A few moments later, Mrs. Hyoudou, who had been busy cleaning the bathroom, walked into the living room.
"Are you looking for Irina?" she asked with a warm smile.
"Yes, Ma'am," Ethan replied, offering a charming grin. "We have a few things we'd like to ask her and her friend."
Mrs. Hyoudou looked at Ethan and then at the handsome Yuuki sitting beside him. She thought back to the two beautiful girls who had sat in those exact spots yesterday, and her eyes suddenly lit up. Could these two handsome boys be interested in Irina and the other girl? she wondered. They certainly look like a good match—similar in age, too.
She secretly wished her own idiot son had even half their charm. If he did, she wouldn't have to worry so much about him ever finding a wife.
"Irina didn't leave a phone number, but I invited them back for lunch today, and they agreed," Mrs. Hyoudou explained.
"I see... then maybe we should come back at noon," Ethan suggested.
"Oh, it's almost lunchtime anyway," Mrs. Hyoudou chirped happily. "I was just about to start cooking. If you don't mind, why don't you two stay and eat with us?"
"That's very kind of you, but we'd feel bad staying without having brought a gift."
"Don't worry about that! Just consider it a thank-you for looking after my Issei at school."
Issei rolled his eyes but stayed quiet. In this world, dropping by to see a friend was one thing, but staying for a meal without a gift was considered extremely rude. Ethan eventually agreed to stay, but he made an excuse to step out for a few minutes, returning with a selection of high-end fruits, cookies, and milk.
Mrs. Hyoudou insisted it wasn't necessary, but her smile widened significantly as she accepted the gifts. It wasn't about the money—the Hyoudous were doing well—it was about the respect and intention behind it. She liked Ethan more and more. If she had a daughter, she would have tried to set them up in a heartbeat.
Facing the mature woman's warmth, Ethan remained perfectly calm. He was used to this. Even with his "Cuckold Template" partially suppressed, his innate charm acted like a permanent passive buff, especially against mature women.
Issei, watching his mother's expression, felt something shift. He remembered the rumors about Ethan's legendary sexual appetite and his "meat-eater" reputation. Panicked, he made an excuse and dragged Ethan and Yuuki up to his bedroom.
As he slammed the door shut, cutting off his mother's lingering, longing gaze at Ethan, Issei let out a massive sigh of relief. He had never seen his mother look at his father that way. With Ethan's reputation for taking any woman—young or old—he was genuinely terrified for his family's integrity.
Ethan noticed Issei's anxiety. Truthfully, he hadn't thought much of Mrs. Hyoudou before, but seeing her now—a classic "MILF" with a dangerous, mature allure—piqued his interest. The original protagonist's mother... now that would be a thrill, he thought.
"Ethan, let's get one thing straight," Issei said, his voice trembling but serious. "If you make a move on my mother, I won't forgive you."
Simple-minded people often have sharp instincts. Ethan had only just entertained the thought, and Issei had already caught onto the vibe.
"Ahem..." Ethan coughed, looking away guiltily. It was a bit much to be thinking about fucking a guy's mom right in front of him. But his reaction only made Issei more suspicious.
"Ethan! You're seriously thinking about it, aren't you? She's a hag! An old lady!" Issei shouted.
Mrs. Hyoudou wasn't young—likely in her early forties—but as a natural beauty who had aged well, she still looked incredible. Issei's "hag" comment was purely out of desperation to turn Ethan off. In reality, her curves and mature aura were far more refined and "playable" than many young girls.
Ethan smirked, deciding to tease the boy. "Mrs. Hyoudou is a very beautiful and gentle woman. It's only natural for me to admire her, isn't it?"
He leaned in, his voice dropping an octave. "I'm not the type to use dirty tricks, Issei. You really should have more faith in your mother."
Issei gritted his teeth. "You bastard... you didn't even call her 'Auntie' just now! You called her 'Mrs. Hyoudou' like she's a conquest!"
"Sorry, sorry, I was just messing with you," Ethan apologized quickly. Even with their friendship, joking about a guy's mother could go too far.
"You better be joking," Issei muttered, though he sighed inwardly. He knew his mother was at that age—"thirty like a wolf, forty like a tiger." If Ethan kept hanging around, he feared his mother might be the one to initiate the "breeding session." He knew that if something happened, Ethan wouldn't be the one to say no.
Trust her? Issei thought bitterly. After seeing that look in her eyes? I don't trust her at all!
He looked at Ethan solemnly. "Ethan."
"Yeah?"
"From now on, don't come to my house. If you need something, call me and I'll come to you."
Ethan rubbed his nose. This poor, honest kid... He actually felt a slight twinge of guilt for his wicked thoughts. Most people would ask Ethan to stay away; Issei was so kind he offered to do the legwork just to keep his mom safe from Ethan's "dragon."
"Alright, I get it," Ethan replied. "I'm not in the business of breaking up happy families. I'll be careful."