Chapter 19
Areph, who was given a mission, began to gradually increase his food intake from that day.
His habit of eating cautiously and nervously started to fade, and along with it, his shyness also lessened little by little.
The adults were very pleased with this change.
Because he ate well, he started to gain weight bit by bit.
One day, when he thought his formerly skinny arms had grown a bit chubbier, Areph told Soles that he wanted to exercise.
“Then why don’t you learn swordsmanship with me?”
Soles handed Areph a wooden practice sword that had been in the room.
Areph sharpened all his senses as he held the wooden sword for the first time.
Even though it was a toy, it was carved from wood and felt heavier than expected. The smooth handle fit snugly in his soft palm.
Soles watched Areph, focused on the sword, with curiosity and asked,
“How do you feel?”
“Scared and strange…”
“That’s right. Swords are scary and dangerous. Grandfather said that. You have to know that swords are scary to learn seriously.”
“D-Do you, young master, do well at swordsmanship?”
Areph asked while handing back the wooden sword.
Soles lightly swung the now too-light wooden sword with one hand and replied,
“Compared to others my age, hmm, I don’t think I’m that bad. After all, grandfather teaches me personally.”
A strange smile appeared on Soles’ face as he spoke.
“It’s a secret, but I like studying more than swordsmanship.”
“Why?”
“Because it’s fun to learn things you didn’t know before. But to study, you have to be healthy and strong. You need stamina to do more and do it longer.”
That was Soles’ reason for learning swordsmanship.
And through Soles, Areph learned that everyone has different reasons for learning something.
“Do you learn swordsmanship too, miss?”
“No.”
Areph was surprised by Soles’ answer.
Since the kindergarten commotion on the first day, Nibelia had noticeably calmed down.
More precisely, she had learned to consider how her behavior affects others — to think and worry about her actions.
However, Nibelia was still lively, occasionally surprising the adults with strange words, and she liked running more than walking.
Areph thought someone like Nibelia would naturally learn swordsmanship.
“You thought that was strange, right?”
Soles smiled slightly, as if he read Areph’s mind.
“Nini is afraid of swords.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know either.”
Nibelia had disliked swords from the start.
“When Nini was a baby, a knight once came to the house. Of course, he wore a sword at his waist.”
At that moment, Nibelia, who was taking a walk in Deter’s arms, met the knight.
The knight approached the young lady to show respect.
Nibelia screamed and cried as soon as she saw the knight.
“She had a fever all night long and was very sick. I don’t remember well, but grandmother and the doctor stayed by Nini’s side the whole time.”
“……”
“Since then, any knight who visits the Dayamor mansion must disarm and leave their sword at the door.”
This could have been considered disrespectful to the knights or even the prestige of the Dramenno Empire.
But this was the Dayamor mansion.
It was possible because this mansion was home to the saint and holy knight who had exterminated monsters 40 years ago.
“I see…”
“Also, call me by my name. Saying ‘young master’ makes it sound like we’re not close.”
“Ah…”
“Try it. Soles hyung!”
“S-Soles hyung…”
“Good!”
Soles smiled broadly, clearly satisfied.
Areph blushed and lowered his head deeply.
“……”
At that moment, the wooden sword in Soles’ hand caught the boy’s eye.
Perhaps because of Nibelia’s story, the sword now felt scarier than before.
But at the same time, his desire to learn swordsmanship grew.
“I have to learn properly.”
So that next time…
A few days later.
Late spring arrived, warm enough that people began to say, “It’s getting quite hot.”
Seletyna finished preparing for work about two hours later than usual.
“Selly, are you really okay?”
Caleo, who had come to see her off, asked with a worried look.
“Taking three kids with you to work…”
“I’m fine. Our building has a daycare for boys, and today the employees are bringing the kids for a tour.”
“If anything happens, call me. I’ll come get you right away.”
“Just hearing that makes me feel reassured. Thank you.”
After giving him a quick kiss on the cheek, Caleo finally relaxed his stiff expression.
Just then, the kids, ready to go out, came down the stairs.
“Mom!”
Seletyna couldn’t hide her happy smile as she watched Nibelia running toward her like Pororo (the penguin cartoon character).
“Oh my, goodness!”
Nibelia clung tightly to Seletyna’s legs and shouted her name.
“Nini!”
“Mom, I almost didn’t recognize Nini. Wasn’t she you? Because she looks so cool?”
“Yeah. Dad thought a cool older sister was coming, too.”
Feeling proud from her parents’ compliments, Nibelia lifted her chin high.
“Today I’m investing! Nini is a great investor!”
Finally, Nibelia was going to Seletyna’s company for her first investment.
Clearing her throat and bragging, Nibelia showed off her outfit.
Knee-length shorts, a white shirt, and black suspenders created a sharp impression.
Her white-silver hair was neatly braided into a single braid.
“Dad, will Nini make a lot of money today?”
“Can we expect that?”
“Yep!”
Nibelia punched her chest with a clenched fist, signaling confidence.
Laughing, Caleo looked back at Soles and Areph, who were quietly waiting behind Nibelia.
The two boys were dressed similarly to Nibelia, but Areph awkwardly fiddled with his sleeves several times.
“You both look good.”
“Well then, we’ll be back, Father.”
“W-We’ll be back…”
“Have a good day…”
Thud!
Suddenly, a large iron box fell right in front of the family who was about to part.
More precisely, in front of Nibelia.
“…Nini, do you know this?”
Nibelia shouted upon seeing the box suddenly appear.
“This is the thing where you put a person’s head and send them to the enemy!”
“That’s not it.”
Caleo checked the letter he received from the servant who delivered the box.
“It’s your birthday present.”
“Nini’s birthday already passed.”
“It seems it’s a gift from your aunt.”
Seletyna, inspecting the box, looked at Caleo.
After reading the letter, he nodded.
“It looks like a gift from your aunt has just arrived.”
“Aunt?”
“Your father’s younger sister.”
“You have a sister too, Dad?”
Nibelia was surprised by Soles’ explanation.
Caleo explained.
“There’s an aunt who ran away six years ago saying she wanted to become a mercenary king. She visited briefly two years ago, but you were sleeping then.”
“That aunt has no manners. She should have said hello to Nini.”
“If your aunt heard that, she’d probably laugh her head off.”
For now, they decided to open the box and see what was inside.
The jet-black iron box was covered with threatening sharp and blunt spikes protruding from it.
Caleo carefully opened the box.
The curious kids eagerly peered inside.
“…Eww?”
Nibelia looked at her parents with a puzzled expression.
Soles and Areph also had the same expression as Nibelia.
Inside were mysterious shards rolling around.
“It looks like eggshells.”
Areph reached out to touch the contents, but Seletyna stopped him, warning it could be dangerous.
Instead, she took out a handkerchief and carefully picked up what appeared to be an eggshell.
“It really looks like eggshell.”
A very large, black eggshell, it seemed.
“But the inside of the box is clean.”
Soles pointed inside the box as if to say, “See this?”
If the eggs were broken, the contents would have made a mess and smelled bad.
But the box was clean — except for the metallic smell, there was no foul odor.
“The letter says it was a prize from a competition, sent as a birthday present for Nini.”
Caleo read the letter aloud.
“Hmm…”
Nibelia nodded and said,
“Mom, I want to go now.”
“Shall we? What about the gift?”
“I don’t know. Maybe throw it away?”
“It’s from your aunt, so let’s keep it in the storage for now. You never know, it might be something important.”
Seletyna looked at Caleo.
“Does the letter say what the gift is?”
“Well…”
Hesitating, Caleo spoke reluctantly.
“It says it’s the egg of the evil dragon Ater.”
But the dragon had disappeared hundreds of years ago.
Now dragons were just mythical creatures from fairy tales.
Rubeo.
A huge commercial group owned by the Dayamor family, the first in Dramenno Empire’s history to be called a “corporation.”
Seletyna Dayamor was the person who built Rubeo into a corporation and served as its first CEO.
“Welcome, Chief.”
“Good morning, Chief.”
As Seletyna appeared, all the company employees stopped what they were doing and greeted her.
“Good morning, everyone.”
Seletyna accepted their greetings with natural but polite dignity, showing her stature as the CEO.
The children watching her wore faces full of admiration.
“Mother is really cool…!”
Soles whispered, and Nibelia and Areph nodded vigorously.
Nibelia was especially moved.
She couldn’t take her eyes off Seletyna’s commanding gestures giving orders and approving documents on the spot.
“Nini will become a woman who makes money as impressively as mom!”
When Deter handed her documents, she signed them impressively.
When Soles asked questions, she answered impressively.
When Areph asked for help, she helped impressively.
“…Nini will make lots of money too!”
Nibelia clenched her fist and vowed with determination.
Her spirited shout naturally drew the attention of the employees.
Nibelia, flustered, hid behind Soles.
She had just realized she was surrounded by strangers.
“Here, catch me…!”
At that moment, Areph remembered his mission and reached out his hand.
“I’ll be right beside you. It’ll be less scary that way.”
