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Chapter 37
Ibri, who had completed Harrington and Camois’s errands, apparently couldn’t come inside and had been waiting in the garden. And as soon as he ran into the children returning from their training in the practice grounds, a clash broke out. Listening to Cliff’s explanation, I hurried my steps.
But when I finally arrived at the garden, it wasn’t the Gilos siblings facing Ibri with a sword—it was Callisto. Behind Callisto stood Kevin and Anessa of the Gilos baronet family, glaring at Ibri with furious expressions.
Even if Callisto was learning swordsmanship and martial arts, he was only thirteen—a child. I had never seen him actually wield a sword, but he was bound to be inexperienced. Ibri, already an adult, was much larger in build, so if he seriously tried to harm Callisto, the boy would be badly hurt. My face went pale as I tried to call out to him.
At that moment, Callisto spoke first.
“Apologize to Kevin and Anessa right now for your rudeness.”
His voice was so cold that I almost doubted he was the Callisto I knew. The way he glared at Ibri was unexpectedly chilling. I had thought of him as nothing more than a sweet, adorable child—since when could he make such an expression? Startled by this unfamiliar side of him, I froze in place.
Ibri let out a snicker.
“What rudeness did I commit? Do I have to show manners even to the likes of baronets who can hardly be called nobles?”
“Shut your mouth, Ibri.”
“Watch your tongue, brat. Dealing with a bastard like you isn’t difficult at all.”
Since Lawrence hadn’t attended lessons today, there was no one here of higher status than Ibri. The only ones present were Kevin and Anessa from a baronet family, Callisto—known as a bastard—and Brine, the daughter of a fallen marquess family. Ibri seemed emboldened by that. Even after all these years, his attitude hadn’t changed. I frowned in disbelief.
But Callisto showed no change in expression. In a calm, icy voice, he simply continued staring straight at Ibri.
“Then go ahead and try. You’re already holding a sword, aren’t you?”
“What? Are you asking for a duel, you little brat?”
“Why not? Or are you all talk with no confidence?”
“Ha… you bastard.”
Ibri ground his teeth.
I stepped forward with a frown. It was already unpleasant enough that Ibri had set foot in Wynyates. But now he was even provoking young Callisto—this was beyond what I could tolerate.
Moreover, Ibri’s father, Viscount Camois, had come to ask me for a favor. Though Ibri, despite having long passed his eighteenth birthday, still seemed ignorant of his family’s business.
“Ibri—”
Just as I opened my mouth to throw him out—
Ibri took a large step forward and swung his sword, closing the distance to Callisto in an instant. It happened so quickly there was no time to intervene. I shut my eyes tightly in panic.
But in the next moment, the sharp clash of blades rang out loudly. I opened my eyes in shock. Contrary to my expectations, nothing had happened. Callisto stood there, expressionless.
Only then did I see Ibri’s sword wobbling in midair, having been deflected.
Callisto tilted his head slightly and curled his lips into a faint smile. A dark shadow fell over his amber eyes.
“You said you’d deal with me, and that’s all? How boring, Ibri.”
“Y-you bastard! I won’t let you get away with this!”
“Then don’t. I’ve been waiting.”
Ibri, who had been pushed back, screamed and charged at Callisto again. At the same time, Callisto swung his sword powerfully.
Clang!
With a sharp metallic sound, the two blades collided again. Ibri, far larger than Callisto, threw his full weight behind his attack, pressing forward with brute strength. For a moment, Callisto’s sword seemed to be pushed back.
“Ah…!”
The children nearby gasped.
Then, as he stepped back slightly, Callisto swiftly lowered his body. His movements were so fast they were almost impossible to follow. The moment he vanished from sight, a flash of steel cut through the air with a loud metallic crack.
Ibri’s sword, split clean in half, flew through the air and embedded itself into the ground.
Silence fell.
Callisto’s sword was now pointed at Ibri.
A thin red line appeared across Ibri’s thick neck. A drop of blood fell and trickled down.
Callisto smiled faintly.
“What should I do? Seems like it’ll be hard to ‘deal with’ you now, Ibri—”
“Callisto!”
Snapping back to my senses, I screamed his name and ran toward him. Startled, he widened his eyes and stepped back, still holding the sword.
“B-brother?”
“Calli, why would you do something so dangerous? What if something had happened?”
“Huh? No, it’s just—”
“Let me see. You’re not hurt, right? You must’ve been scared. It’s okay now.”
“…Yeah…”
After checking him over and confirming he wasn’t injured, I turned sharply toward Ibri, glaring at him. He flinched and avoided my gaze.
“Young lord of Camois, what exactly is the meaning of this behavior?”
“…Behavior? We just crossed swords briefly as practice after meeting again.”
It was my first time seeing Ibri since we were twelve. No longer a child, he must now understand the ways of the world—and the vast difference in status between me, the official heir of the Wynyates count family, and himself, merely the son of a viscount. I was no longer someone he could treat carelessly.
“Aren’t you ashamed? You’re an adult, yet you swing your sword at a child—this is violence!”
As I raised my voice in anger, Callisto tugged gently at my sleeve.
“Brother, I won though…”
“Be quiet, Calli. I won’t let him bully you again.”
“…But even if he does, I can win again…”
Ignoring his muttering, I stepped in front of him and stared at Ibri. His face flushed red as he clenched his fists.
“I’m the one who got hurt. My father won’t overlook a bastard injuring me.”
“Does the fact that your swordsmanship is inferior to Callisto’s somehow erase that you, an adult, attacked a child first?”
My voice grew colder. Ibri lowered his gaze, unable to answer. He clearly hadn’t expected me to defend Callisto this fiercely. Seeing how he acted arrogantly among those of lower status but fell silent before me made me feel disgusted.
“Your father won’t overlook this? Good. Because neither will I.”
“What? What do you mean, Etienne?!”
“Did I ever permit you to address me by name, young lord of Camois? How rude. Show proper respect.”
Ibri lifted his head sharply, glaring at me with barely restrained anger. I met his gaze, chin raised. Silence lingered.
Finally, he bit his lower lip and spoke.
“…I apologize, young lord of Wynyates.”
“Good. But I’d prefer not to see you at Wynyates again. You may leave.”
“What? But I’m waiting for my father and Duke Harrington—”
“I said leave, Ibri. I won’t stop you from waiting outside the estate.”
His face turned pale.
Pulling Callisto into my arms, I turned away. The Gilos siblings and Brine approached and greeted me, and after exchanging a few words, I headed inside with Callisto. That was the end of the incident—for now.
But I couldn’t feel at ease.
Ibri had apologized to me and been thrown out, but the ones he wronged were Callisto and the other children. Even so, I couldn’t order the son of a viscount to bow his head to someone labeled a bastard.
Callisto would face countless situations like this in the future. Not just from Ibri, but from many others who would look down on him and scorn him. I couldn’t always be there to protect him.
Even though, in truth, Callisto’s status was higher than any of theirs.
Someday, I would restore his rightful position. But for now, there was nothing I could do, and it weighed heavily on my heart. Back in the bedroom, I gently comforted him.
“Calli, you must’ve been scared. I’m sorry.”
“…No…”
But as he looked down, his cheeks seemed puffed up—almost three times more than usual. It didn’t make sense, but he looked sulky.
Tilting my head, I asked,
“Are you upset because of Ibri? Should I punish him more?”
If Callisto wanted, I could find a way. As I was considering it, Callisto suddenly lifted his head. His amber eyes burned brightly, filled with a strange mix of frustration and grievance.
“But why?”
“Do I still look like a baby to you? I’m not a baby anymore—I’ve grown up! I won, you know!”
“…Huh?”
Caught off guard by his tearful outburst, I could only blink in confusion.
