.

By the time the gathering ended, his steps had become noticeably unsteady. He managed to leave the hall without embarrassing himself, but only barely. Walking in a straight line was becoming increasingly difficult.

"Let me help you back to your dwelling," Althea offered as she moved beside him.

She reached out to support him, but Isaac immediately shifted away. The movement was surprisingly quick despite his condition. Althea blinked in confusion.

She tried again. Isaac moved away again. the process repeated several times.

"Why are you doing that?" she asked, sounding increasingly exasperated. "I am only trying to help you."

"I don’t know?" he answered. He looked genuinely puzzled by his actions.

Althea stared at him for several seconds. The answer sounded completely sincere, which somehow made the situation even more confusing. Before she could say anything else, Charlotta stepped forward.

"I will guide him instead. Perhaps he is avoiding your support because you are a princess. He may be worried about creating misunderstandings," the maid said.

Althea considered the explanation and slowly nodded.

"That actually sounds reasonable."

Charlotta smiled faintly, feeling rather satisfied with her deduction. Confident that she had solved the mystery, she reached toward Isaac. The moment she did, Isaac moved away again.

The smile disappeared from her face.

For several seconds, neither woman said anything. Althea slowly turned her head toward Charlotta. Charlotta avoided eye contact.

"Why is he still doing that?" Althea finally asked.

"I am beginning to think my theory was incorrect."

Charlotta tried again, only for Isaac to avoid her once more. He was not running away exactly. He simply kept moving just beyond her reach. The repeated movements almost looked deliberate.

Her patience began to wear thin.

"Stop moving around. We are trying to help you get back safely," Charlotta said, all but shouting.

"I apologize. I will take it from here."

The unfamiliar voice caused both women to stiffen immediately. A moment earlier, the corridor had been completely empty. Neither of them had sensed anyone approaching.

Charlotta’s hand nearly moved toward her weapon before she recognized the newcomer.

Catherine stood beside Isaac with a wry smile on her face. Without hesitation, she took his hand and draped his arm over her shoulder. The entire motion was smooth and natural.

This time, Isaac did not move away.

He accepted her support without the slightest resistance. There was no sudden dodge, no instinctive retreat, and no attempt to create distance.

Althea and Charlotta stared at the scene.

A brief moment of realization passed between them.

"Thank you for looking after him," Catherine said politely.

With that, she guided Isaac down the corridor. The two women remained where they were, silently watching them leave. Neither of them felt any need to ask further questions.

The answer had already become painfully obvious.

Catherine guided Isaac through the corridor and toward the parking area. His steps were unsteady, but he followed without resistance. Once they reached the car, she opened the passenger door and helped him inside. After fastening his seatbelt securely, she walked around and took the driver’s seat.

"Thank you," Isaac said with an innocent smile.

Catherine’s heart trembled for a moment.

The smile was completely innocent, without any hidden intention behind it. That somehow made it far more dangerous. She managed to keep her expression steady and simply nodded before starting the vehicle.

The drive began quietly.

A few minutes later, Catherine noticed Isaac looking at her. She ignored it at first and focused on the road ahead. Unfortunately, when she glanced sideways again, he was still staring at her with that same innocent smile.

Her face was burning from embarrassment.

For someone who spent most of her time teasing others, she found herself strangely helpless whenever Isaac acted like this. There was no defense against it. Every time he looked at her so openly, she felt her face growing warmer.

Trying to redirect the conversation, she asked, "Why don’t you just detoxify the alcohol?"

"I am trying. But it is taking forever. Did Priscilla put something in the alcohol? Why am I the only one who got drunk? My alcohol tolerance is supposed to be pretty high," he replied, his words noticeably slurred.

Catherine glanced at him before reaching over and touching his arm.

Using her poison affinity, she carefully examined his condition. A moment later, a strange expression appeared on her face. There was definitely something unusual mixed into his system.

It was not dangerous.

More importantly, it was not anything that would enhance Isaac’s "seed" or produce the effect she had originally suspected. Whatever Priscilla had added, it seemed to have a completely different purpose.

Catherine returned her attention to the road.

Maybe she should ask the dragon maid about it later. Priscilla clearly possessed a surprising amount of knowledge regarding poisons and alchemical substances. There was probably something useful she could learn from her.

As for Isaac’s current condition, Catherine was not particularly worried.

As long as Priscilla was not planning to harm him, Catherine was happy to enjoy the events unfold from the sidelines.

A few moments later, she spoke, as if she had just remembered. "Oh, right. What about Sera?"

"What about her?" Isaac looked confused.

"Where should we keep her? Personally, I think our house would be the best option." Catherine asked casually.

Isaac considered the question for all of two seconds.

"Okay."

He even gave her a thumbs-up.

Thinking was difficult right now, and Catherine’s suggestion sounded reasonable enough. More importantly, he trusted her. Since the suggestion came from her, there was probably nothing to worry about.

Catherine gave him her usual mysterious smile.

There were still several matters waiting for Isaac’s attention. The rewards from Florathi and the loot recovered from the Purification Cult both needed to be examined. Normally, Isaac would have reviewed everything immediately.

Tonight was clearly not normal.

"You can check those things tomorrow. I will organize everything for now," Catherine said.

"Okay." Isaac nodded.

The conversation ended there.

Eventually, they arrived at the house. The lights were still on, but the place felt quieter than usual. Alice and Selene were spending time at the Calloway Mansion, while Celia was currently occupied with Vale.

Catherine helped Isaac out of the vehicle and escorted him to the front door.

After a brief knock, the door opened.

Priscilla stood on the other side.

Her gaze immediately landed on Isaac. Seeing his condition, she did not appear surprised in the slightest. If anything, she looked almost pleased with herself.

"Please follow me, Master. Lady Emily is waiting upstairs. Before you go, I will prepare a herbal tea that should suppress the effects of the alcohol," she said politely.

Isaac nodded obediently.

In his current state, he did not stop to wonder why Priscilla was already outside the Soulbind Pendant. The thought simply never occurred to him.

A few minutes later, she returned with a cup of tea.

Isaac accepted it and stared into the steaming liquid.

Priscilla was just about to leave when his voice stopped her.

"Priscilla."

The dragon maid nearly jumped.

For a brief moment, panic flashed across her face as though she had been caught committing a crime. Fortunately, she regained control almost immediately and turned back toward him with her usual composed expression.

"Yes, Master?"

"Sit down for a moment."

Priscilla obeyed without hesitation. Inwardly, she was panicking.

Isaac looked at her for several seconds before speaking again.

"How have you been lately? Is the house comfortable? Do you need anything?"

Priscilla secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

So that was all.

She had expected something far worse.

"The house is very comfortable, Master. I have everything I need. There is nothing else I require," she replied.

Isaac nodded.

After exchanging a few more words, Priscilla gently encouraged him to head upstairs after he finished the tea. In his current state, Isaac accepted the suggestion without question and made his way toward Emily’s room.

The moment he disappeared from sight, Priscilla smiled as if she had won a war.

The herbal tea and the alcohol would react exactly as intended. She had spent considerable effort preparing everything for tonight. There was no way Isaac would realize what was happening.

After all, he was completely drunk.

Delaying the production of an heir would no longer be an option.