TLed by NolepGuy
Chapter 248
When I first came to the Desmond Family, Darbav spoke to me.
“Are you the Kid who beat my daughter with your fists?”
“…”
“You must know how to fight. There’s no one among her peers who can beat Olivia.”
At that time, I was utterly terrified.
Not just a Wizard, but an Archmage. Moreover, he was an Antagonist who had turned against the Empire due to Olivia’s death. It wasn’t an exaggeration to say that the pressure I felt when facing a Monster with the power to execute me for simply beating up his daughter was beyond imagination.
Now he only seems like an Overprotective Father, but back then, I was overwhelmed by Darbav’s Emanating Aura.
“Gulp.”
However.
“You’re hired as a Bodyguard. As for the Butler, I’ll observe for a while. Olivia can’t handle a Young Child alone.”
Desmond Darbav was far more straightforward than I expected. His only flaw was being a Severe Daughter-Con. In terms of both appearance and ability, he was an excellent noble.
“I want to be hit too.”
“Pardon?”
“I won’t give you snacks today. That way, I can get hit once.”
“…?”
Darbav spoke to me.
He said there was one important thing to keep in mind when serving the Young Lady—or any noble, for that matter. Darbav had told this to me, a child sitting on the office sofa.
“What did you say your name was?”
“Ricardo.”
“It sounds like quite an irreverent name.”
“The Young Lady gave it to me.”
“It’s a fine name. I’d like her to name me too…”
-Sigh…
“Alright, Ricardo. Olivia—or rather, nobles—are…”
“Yes.”
“People who make their words come true. Even if it’s not true initially, if they set their mind to it, they can make it happen. That’s what a noble is.”
“Then, will the Head of the Household be changing his name?”
“…That was a slip of the tongue.”
Darbav’s advice wasn’t wrong.
The Young Lady was.
“Damn!”
The kind of person who always kept her word.
“Who’s your Father!”
*
The Young Lady’s voice, politely inquiring about the parents of an unknown Little Kid, echoed through the Alleyway.
The Little Kid, dressed in expensive-looking clothes, kept their mouth shut at the Young Lady’s question.
Perhaps moved by the concern for their parents, the Little Kid widened their eyes for a moment before their eyes grew moist.
The Young Lady continued speaking without pause.
As a Devotee to justice, she hurled harsh words at the Little Kid with confidence.
“Damn! Where’s your Father!”
“He exists!”
“Bring him here!”
“I said he exists!”
“So bring him here, damn it!!”
“Sniff…”
Little Kid, don’t cry. It’s making me more flustered.
I awkwardly smiled at the child, who had been proudly boasting about their Father. This was getting troublesome.
Feeling like I had done something I shouldn’t as a reasonably responsible adult, I placed my hand on the Young Lady’s head and spoke in a hesitant tone.
“Young Lady.”
“Yes.”
“I don’t think they really have one.”
“Huh?”
“Look at them.”
-I told you he exists! My Father is just too busy to come!
The Young Lady looked at me with a puzzled expression.
“Huh? Ricardo, they’re crying.”
“That’s what I’m saying.”
“Why are they crying?”
“Because you said they don’t have a Father.”
“Yes.”
“They’re probably crying because it’s true.”
“No way. They bragged about their Father so much. I thought it was the Emperor and got scared.”
“Were you really scared?”
“Yes.”
“What if it’s just a regular noble?”
“I’ll eradicate their family.”
“Wow… You’ve matured quite a bit.”
“Yes.”
“Anyway, people who don’t actually have things tend to brag more, so that’s probably why they’re crying.”
The Young Lady gazed softly into my eyes and asked a question.
“Ricardo doesn’t have one either, but you didn’t brag.”
‘Damn.’
Unintentionally hit with a Savage Insult, I looked at the Young Lady with a teary expression, just like the child in front of me.
“I’m sulking now.”
“No, don’t. If Ricardo’s not here, I’ll starve to death.”
“Then I won’t sulk.”
“Okay.”
Indeed.
I nodded and let go of my hurt feelings. The Young Lady starving was a serious matter—it absolutely wasn’t because I was thinking about the size of the Treasure Pouch. I nodded and ruffled the Young Lady’s Hair.
-Sniffle.
So… Why is that Little Kid crying now?
Looking at the Little Kid, who was trembling and lowering their head, I kindly asked for the reason.
“Little Kid.”
“…”
“Do you perhaps not have a Father?”
I couldn’t resist my curiosity. I politely asked the child who had bragged about having a Father.
“Of course I do…!”
“Then why are you crying?”
“Because you guys said I don’t have a Father!”
“But your tone is getting shorter and shorter?”
“Shut up, you Commoner!”
“Oh, really?”
I rolled up my Sleeve and took a step toward the child. It seemed like the Stick of Love was necessary.
At the moment I was about to teach the child, full of innocence, the Fear of Reality.
“Ricardo.”
The Young Lady grabbed my Collar with a serious expression, stopping me.
Surprised by the unexpected action, I tilted my head in confusion. The Young Lady’s temper was usually hotter than mine, so it was strange for her to hold me back.
Normally, it would’ve been…
-Damn it! Let goooo!
-Young Lady! Please restrain yourself!
-Weeee!!!! Eeeek! Heeeek!
She would’ve lost her temper and gone wild…
The Young Lady, who was holding onto my Sleeve, made a serious expression and spoke to me, as if to satisfy her curiosity.
“Ricardo.”
“Yes.”
“What if that kid’s words are actually true?”
“What do you mean by that?”
“We can just get rid of them.”
“Who?”
“Their Father.”
“Aha!”
I flicked the Young Lady’s forehead for her novel response and nodded. Although her innovative suggestion for a solution was clever and appealing, I didn’t want to escalate the situation since a simple Apology could resolve this incident.
“Waaaah! I’m going to tell my Father about you!”
Should I kill them?
I’m still just a kid at heart.
I feel like I’m about to have some bad thoughts.
I suppressed my Emotions as much as possible and spoke to the Young Lady. She was always someone who valued efficiency above all else.
“Young Lady.”
“Yes?”
“You should go ahead and tell on me too.”
“Yes.”
The Young Lady, who nodded, sat down on the ground with a Thud and began to cry as if she wouldn’t lose to anyone.
“Heeeek!!!!! Father! Father!”
As if to prove that her backing was the strongest in the world, the Young Lady displayed a Performance surpassing that of a Sword Master.
Today, I was proud to be a Desmond.
“Eeeek!”
After about 10 minutes of a crying contest to see who could cry louder, the Little Kid, overwhelmed by the Young Lady’s outstanding skills, finally gave up with an “Uh… uh…!” The battle that had been assaulting my eardrums finally ended.
Moved by the thrill of watching something akin to a Sword Master’s Battle, I clapped in admiration and walked between the two. I thought the Young Lady must have enjoyed herself enough by now.
The Young Lady’s hobbies were picking fights, battling, and plundering, so I figured she’d be satisfied by now, having fulfilled all three elements.
“Young Lady.”
“Eek?”
“Shall we get going now?”
“But we still don’t know who their Father is.”
“Isn’t it because they don’t have one that they’re not saying anything?”
“Oh…!”
The Young Lady nodded and approached the Little Kid with her short legs. The children who had been following the Little Kid seemed to realize the Young Lady wasn’t an ordinary crazy person and backed off, visibly intimidated.
The Young Lady extended her finger toward the Little Kid.
“Hey!”
“…”
At the Young Lady’s call, the unnamed Little Kid trembled and nodded.
“Don’t be too disheartened about not having a Father.”
“…I have one.”
The Young Lady pointed at me with her finger and nodded.
“Ricardo doesn’t have one either.”
“…?”
“So, cheer up.”
Is she mocking me twice?
I felt a Sense of Betrayal toward the Young Lady.
Still, seeing her mature side as she offered encouraging words to the Little Kid, I decided not to scold her. After all, she wasn’t wrong.
In the past, the Young Lady would’ve said, “Bring me everything you have, and I’ll let you go,” while shaking down their Pockets. Compared to that, this was mild, and I shed tears of emotion at the sight of the grown-up Young Lady.
“Just give me money for ice cream.”
As expected, the Young Lady is an adult.
The Little Kid clenched their Fist and glared at us. Far from being moved by the Young Lady’s consideration, they were glaring at us as if they wanted to kill us.
“…You don’t have money, do you?”
“…”
“Ricardo. What should we do?”
“Who knows.”
The Little Kid’s lips twitched.
As if they were about to say the name of someone they shouldn’t, they took a dry breath, exhaled, and slowly opened their mouth.
“Do you know who my Father is?”
“How would I know your Father? I even forgot my own Father’s name.”
“Really?”
“No.”
The Little Kid gritted their teeth and spoke to us.
“My Father is…”
“…”
“Wolf…”
Just as the Little Kid was about to say their Father’s name—
“Young Master!”
From the entrance of the Alleyway, the hurried Sound of Footsteps echoed. Along with the resonant voice of an Old Man, the Sound of three young Knights’ Footsteps approached.
I cautiously hid the Young Lady behind me and whispered quietly.
“Young Lady.”
“Yes?”
“I think that friend really has a Father.”
“Really?”
Looking at the approaching Old Man, I spoke.
“Do you recognize that emblem?”
The Eagle Crest symbolizing the leading Household of the West. The Young Lady looked at the badge attached to the Old Man’s Chest Pocket and nodded.
“Yes. An eagle.”
“That’s correct.”
I glanced at the Little Kid’s face and muttered softly.
“So it was you. The Man’s son.”
“Wolfgang.”
I smiled bitterly, marveling at the twists of fate.
“Wolfgang Louis.”
The Biological Father of Mikhail.
The Man who killed Mikhail’s Mother.
And now, I had met the son of The Man consumed by power.
And.
“It’s okay. My Father is stronger.”
The Young Lady wasn’t afraid.