Chapter 39
I had once told Khalid in passing before.
That in order for me—who had been exploited by the kingdom—to fully break free from the Mage King’s control, the most certain way would be to eliminate the king.
From that moment on, Khalid had gritted his teeth, saying he would kill the Mage King himself.
As if, just like I had broken the chains in the cave and granted him freedom.
“Not allowed. You… you’re still too young.”
“Heh. And that’s why you came here?”
A short scoff slipped out.
“Sorry, master. I’m going to speak a bit coldly from now on.”
“Don’t be too cold…”
“Why Duke Zeveret?”
A cold voice dropped bluntly.
“I get that the Duke dislikes mages. But that doesn’t mean he’s crazy enough to kill the king of another country for no reason.”
“……”
Honestly, I could understand why Khalid reacted this way.
He doesn’t know that if the Mage King is left alone, he’ll eventually become a clear-cut hidden villain.
The Mage King was still pretending to be good.
Arcadia was an island isolated over the sea.
If it antagonized the continent, the one at a disadvantage would be the kingdom. That was why the king outwardly maintained a gentle facade while secretly waiting for an opportunity to swallow the continent whole.
Even though he was currently being criticized over the issue of child soldiers.
World domination! How childish.
That must have been his dream. And the reason he tried to secure dark mages as well—he probably saw the war as a convenient opportunity.
The order he gave me was also “capture dark mages alive.”
That plan went to waste because Leviathan-uncle ended up killing them. Hmph, serves him right!
In any case, the Mage King would cause trouble on his own, so all that mattered was that the uncle stayed alive until then.
“…You’ve gone quiet again.”
Khalid watched me, rolling his eyes around, then lowered his head.
“I really want to take a look inside your head just once.”
“That’s not allowed…”
I’ve got too many secrets…
At that moment, he suddenly lifted his head.
“Still, I’m the one who will kill the Mage King. Because he’s the one who made you suffer.”
“Alright, alright, so focus on training hard.”
Train hard and grow stronger so you can cooperate with the uncle later!
I swallowed the words I couldn’t say and smiled sheepishly. Seeing Khalid’s expression soften, I also dismissed the silencing spell.
It was about time Hazel would come upstairs saying dinner was ready.
“Alright. I’ve got a goal now.”
Khalid said firmly.
“A goal?”
“Leviathan Zeveret.”
“…?”
“I’ll have to surpass him first.”
No, that’s not it?
“If that man is the strongest and the one you rely on, then I’ll become stronger than him.”
His eyes burned with fighting spirit.
Somehow, the second male lead’s goal seemed to be shifting…?
Khalid bit his lip briefly and glanced at me.
“And somehow, I feel like that man… is going to be very hard on me.”
As if worried about the future, Khalid didn’t relax his serious expression for a long time.
Well… life in the knight order with the uncle probably wouldn’t be easy.
If not that…
Then what else was there?
That evening, in the dining room.
Khalid had been invited to dinner as my friend.
“Huh? Even Grandpa?”
As soon as I entered the dining room, I came face-to-face with the Zeveret trio.
Grandfather usually ate separately in the annex, so it was rare for him to dine with everyone.
This was unusual.
I sat down with Khalid. At the head seat was the uncle, while across from us sat Grandfather and Void.
“Father…?”
Void stared intently at the seat next to me with a dumbfounded expression and called out to the uncle.
“Yes.”
“I think I’m seeing things right now.”
“That’s probably not the case.”
Void blinked, then suddenly turned his head.
As always, the hands preparing meat and vegetables for me didn’t stop moving.
“So did you bring in another one from the capital again? But when—?”
Swoosh.
A neatly cut plate of steak was slid in front of me.
Khalid, sitting beside me, let out a small laugh at the scene.
You also think it’s absurd that a noble is serving food at the table, right?
Yeah… I know.
“That’s not it either.”
“Then—!”
“Young man, stop babbling and eat your bread!”
“Ughf.”
Grandfather, who had been cutting five steaks at once, shoved white bread into Void’s mouth.
With his cheeks puffed out, Void looked up at Grandfather with a face full of things he wanted to say.
“Ugh… Grandfather.”
“Hmm?”
At Void’s call, Grandfather put down his knife. His thick eyebrows twitched as he looked down at his grandson sitting beside him.
Void instinctively shrank back slightly.
“What’s with that look? Are you going through adolescence already?! I see… you haven’t been coming to eat at your old grandfather’s place lately!”
“W-when I do come, you’re not even sick at all!”
It seemed Leviathan-uncle occasionally invited Void for meals when he was around.
Of course, Void was extremely uncomfortable around Grandfather…
“This won’t do! We must begin relationship strengthening training. After dinner, we’ll take a light walk in the northern mountains!”
“Nooo! I refuse!”
Void struggled, pushing away the meat being stuffed into his mouth again. Grandfather’s lips twitched.
…He’s enjoying this. Today’s victim is you, Void.
“Why don’t you stop watching and eat?”
Tap.
A neatly cut piece of bread was placed on my plate.
“Oh, thanks.”
I took a bite of bread while looking at Khalid.
‘He really doesn’t get shy at all.’
Eating with people he had just met today, yet behaving as if it were his own home…
In many ways, he was remarkable.
“Hey, is no one going to explain who this kid actually is?!”
In the end, Void exploded. He pointed at Khalid and started flailing.
“Rup! You explain!”
After swallowing the bread, I answered.
“He’s my friend.”
“…What?”
“Friend.”
Void tilted his head, a question mark practically written on his face.
Why that expression?
Is this the first time hearing the word “friend”?
‘Wait… does he not have friends because he takes after the uncle?’
Despite my concern, Void only blinked, looking somewhat soulless.
After that, the sound of cutlery occasionally filled the room.
Clink.
Khalid set down his fork beside me. When I looked over, he had already finished eating and was wiping his mouth with a napkin.
An empty plate.
Impeccable table manners.
‘Hmm, he can be a bit reckless sometimes, but his etiquette is solid.’
…Huh? Now that I think about it, where did he learn this?
“You somehow managed to live well in a noisy place like this, Ruby.”
“….”
“You don’t like noisy environments.”
Someone please shut that mouth.
“What did you say, you insolent brat?”
Grandfather slammed his utensils down with a thud. The uncle didn’t even glance over, calmly sipping his wine.
Khalid stood up.
“Thank you for the meal.”
Ah, at least his manners were proper.
I thought he would just leave, but he paused and pointed at the bell pepper stuck on my fork.
“By the way, she doesn’t like this. Could you change the way it’s prepared—”
“Hahaha.”
I broke into a nervous sweat and elbowed Khalid in the side.
“Why are you talking so much when you’re the one being fed!”
And I had been about to drop that bell pepper just now. He noticed it!
“Uncle! Grandfather! I’ll take care of him—”
“Alright. That insolent tone and attitude of yours… this won’t do.”
Grandfather set down his utensils with a firm clack.
“This little brat will also undergo some discipline training in the northern mountains!”
“See! I knew it was discipline training!”
Void’s jaw dropped.
“I refuse.”
“What was that?”
But the cheeky Khalid did not stop speaking.
And Grandfather’s eyes burned even brighter.
Amid the tense atmosphere, only the uncle at the head seat continued eating calmly, as if nothing were amiss.
