TLed by NolepGuy
Chapter 104
The Desmond Household, who had caused a commotion at the hospital, sat on the plush sofa with heavy expressions.
The time was 7 PM.
It was time for dinner, but the three of them showed no intention of moving.
Olivia, who was fidgeting with her fingers, glanced at Darbav’s serious face and spoke.
“Father. Is Older Brother going to prison?”
“He’s not going.”
Olivia looked suspiciously at Kyle, who was sitting to Darbav’s left. Kyle, whose clothes were a mess after a scuffle with the mysterious green-haired head at the hospital.
Olivia cautiously asked Kyle, who maintained a calm expression.
“Older Brother, are you going to prison?”
“…I’m not.”
“Why?”
“…Would you like me to?”
“No.”
Shaking her head, Olivia expressed her small wish that her Older Brother wouldn’t have to eat prison food.
“Older Brother hates beans, doesn’t he?”
“That’s right.”
“Then he shouldn’t go.”
Kyle’s eyes grew moist, touched by Olivia’s concern. To think that his picky younger sibling, who usually only complained about side dishes, remembered the food he disliked.
Kyle thought that, no matter whose sibling she was, her care for her Older Brother was unparalleled in the world.
“My little sister, is there something you want?”
Without a moment’s hesitation, Olivia answered.
“A Chocolate Palace.”
“…”
“Is that not okay?”
Kyle regretted the words he had spoken.
“I’m sorry.”
He thought to himself that the size of the Chocolate Palace he imagined and the one Olivia imagined were probably vastly different. Kyle nodded bitterly, deciding he needed to earn more money in the future.
“I’ll give you money instead.”
“…Older Brother, you’re so cool.”
Olivia admired Kyle.
“So, what happened?”
“What do you mean?”
“The fight.”
There was a hint of excitement in Olivia’s eyes. She hadn’t seen the fight between Kyle and the green-haired head.
At the hospital today, Kyle had quietly put his arm around the green-haired head’s shoulder and walked outside. Neither Olivia nor their Father, Darbav, had witnessed the fight, leaving them both feeling regretful.
It seemed like they had a gentlemanly conversation, but Olivia’s eyes showed a bit of worry since she didn’t know the outcome.
“Did you lose?”
Kyle extended his fist to show Olivia a small wound. Olivia, scrutinizing the tiny injury, tilted her head and replied sullenly.
“So you lost….”
Kyle firmly corrected Olivia’s clumsy misunderstanding. The idea that the Desmond Family, known as the Empire’s fighters, would lose was absurd.
With a voice full of pride, Kyle answered Olivia.
“Older Brother doesn’t lose, Olivia.”
“Then you won?”
“That’s right.”
With a small smile, Kyle briefly described today’s opponent, the green-haired head. An opponent who wasn’t particularly strong but not particularly weak either.
In simple terms, an average guy.
“He said his name was Ruin.”
“I know.”
“You know?”
“Yeah. He was a friend at school who often bought bread. He also liked getting hit.”
“…?”
Numerous question marks floated in Kyle’s mind, but he didn’t bother asking. The guy who had cut in line didn’t seem particularly close to Olivia.
If they had been close, he would’ve at least acknowledged her. From what Kyle remembered, the guy named Ruin had avoided Olivia’s gaze as if trying not to be noticed.
Since there didn’t seem to be any significant connection, Kyle decided not to think too deeply about it.
Kyle talked about the fight.
Olivia looked at Kyle with eyes full of pride, and Kyle, wearing a pleasant smile, recounted today’s tales of heroics.
“He was a Wizard who controlled flames. Remarkably talented for someone so young.”
“He was a Disciple of the Tower Master.”
Listening quietly, Darbav nodded and remarked that he would handle the aftermath.
“This might actually be a good thing. I can send a meteor straight to the Tower Master’s face.”
“Father, is this war?”
“No, it’s just a figure of speech.”
Inwardly, Darbav was pleased at the thought of surpassing the Magic Tower in their rivalry.
Kyle spoke about his battle with Ruin in a gentlemanly manner.
“I asked That Guy why he was cutting in line.”
“And then?”
“He said he was in a hurry and asked if he could go first.”
“Oh…”
“He also said he knew the Doctor and didn’t even make a reservation. Quite an arrogant excuse.”
“So what did you do?”
“I threw a punch.”
Kyle proudly recounted how he had settled the matter with his fist rather than magic.
At the story of two Wizards abandoning magic and fighting like dogs, Darbav nodded in approval.
“As expected, The Man relies on his fists.”
Kyle added that Ruin had used magic at the very end, calling him a coward.
“What a coward. Like Master, like Disciple.”
“But I still won.”
“As expected… my son. The future of Desmond is bright.”
Kyle looked at his fist with pride and muttered softly, “The Man relies on his fists….”
Even if they had fought with magic, Kyle would have won easily. However, Kyle didn’t want to use magic on an ill-mannered guy who cut in line, so he claimed victory using primitive methods.
Darbav also looked at Kyle’s wound with a proud expression.
“You’ve grown, my son.”
“It’s only because I take after you, Father.”
“Haha. You flatter me.”
Watching this heartwarming exchange between father and son, Rosanna pressed her hand to her throbbing forehead.
“Ugh…! All of you, it’s just boasting! Boasting!”
“You’re just like him! Isn’t that right?!”
When Darbav lowered his head sullenly and muttered, “Isn’t that a compliment…?” Rosanna slapped his back and sighed.
“Good grief… just stop it, you Nemeses!”
Kyle spoke seriously to Rosanna.
“Mother, didn’t you also have quite the personality in your younger days? You even had the nickname Red Gloves during your adventurer days….”
“Be quiet. That’s a past I want to forget.”
“I’m proud of you, Mother.”
“…”
Rosanna shook her head.
After a brief silence, Rosanna spoke to her gathered husband and children.
“So, why did you call me here?”
Rosanna, who had been preparing dinner, had paused her work because of Darbav’s summons.
When Rosanna urged him to hurry because she needed to finish making dinner, Darbav replied to her in a somewhat serious tone.
“I have something to discuss.”
“A discussion?”
“Yes, a very important discussion.”
Darbav lowered his voice as he spoke.
“What’s for dinner tonight?”
Darbav received another slap on the back.
*
On the way back to the estate after dropping Yuria off at the dormitory.
Feeling a sense of accomplishment for the first time in a while, I stretched with satisfaction.
“Yaaawn… I’m tired.”
The conversation with Yuria had been more enjoyable than I expected.
It wasn’t awkward, and maybe because we didn’t touch on heavy topics, I found myself enjoying the entire conversation.
It was fascinating to hear about events from the novel directly from the person involved.
Hearing about the emotions Yuria felt during the events that occurred while I was away from the Academy, along with details not mentioned in the novel, excited me as a reader for the first time in a while.
And, of course, talking to a pretty woman put me in a good mood. Though she wasn’t as beautiful as the Young Lady, it was still a feast for the eyes.
The time was 7:30 PM.
Looking at the estate of the Household in the distance, I shivered slightly.
“Nothing will happen, right?”
Even though I was with Kyle, it felt like something might go wrong. I was worried because the Young Lady and the Head of the Household weren’t exactly trustworthy.
‘I just hope everything wraps up without incident before I return to the estate….’
It was a very small wish, but since the Young Lady had never granted such a request before, I sighed and walked toward the estate.
Life in the capital city was nearing its end.
There were only about three days left.
In three days, the Apostle of the estate would finish, and the Head of the Household’s Birthday would also be over. The thought of cleaning up and handling the postponed household chores after returning home made me a bit gloomy, but the idea of going home after a long time brought a small smile to my lips.
The journey that began with the Young Lady’s Inexperienced Driving.
Though it started with many concerns, it turned out to be a rather meaningful journey where I managed to resolve two tangled relationships.
The relationship with the Members of Desmond and the relationship with Yuria. Though it wasn’t completely resolved, the softened relationships between them and me became a turning point that eased the suffocating tension.
The street lamps brightly illuminated the dark alley.
Perhaps because it was the capital city, the densely placed street lamps made walking alone less frightening.
Personally, as a Coward who fears ghosts and dark places, the occasional patrolling Guards and the brightly lit street lamps kept me from feeling scared.
‘Tomorrow, I’ll go on a date with the Young Lady.’
As I walked toward the estate, marking the end of the long journey.
An all-too-familiar voice of The Man called out from behind me.
“Ricardo.”
Seeing his face, I gave a slight nod.
“Lord Kyle.”
Kyle stood there, looking at me.
He was gazing at me with a slightly heavy expression.
“I need to talk to you for a moment.”
“It’s about Olivia.”
In Kyle’s hand was a Small Paper.
[‘Olivia’s Medical Diagnosis Report’]