“Is this the first time this kind of phenomenon has occurred?”
“Yes. I was really surprised as well…”
Sylvia, still seemingly shaken, keeps fidgeting with her hands.
Since it’s Sylvia speaking, it must be certain.
It’s not some mistake or hallucination; this is real.
Sylvia’s sword really did split the spot where Reinhardt’s face was, and the sword’s tip cut through the past.
It seems safe to conclude this for now.
Does the sword itself possess some special power?
Or is it Sylvia’s own ability?
At the moment, there’s no way to know.
Given that it’s the first time, it doesn’t seem like a power that can be freely controlled.
If she could use that ability freely, there wouldn’t have been any need for her to struggle so much in the palace.
“I’ll train hard! If I can use this power according to my will, it will be a huge help in battle!”
“Go ahead.”
Sylvia, her eyes shining brightly, declares loudly.
Perhaps it’s because she discovered the hint of her power’s increase after a long time of stagnation, but she seems very excited.
By the way, a sword that can cut through the past…
What exactly is Jacob doing?
The Super Super Strong Sword, and the performance of the swords he’s painstakingly crafted, are extraordinary.
‘We need to strengthen Jacob’s security and the forge’s security a bit more.’
By now, it’s possible that some of the items delivered to the outside are showing far better performance than expected.
Once word gets out about Jacob’s skill, rumors will spread quickly.
I have a strong feeling that Jacob might even surpass the famous Master Craftsman Jain in reputation.
‘I wonder if Yuri is getting along well with the kids by now.’
By now, Yuri must have finished unpacking.
Since I’ve left the mansion empty, only Charlotte, Julia, and Yuri are there now.
Yuri wears a mask to hide her true feelings from me.
But if I’m away for a while, I think she’ll take off the mask and speak openly with the kids, so I’m giving her some time.
If that happens, I’ll be able to quickly ease Yuri’s wariness.
If a friend, without any ulterior motives or pretensions, says that Aslan Vermont is a good person, Yuri won’t be able to help but believe it.
‘Should I be a little hopeful…?’
When I returned, I saw the three of them happily playing together.
Yuri’s mask was off, and perhaps, for the first time, I might see a friendly gaze from her instead of the contemptuous look she usually gives me.
My heart began to race.
As the expectation swelled, I could feel my heart pounding strongly.
Soon, the sun began to set, and the carriage entered the Vermont mansion.
“Where are the kids?”
“Ah, they’re in the library right now…”
I heard the maid’s report, seemingly flustered, and immediately headed toward the library.
Let’s see what’s going on.
The moment I opened the door…
“Stop being so unreasonable, Charlotte!”
“It’s not unreasonable, it’s Julia who’s being unreasonable! Why can’t you admit that!?”
“…”
[The Evil God ‘Kali’ is complaining about chest pain, asking what is going on!]
An entirely unexpected scene unfolded before me.
Charlotte and Julia, both with flushed faces, shouting at each other without giving an inch.
It was clear that they weren’t playing around or acting; they were genuinely arguing.
Despite often having minor disagreements, Charlotte and Julia used to get along like sisters.
So why…
I was completely confused, not knowing what was going on.
“Both of you, quiet down. What’s all this noise in the library?”
“…”
“…”
As I approached, making my presence known, Charlotte and Julia immediately shut their mouths and stopped arguing.
However, it seemed like the tension hadn’t gone away, as they both kept their shoulders tense.
I glanced over at Yuri, wondering what had happened…
‘Why is this happening?’
Yuri was trembling with clenched fists, looking up at me.
Though her expression was hidden behind the mask, I could almost feel a murderous look in her eyes.
Charlotte and Julia were in a fierce argument, and it seemed Yuri had grown to dislike me even more.
Instead of things getting better, it seemed like the situation had worsened, and I felt like I might cry.
“Let’s just have a meal first.”
“…Okay.”
“…Yes.”
Before asking about what happened, I decided to take the children to the dining room.
99% of the time, the cause of an argument is stress.
And hunger always triggers or amplifies stress.
What might have felt irritating or anger-inducing when hungry might seem trivial after a meal.
To reconcile, it was essential to first fill their stomachs and warm their hearts.
“…”
“…”
Charlotte and Julia, maintaining a cold atmosphere without even exchanging a single word or glance, sit across from each other.
It seems that the situation isn’t serious enough for them to refuse a meal, though.
Both Charlotte and Julia brought their dog bowls and sat down at the table.
Then, for some reason, Yuri looked at me with her clenched fists shaking even harder.
‘Ah. Could it be because of the dog bowls?’
Oh no. Are they really angry because I gave Charlotte and Julia dog bowls?
I must have been inconsiderate.
I immediately acknowledged my mistake and, just in case, pulled out the extra custom dog bowls I had ordered and swapped them with the regular plates in front of Yuri.
“What is this…”
[The Evil God ‘Kali’ gives a thumbs up for your considerate handling.]
At that, Yuri’s clenched fists relaxed with a soft thud.
Though I couldn’t see her expression, I could probably guess she was moved to the point of almost shedding a tear.
Feeling a little proud, I wiped my nose and returned to my seat.
“So, why did you two fight today, of all days, on the first day Yuria came to the mansion?”
“…”
“…”
As the main course was being finished and dessert was about to arrive, I broke the awkward silence in the dining room by slowly bringing up the topic.
But the children only glanced at me, hesitating, and didn’t answer right away.
“I can’t not know about a conflict that happened in my own mansion. If you don’t speak, I won’t give either of you snacks starting tomorrow.”
[The Evil God ‘Kali’ thinks that’s a bit too harsh and asks for your mercy.]
There’s no mercy.
I pulled out the joker card of confiscating snacks, and only then did Charlotte and Julia react with surprised looks and finally speak up.
It worked.
“Well, you see… Julia keeps saying nonsense!”
“Huh!? The first one at fault is Charlotte!”
“Both of you, lower your voices. One at a time, tell me what happened. Charlotte, go first.”
As their voices started to rise again, I quickly intervened to quiet them down.
This doesn’t seem like a conflict that formed in such a short time…
It feels like something that has been brewing for years, maybe even before they arrived at the mansion, and now it’s finally exploded.
“No, you see! Julia won’t admit it! Anyone can see that Julia is more feminine, prettier, and cuter than I am! Her personality is a little hard to deal with, but other than that, she’s perfect! And still, she says no!”
“See? You’re already pointing out flaws and saying she’s perfect! That’s a contradiction! Of course, Charlotte is healthier than I am because she gets sunlight and moves around a lot more! Anyone would prefer bright and cheerful Charlotte over someone like me, who is not honest and is a pain!”
“Ah! Are you mad about what I just said!?”
“What? What’s wrong? No!”
“You’re mad because I said you’re not honest and are a pain! You repeated it again, so you must be upset!”
“Anyway, you’re the cuter one!”
“No, I’m not…!”
In an instant, the dining table turned into chaos again.
I could only let out a hollow laugh in the face of their intense argument.
I was so stunned that I couldn’t even think of stopping them.
‘So these two… they’re fighting over who’s prettier…?’
I’ve seen people argue over who’s prettier, but I’ve never seen two people fight over who is more beautiful, demanding acknowledgment.
It seems like the problem lies either in their overwhelming affection for each other, or perhaps their low self-esteem…
It’s a strange conflict I can’t quite grasp.
“Still won’t admit it! You pointed out my flaws yourself just now!”
“Where’s the flaw in what I said? Yuri’s not honest and she’s a pain, but that’s all part of her charm! If a tsundere suddenly became honest, who would be happy about it?”
“That’s your idea of charm…? That’s just nonsense!”
“How about we ask Aslan? Who’s right?”
“Okay! Aslan! Tell us! Obviously, Charlotte is cuter than me, right?”
“No, it’s Julia. She’s prettier.”
“…”
Both Charlotte and Julia turned to look at me in unison.
Suddenly, the bomb was dropped on me.
I was so flustered that I let out a laugh and spoke up.
“You two are having a meaningless argument over something trivial…”
Ah. I was supposed to phrase it more tactfully, but I ended up blurting out exactly what I was thinking.
At that moment…
“That’s right! That’s exactly what I meant…! Ah!?”
Yuri jumped up as if relieved, shouting, and then quickly put her hand over her mouth as if she realized her mistake, sitting back down.
Charlotte and Julia’s eyes turned toward Yuri in unison.
… Hic.
The sound of Yuri hiccupping echoed through the quiet dining room.
