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Chapter 23
“…Kid?”
For a moment, Dion didn’t understand what he meant and dumbly asked back.
“Master Felix was actually… a daughter…?”
“…You idiot.”
Why is he so free of prejudice?
“Yawn.”
Another night of sweet sleep!
I rubbed my face against the fluffy blanket and curled up.
The blazing sunlight could be felt, but I still didn’t want to move.
But as if to wake me up—
CLANG!
A sharp crashing sound rang out.
“Ugh, what was that?”
Did a plate break?
I rubbed my eyes and slowly stepped out of bed.
It was already well past noon. I wasn’t planning to go to the guild today, so I wanted to sleep in, but I should at least see what happened.
“Yaaawn.”
Holding the stair railing, I called down.
“Grandpa, did something happen?”
“Huh?”
A flustered voice answered from below.
‘So he did break something!’
I was about to ask if he was okay—everyone slips up sometimes—but he spoke first.
“Ah, uh. You could’ve slept longer.”
“I heard a breaking sound. Are you hurt?”
“Oh, uh, I’m fine. My hand just slipped.”
His voice was hurried, like he really wanted to cover the accident.
‘He must be embarrassed.’
When he urged me to go back to bed, I reluctantly turned around.
He was usually more careful than I was anyway.
‘You can always buy new dishes.’
What mattered was that Grandpa wasn’t hurt. Feeling satisfied, I went back to my room.
“I swear… So who, when, and where are they planning to raid?”
Unfortunately, I didn’t hear the conversation that followed.
“What the hell!”
Late afternoon.
Winstonz, having met his loyal friend of 20 years again, cursed while picking up broken plates.
Dion glanced cautiously upstairs. But this was Winstonz Kazlyden — one of the most powerful men in the Empire.
He obviously had already put up a sound-proofing spell.
“I knew that brat would cause trouble someday! Is ‘stay put’ really that hard?!”
Dion stroked his rough beard.
“Well… you know Master Felix’s personality.”
“What about his personality! You trying to say he’s impatient and hot-blooded like me?!”
…When you say it like that, sir, I really don’t have anything to argue. Clicking his tongue, Dion offered the safest reply:
“He cares about you in a… terrifyingly deep way.”
“Even so! Raid their base? I only have one life, does he think he has two?”
Black Cat.
This new organization had been irritating Winstonz for months. Not only their crimes in Proud City, but the fact that a newly-born group was already so organized.
At first he suspected they were defectors from another group, but no signs had been found.
But that wasn’t the only reason they caught his eye.
Potions.
They had been collecting — no, sweeping up — the very potions that were most crucial to him right now.
How could he not pay attention?
And now his precious son was planning to charge in there?
“So he’s going with Gilbert, I hear. He used to be your disciple, didn’t he? His skills are solid.”
“…”
“And Master Felix is practically unmatched in swordsmanship. Honestly, I think he handles a blade better than I do.”
Unable to use magic, Felix had strengthened himself in another direction: swordsmanship. His early teacher was Dion himself.
Recently, he’d grown remarkably.
“He can protect himself just fine. And the guild members can handle magic support.”
“And what if stress triggers an attack?!”
“Oh… right.”
Hadn’t thought of that.
Dion awkwardly stuck out his tongue.
Winstonz wrapped the broken shards in a thick cloth.
“Him going isn’t the issue. But if he has an episode there! If he loses control!”
“…”
“Everyone will die. You know how terrifying magical rampage is!”
“…”
“Not only Raymond’s head will roll — Felix’s will too.”
The condition only calmed with regular potion intake. In an emergency, would he even have time to take one?
Raiding a base meant being trapped for hours.
There had already been a few close calls.
This was reckless to the extreme.
“But they’re already on the move. Why don’t you just go back? Then he—”
“You know his temper. If I go back, you think he’ll just sit still?”
“Mm…”
Right. Of course not.
Felix Kazlyden did not know the meaning of giving up. If something caught his eye, he would conquer it.
Truly fitting for the heir to the underworld.
Even if Winstonz turned back, Felix wouldn’t stop. He would see his mission through no matter what.
“Two days from now, at 3 a.m.?”
“Yes. That’s the scheduled time.”
“Get every detail. Exact location, entry time, capture estimates, headcount. All of it.”
Dion, acting as steward in Winstonz’s absence, had sought out the patriarch. Through guildmaster Gilbert, he’d heard the plan.
“Ahem, I will. Then shall I inform Master Felix—”
“Don’t you dare.”
“Yes. That does seem wise.”
If Felix learned Winstonz was coming, there was no telling what madness he’d do.
Better to quietly follow and support.
“Hmph. Fine. I’ll go myself then. And get my revenge while I’m at it.”
The bastards who wrecked his ribs…
Winstonz recalled their faces. Dion sighed and nodded.
“Then… sir.”
“What now.”
Having cleaned the broken dishes, Winstonz frowned.
“How long do you plan to stay here?”
Winstonz didn’t concern himself with trivial matters. Which meant he had business with the homeowner.
‘Judging by the voice, it’s that soft little bunny, isn’t it?’
