“Shh. Be quiet. Julia might wake up.”
“Hehe. Okay. But Julia, really… Even at this age, she can’t sleep alone.”
Charlotte entered the office quietly, covering her mouth to stifle her laughter.
This girl…
She blushes and runs away every time she sees me, but now, she has nothing but a mischievous look, thinking only of teasing Julia.
“If she wanted to hold hands while sleeping, she should have told me…”
“Your hand probably wouldn’t do. It seems she can only sleep with mine.”
“Huh, is that so. Well, Julia and I have been holding hands and sleeping together for a very long time. Way before she met you, old man.”
“…Mister.”
What does she want me to do with that?
Charlotte stood with her hands on her hips, looking proud, as if to say, “Julia is originally mine”.
She gently stroked Julia’s head as she slept.
“It’s been a long time since I’ve seen her sleep so soundly…”
“She’s been suffering from insomnia.”
“Hehehe. It’s good to see her so peaceful. Thank you, Mister.”
“…”
Charlotte made a relieved face, as if it was her own concern.
She usually seems carefree, but apparently, she had been quite worried about Julia.
They’re truly affectionate towards each other.
Perhaps it’s because they had no one else to rely on at the orphanage.
Thinking about it that way made me feel a bit sorry for them.
“So, what’s the reason for your visit at this hour?”
“Oh, right. The Super Super Strong Sword… I want it back…”
“Yes. Since you came in person, I should return it. Sylvia.”
“Yes.”
Silently, Sylvia emerged from the darkness, carrying the Super Super Strong Sword.
When Sylvia handed over the sword, Charlotte’s expression turned a bit puzzled.
As if asking, “Is this really it?”
“You may leave.”
“Really?”
“Yes.”
“Then…”
“Do you have something else to say?”
She hesitated.
Standing at the door, she slowly closed it again and returned.
“The blow that split the mountain. What exactly was that…?”
“You ask that only now? Honestly, if you had left without asking, I would have been very disappointed.”
“It was a test, wasn’t it…!”
“Power itself is dangerous. For those who don’t think deeply enough, it’s just a luxury. To truly make that power your own, you must understand it and constantly reflect on it.”
“Ah…!”
I stole Sylvia’s line from the end of Chapter 1.
Innocence is fine.
But when using power, one must be serious.
Especially since Charlotte’s power is as strong as 120 Kabooms, or 30 Sylvias.
Imagine if she went astray with that power.
Just thinking about it is terrifying.
Charlotte herself also has the responsibility to fully understand and control her power.
But I also have a duty to guide her on the right path.
That’s the role of an adult.
“So, what was it?”
“After the blow, we investigated the Super Super Strong Sword. We found traces of large amounts of energy being released from the sword’s body.”
“Magic…?”
“I don’t know. It’s certain that mana was burned to release energy, but whether it’s magic or not, I can’t say. Until we identify it, that technique…”
“It’s Rumbling Thunder!”
“Until we identify it, Rumbling Thunder is prohibited.”
“…!”
Charlotte sank to the floor, looking as if her world had crumbled.
She seemed very disappointed.
“Don’t worry. It probably won’t take long to figure it out.”
“You have a way? You’re smart, so you’ll figure it out quickly, right? Right?”
“No. The one who will figure it out is not me but…”
Boom!
At that moment, the mansion shook violently, and the candles went out.
The small tremor grew louder and closer.
My hair stood on end, and a sudden chill ran through me.
[The evil god, ‘Kali’, growls.]
…This is much sooner than I expected.
“Charlotte! Get behind me…!”
Crash!
Suddenly, the office wall crumbled.
I grabbed Julia and rolled to a safe spot.
Charlotte had already escaped to safety on her own.
“Kya!? What’s going on…?”
Rumble.
Through the gap in the collapsed wall, a black figure pushed through.
The round shape unfolded, and a familiar-looking woman appeared from inside, her long black hair flowing.
“Irene…”
“Why the face? Do you look like you’ve seen something you shouldn’t?”
“…”
“Lower your eyes.”
Irene Vermont.
I expected her to come.
But not in such a grand entrance.
“Y-Young Master… Run away…”
“Do you think he’d run away? Just be quiet.”
“Ugh…!”
Squeeze.
Sylvia, covered in blood, was grasped by Irene.
Our mansion’s top force was subdued in an instant.
Irene lightly tossed Sylvia into the office and gracefully stepped in.
‘This is the 5th floor…’
She couldn’t have flown up here.
The giant black shape that carried Irene must be the Evil God Laura.
Or rather, a part of Laura.
She could easily subdue Sylvia with just a clone and destroy the mansion.
Can’t Kali do something like that?
[The evil god ‘Kali’ glares fiercely at the evil god ‘Laura’!]
Damn it.
Kali is useless.
I gritted my teeth and locked eyes with Irene as she slowly approached me.
“…What is it?”
“What do you mean, ‘What is it?’ Don’t tell me you were planning to hide it? After destroying a whole mountain like that? Do you think I wouldn’t notice?”
“The mountain behind the house has always been like that. Maybe you’re remembering wrong, Sister.”
“Ahaha. My lovely little brother. Your shamelessness has increased, but your lying skills haven’t improved at all. Why don’t you just admit it? It’s already out in the open anyway.”
“…I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“Are you planning to keep your mouth shut until I spell it out for you?”
Irene’s expression hardened, and a chilling aura tickled my ear.
But I had to hold my ground.
As I remained silent, Irene gritted her teeth and brought her lips close to my ear.
“If a Sword Master was born in our family, you should have come to me immediately. Are you joking? I saw it all. The black aura splitting the mountain. So, stop this stupid standoff.”
“…”
Sword Master. Aura.
I got all the information I needed.
When Charlotte struck with her sword, I was inside and didn’t see it.
The thing that split the mountain was none other than Aura.
A kind of energy wave that only a Sword Master can wield.
But when we talk about Aura, don’t they usually appear an extension on a sword?
Is it possible for it to become large enough to split a mountain?
I have a lot of questions about this and that.
First of all, I have to pretend to know everything in front of Irene.
“I kept quiet because I knew this would happen. A Sword Master in the family should be a cause for celebration, right? Why make a fuss on such a good day?”
“Ah, right. A cause for celebration. If only that Sword Master wasn’t under your command. I know you well, Aslan. You’re destined to ruin everything around you. Whether you want to or not.”
“…”
“There’s no way that half-wit became a Sword Master. So, it was that kid who wielded the aura? Unbelievable. It takes talented knights decades of training to even experience Aura, and she did it at that age? How much of a genius is she?”
“She’s quite a genius. So much so that it’s a waste to keep her under my wing.”
“If she’s really that precious, why not let me take care of her?”
“Eh. Not that precious.”
“…”
Crack.
Gritting her teeth, Irene’s face twisted in anger.
Last time we met, I couldn’t confront her, but this time was different.
‘Backing down now would ruin everything…!’
The blacksmith, the security business, Julia and Charlotte.
There’s too much at stake.
If I allow Irene’s interference now, it’ll mess up all my plans.
Just looking at her high heels made my perineum tingle with fear, but I faced her, overcoming that fear.
“I’ll say this only once. Hand over the kid. She was originally mine.”
“Take her if you can.”
“Oh my. Then I’ll take her without hesitation…”
“Of course, the moment you do, I won’t hesitate to use force.”
“…”
I stepped forward and issued a warning.
The reason I could be so bold?
[The evil god ‘Kali’ is fuming and preparing to descend!]
It’s Kali.
I’m putting all my hopes on Kali.
To be honest, considering its usual behavior, it doesn’t seem particularly strong.
But the truth is, Kali is my only trump card right now.
“I’m already furious that you stormed into the mansion and took out my guards, but I let it slide. But if you push further, it’ll be all-out war. A war between evil gods.”
“…!”
For the first time, Irene’s previously unyielding gaze wavered.
No matter how weak Kali is, an evil god is still an evil god.
Even if it’s just a part of them, a war between evil gods is no small matter.
It doesn’t matter whether you win or lose.
It’s okay if Kali is applied miserably.
The important thing is that if a war between evil gods breaks out in this land, it will be like advertising to the whole world, ‘We have made a contract with the evil gods.’
Can you handle that, Irene?
Even if I die, I won’t die alone.
“Aslan. Your bluffing skills have improved. Acting tough while your legs are trembling. But it seems it’s too early for a war.”
“…”
Irene lightly stroked my cheek.
With her sharp fingernails, she drew a solid line and then backed away.
She gracefully jumped down through the collapsed wall and landed on the black figure.
“Don’t forget. You’re my little brother. Even if I want to kill you, we’re bound by blood. If your existence gets in my way, I’ll come back to kill you, war or not.”
“Whatever you say…”
Rumble.
The black figure moved away.
As it disappeared over the mountain into the night, my legs gave out, and I sank to the floor.
“Mister! What’s a Sword Master? Is it something strong?”
“Yeah… it’s something super strong…”
“Wow! Really!?”
Weird.
I just won the lottery, but why don’t I feel happy at all?
Why does a peaceful future without threats seem to be slipping further away?
“Sword Master… Sword Master… Sword Master…”
Meanwhile, Sylvia, with a dazed expression, kept muttering the same words.
Is she okay?
