TLed by NolepGuy
Chapter 66
A drink with my son after a long time.
Rowen was secretly pleased to drink with his son again, whom he hadn’t been able to see much lately due to his recent Aura Awakening.
Malik always delivered results as expected.
Though Rowen saw many shortcomings in him, Malik still showed enough promise to follow in his father’s footsteps.
Even though Malik increasingly left Rowen’s side, claiming he needed to train alone, Rowen admired the sight of his son striving tirelessly for his own growth.
If only Hanna had come instead…
She wouldn’t have been greeted so warmly.
Rowen thought he would have only uttered harsh words.
“Put down the sword quickly.”
“It’s dangerous for you.”
Even if she argued that she had talent, Rowen believed he wouldn’t waver in his rigid stubbornness.
‘Now that I think about it, I must be a madman too.’
Rowen found himself amusing.
Drip.
Malik poured liquor into a fresh glass.
Raising his now-filled glass, Rowen spoke.
“So, what brings you here? You didn’t come without a reason, did you?”
“Can’t a son just come to have a drink with his Father?”
“Haha… I didn’t raise you like that, though.”
Malik let out a bitter laugh.
Hanna wasn’t the only one who had suffered under Rowen’s obsession with the sword.
Clearing his throat, Malik began to speak. The tension in his voice, trembling as it was, brought an inexplicable bitterness to Rowen.
“Father. It’s about Hanna.”
That familiar name.
Hearing a name he didn’t expect from Malik’s lips, Rowen gripped his liquor glass tightly.
“What about Hanna?”
“She’s my sister, isn’t she? I just thought of her after a long time and wanted to mention her.”
“…”
Malik simply stared at the rippling liquor in his glass. After all, the figure of Father was a source of fear for him.
To Malik, though not as much as Hanna, Father was someone who always burdened him like a heavy weight, making it take great courage to bring up such a topic.
Malik wet his hand with the condensation on the glass and spoke cautiously.
“I know it’s presumptuous of me to say this, but… how about apologizing to Hanna, Father?”
“Apologize?”
A sharp tone escaped from Rowen’s lips.
The very word “apology” was an uncomfortable one for Rowen, who was not accustomed to it.
To Rowen, wrongdoing was something done with the readiness to be hated, and he didn’t believe hatred would disappear through an apology.
Moreover.
“Why should I apologize to Hanna? Isn’t it Hanna who should be apologizing to me instead? Ignoring Father’s letter asking her to return and still not coming back home—do you think that’s right?”
Rowen didn’t feel any guilt toward Hanna. He only resented his own failure to make her put down the sword.
If raising her strictly was a sin, then every parent in the world was guilty.
Rowen didn’t think the Stick of Love, meant to lead toward a better future, was anything to be ashamed of.
If that led to the outcome of an apology.
Then it was Hanna’s fault for not following through.
Rowen couldn’t accept Malik’s request.
A slight ripple appeared in the liquor glass Malik was holding. Father’s unyielding stubbornness felt suffocating.
A Father who always forced the sword upon them.
A rigid Father who was harsh toward Hanna—it was all frustrating to Malik.
With a trembling voice, Malik spoke.
“Didn’t you show favoritism, Father? I wasn’t any different.”
“It wasn’t favoritism. It was a rational choice. I merely focused on nurturing you, the key to upholding Histania’s name.”
“Our household has grown enough.”
“Without me, it would’ve fallen behind.”
“That’s inevitable, isn’t it? Father and we are different…”
“That statement is quite unpleasant.”
Malik lowered his head.
“I’m sorry.”
Rowen let out a deep sigh. Seeing the Next Head of the Family so unconcerned about the Future of the Household only deepened Rowen’s worries.
Both Hanna and Malik.
It seemed everything had gone astray after they encountered That Guy.
Rowen subtly asked Malik, who was bowing his head.
“Two days ago, I met the Swordsman you spoke so highly of—Ricardo.”
“Ricardo?”
“Yes. He treated me like a Peddler.”
“A Peddler?”
A Small Smile formed on Malik’s lips, which had been stiff with tension. In a quiet voice Rowen couldn’t hear, Malik muttered, ‘Crazy Bastard.’
At the same time, Malik found himself curious about what Ricardo might have said to his Father.
After all, it was Ricardo’s words that had given Malik the courage to seek Hanna’s forgiveness.
But contrary to Malik’s expectations, Rowen, with an expression of sheer disgust, shattered Malik’s hopes with his words.
“He was an Arrogant Bastard. Serving a Young Lady from the House of Desmond, whose prestige has declined, and achieving nothing significant aside from early success—it was laughable to hear him prattle on as if I was wrong…”
Rowen downed his drink as he spoke.
“That insolent fool even told me I’d never get close to Hanna.”
Malik asked Rowen.
What on earth had Ricardo said to provoke such a response? The Ricardo Malik knew wasn’t someone to make such provocative remarks without reason.
Though his sharp words often stung.
They were always truthful.
“What did he say for Ricardo to say that?”
Rowen confidently replied to Malik’s question.
“He asked me to help Hanna put down her sword.”
“Father!”
Malik slammed the desk and stood up roughly. Frustration filled his gaze as he stared at Rowen, questioning how long he’d keep this up, but Rowen merely looked back with a defiant expression, seated at the desk.
“Malik. This is your Second Time being warned.”
Yet Malik refused to back down.
“How long are you going to keep this up? Hanna has proved herself! She says she loves the sword, and instead of helping her…!”
“You don’t understand why I’m doing this.”
Recalling the memories he had witnessed, Rowen spoke to Malik.
“Hanna is young and incapable of deep thought. If she continues to recklessly charge ahead like this, she’ll eventually find herself in danger. Success achieved through sudden strength may be possible, but it’s never safe.”
“…Then why don’t you help her, Father?”
“I’m already too busy looking after just you.”
“You’re being unreasonable.”
Rowen glared at Malik as he spoke.
“Then what about you?”
Rowen addressed the shared guilt that bound their family’s relationships.
“You’ve been cruel to Hanna too. Neglecting and discriminating against her… If you thought it was wrong, why didn’t you stop it?”
“I…”
“Regardless of who’s at fault or who’s better, I want you to understand that you’re no different from me.”
Malik clenched his fists tightly and lowered his head.
Rowen’s words weren’t wrong in the slightest. But Malik had apologized to Hanna and approached her with the genuine intention of continuing to seek her forgiveness.
As Father had said, it was true that he had been harsh to Hanna.
However, Malik sincerely wanted to ask for her forgiveness before their bond was further strained.
This was why he had come here—to convey his True Feelings to Father and urge them to apologize together.
Rowen looked at Malik, who was standing still, and spoke.
“Whatever it may be, my decision remains unchanged. Raising Hanna to be strong? If she breaks under such trivial hardships, how can she survive in the world?”
Malik looked directly at Rowen and said.
“Isn’t that just a justification tailored to your preferences, Father…”
“Justification… What nonsense. I’ve never once regretted my decisions thus far. My life has proven it, and your success has proven it too, hasn’t it?”
Rowen glared at Malik and said one last thing.
“This is the third time, Malik. If you cross this line, even I won’t be able to tolerate it.”
Malik clenched his teeth and spoke to Rowen.
“You’ll regret it. Just as I did with Hanna…”
“The one regretting will be Hanna.”
Rowen was now certain through this conversation.
Making Hanna put down her sword was the right thing to do for the future.
Even if he had to resort to petty methods, Rowen was convinced that forcing Hanna to give up her sword was necessary for her safety and the best solution for Malik to focus on his success.
A brief silence followed.
To issue an order to leave to Malik, Rowen waved his hand.
Continuing such pointless discussions was a waste of time. Rowen waved his hand and said to Malik.
“Leave…”
With his fists clenched tightly, Malik lowered his head and was about to leave the office.
-Bang!
A loud noise echoed from outside the estate.
Amidst the sound of something breaking, the startled voices of the Servants could be heard.
-Ah… Young Lady…
-Where is she…
-What brings the Young Lady here…
-Where is Father?
It was a voice he hadn’t heard in a long time.
Not the innocent voice of a young daughter who had once asked him for duels and guidance, but a furious voice filled with raw hatred resounded through the office door.
Thud, thud, thud…
Urgent footsteps could be heard through the stairs, and then a Servant, panting heavily, burst into the office, flinging the door open.
The Butler of the estate, breathing heavily, called out to Rowen in a hurried voice.
“Huff… Huff… Head of the Household… The Youngest Daughter has come to see you.”
At that moment, Rowen’s firm resolve wavered greatly. The determination to make her put down her sword during this meeting seemed to crumble. His mind went blank.
Only one thought remained. He simply wanted to see her face.
“Hanna has come…?”
“Yes…! You must come out quickly! I-it’s…”
-Where is he!
Hanna’s shout shook the entire estate.
A shout mixed with resentment.
Hanna’s voice pressed heavily on Rowen’s shoulders as he sat in the office.
After about ten seconds passed.
The sound of someone climbing the stairs reached its peak.
A Familiar Silhouette roughly pushed aside the Butler standing guard at the door and entered the office.
“Move. Before I kill you.”
“But, Young Lady… This is where the Head of the Household conducts his work…”
“Move before I kill you.”
Covered in Orc’s Blood, his daughter entered the office.
Histania Hanna.
Hanna stood before Rowen, panting heavily.
With bloodshot eyes filled with resentment, she glared at him. The Sword Gripped in Hand trembled.
Seeing his daughter, who looked like she was about to cry at any moment, Rowen’s heart wavered greatly.
-I’ll become a swordsman as amazing as Father!
The daughter who used to look at him with admiration was nowhere to be found.
Hanna threw a letter at Rowen.
“Did you really have to do this?”
──────────────
-To Histania Hanna
Return to the household.
This is the final warning.
Come back and study.
I have prepared the best tutor, so there will be no shortcomings.
If you avoid returning to the household this time, I will have no choice but to use the worst methods to bring you back.
Even if it means arranging a marriage for you.
──────────────
Staring at the crumpled letter, Hanna spoke to Rowen.
“I really hate you, Father.”
──────────────
1. Read the letter sent by Histania Rowen. (1/1)
2. Meet Your Father Histania Rowen. (1/1)
3. Subjugate the Elite Orc Warrior of the Hamel Mountain Range. (30/30)
──────────────
Hanna was crying.
*
In a certain space above the office roof.
Hidden on the roof, crouching and watching the Melodramatic Scene, a Red-Haired Man let out a Deep Sigh as he placed a hand on his sword.
[Limit Break is testing the efficiency limits of the ‘Potion of Concealment.’]
The Man, who had erased his presence.
The Red-Haired Man, watching their scene, muttered softly.
‘Ah… I miss the Young Lady.’
Ricardo, who had come to steal a Fortuitous Encounter, sensed that he was screwed.