Chapter 244
Chapter 244
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: EP.54 – The Knight Hates Bean Powder (6)
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[──!!]
Snap...
"...Ugh, looks like Mother pulled off another one."
Iliyad paused his brush at what sounded like a beastly roar, but soon realized who was in the direction it came from and let out a cheerful laugh.
It was where his mother and the knight were.
"Must be sharing old stories with Sir Lee Han."
"Another victim bites the dust. Even the former prime minister and Sir Tristan screamed like that."
"They sure did. Though, to be fair, chatting with Mother can give you all sorts of headaches. Ahaha!"
Iliyad could easily guess what had gone down there.
She'd probably shared some past tale again, and Sir Lee Han was losing his mind listening to it.
"...Mother's just wired differently. She has sides that set her apart from others, so it's only natural."
Tap.
Iliyad set down his brush and picked up the teacup Elza had brought.
"Less 'different' and more her way of thinking is downright bizarre, if you ask me."
"...It's not Mother's fault. She grew up in such a twisted environment from childhood, after all."
"Well..."
"Mother's just... a pitiful woman..."
"......"
Iliyad knew his mother better than anyone.
Not just because she was his birth mother—he'd based a fairy tale on her and dug into every detail of her past to create it.
That's why he knew Felicia couldn't help but have a 'twisted disposition' that set her apart from ordinary folk.
Her parents had been indifferent, the adults around her busy scorning and despising her, leaving her neglected throughout her life...
And in all that, the only friend and guide his mother ever had was a single sword. It was inevitable her view of the world differed from others.
"'The knight here knows no parental love, how to love others, or how to receive love'—that's a line from volume two, right?"
"...Elza, you've read my book too?"
"I own every volume. In fact, everyone in the family has a copy."
"Th-that's embarrassing."
"Embarrassing? If anything, that book defends all those odd and cruel acts from Mother's past. You've done something incredible, family head."
"Ahem...!"
...Yes, it was a secret not widely known, but one reason Iliyad had made a fairy tale based on his mother wasn't just to turn real events into a story—it was to protect her.
'Mother's past has plenty of dishonorable deeds that don't deserve praise.'
Her life of neglect, where the sword was everything, was steeped in blood—calling it a days-long bloodbath wouldn't be an exaggeration.
No wonder one of her nicknames was 'Demon of the Battlefield'.
Even in wartime, she'd committed acts deserving full condemnation without restraint, earning that brutal moniker.
So Iliyad knew it was natural for her to face criticism for such history. Even so, he wanted to tell the world:
Yes, Mother was brutal, but it stemmed from a tragedy—never learning basics like 'kindness,' 'love,' or 'affection' from the 'pathetic adults' around her.
It wasn't because she lacked honor or nobility...
"Some hate my fairy tale for 'glossing it over' like that. They call it something like 'anti-fans' these days? Sigh, wonder if I'll get pelted with stones someday."
"Just say the word, and I'll clear them all out."
"...As if I could say no to that."
He was willing to bear the criticism.
Honestly, he hadn't expected huge popularity when publishing it, so the massive success was a surprise.
Thus, Iliyad didn't rejoice or despair over praise or backlash for the fairy tale.
He just accepted it and quietly worked on the next piece, releasing new works steadily.
"More importantly, Mother really seems to like Sir Lee Han. It's been less than a month since they met, but she's fussing over him like that and even sharing old stories. Hmm, maybe because he reminds her of herself?"
"Reminds her? You mean that knight resembles Mother?"
"Mother and Sir Lee Han have quite a few similarities. The quirky side, being strict with themselves... even down to lacking talent."
"??"
Elza tilted her head, but Iliyad didn't bother explaining.
It was something only someone with his eye for talent could spot.
'I've felt it since day one—he really takes after Mother.'
He could tell just from watching her posture and sword swings a few times.
Ah, this person's talent is utterly mediocre.
Commonplace talent.
Even Offen's disciples probably overflowed with types like him.
But one thing set him apart.
This knight named Lee Han had...
'...one special quality, just like Mother: he doesn't know the word "quit."'
You could see it from his physical training alone.
It was the result of grinding down bones and tearing flesh through relentless drills.
The fruit of tenacity from pouring eons-worth of effort into one thing.
He had to be an ascetic seeker as admirable as Mother.
And from his combat stance...
'Might've rolled in a harsh organization back in the day—an assassin guild or mercenary band? Maybe both. And survived brutal battlefields too. His skills and reactions scream war veteran. Hmm, ex-soldier?'
Iliyad had only watched a spar between Lee Han and his mother, yet he'd pieced together a rough sketch of the knight's hidden past.
It wasn't hard.
You could learn a lot from calluses, posture, and such.
...It was just that almost no one could.
'Lacking innate talent but gifted in creativity and imagination. You can tell from his techniques—he's pondered ways to push his sturdy body to the limit.'
A pitiful trait comparable to Mother's, but one edge he had over her: fresh ideas and fearless drive to forge new paths.
'Normally, you wouldn't have that kind of drive unless... well, this is a rare case.'
Just recalling what Arno had told him, many of his techniques screamed "made staking his life on it."
The methods of a madman with no attachment to life.
So when he first heard the knight was visiting, he'd pegged him as a huge weirdo—only to be surprised by how normal he seemed.
That sparked a bit of curiosity.
Just what—
'—lets him live throwing his life away like that?'
He wasn't a lunatic, so how?
'It's the boldness of someone who's lived life two or three times. Could he really be living it twice over?'
...Ha!
"Guess I have occupational hazards too. My imagination runs wild."
"Family head?"
"Elza, more tea please. My throat's suddenly dry."
"Right away."
"Thanks."
Iliyad decided to shake off idle thoughts with a short break.
Probably fatigue from wrapping up a new work after a long hiatus.
'Or maybe...'
...because some random past memory surfaced?
Sir Lee Han's bellowing lecture at his fuming mother still faintly drifted in from outside.
Hard to make out, but probably nagging her.
'Just like Mother's old comrades and friends used to.'
But even with that nagging...
'Mother won't change.'
She never had.
Part of him thought maybe he should stop her now before wasting more time, but picturing his mother getting scolded...
'...it's kinda satisfying.'
Vicarious satisfaction, perhaps?
Watching him deliver the scolding he himself should give felt gratifying.
"Heh, guess I'm a pretty unfilial son."
Iliyad didn't hate his mother, but he couldn't deny a twinge of resentment—which made seeing her get chewed out all the more satisfying.
"...Ah, it's over?"
So when the knight's booming voice faded and his presence receded, it felt a tad disappointing.
Already done?
"Me too... what a... pathetic guy... I am."
Before he knew it, what was meant to be a brief rest had his consciousness fading fast.
Unable to resist the drowsiness overtaking him, Iliyad closed his eyes.
...Without any fight.
Bam!
"She just won't listen...!"
Lee Han vented his frustration by smashing a huge boulder.
Each hit shattered it ridiculously despite its size, and only after pulverizing it to sand did he finally calm down, panting heavily.
"Damn it..."
Honestly, it wasn't his place to get this heated.
It was someone else's business, and meddling in family affairs was the height of overstepping.
But that didn't stop the anger—because...
'A single "word" could've fixed it, so why blow it up like that...'
He was certain their past tragedy stemmed from something trivial that could've been easily resolved, hitting peak frustration.
A truly minor thing—just a bit of talk, or one word from the swordmaster—would've prevented it.
But that yokai didn't know.
...Not that he could just blame the yokai outright.
"The real issue is that yokai auntie's a victim too..."
Abused at home, lacking normal values, a total oddball.
Yet that very oddness let her become an Aura User, making it impossible to condemn her outright—an absurd, tragic irony.
And the clincher for snapping at that yokai was probably...
"Tch, why'd she have to be so damn similar."
Their lives mirrored his own too closely, driving him nuts.
Her past echoed his previous life; parts even aligned with his reincarnated one.
For Lee Han, finding someone with a life so like his was maddening yet heartbreaking.
He knew how lonely and grueling such a path was.
And somehow...
'I'm scared my future might end up like that.'
Too alike, so he feared if he ever had kids, he'd turn out the same.
He knew it was overthinking, but the similarity bred unavoidable anxiety.
'No, flip it around.'
Be grateful for the反面教師.
It hardened his resolve: don't end up like that.
Lee Han tried reframing positively to rein in his emotions.
Whirr!
"What, you comforting me?"
Whirr, whirr.
"...Even the bees pity me."
Lee Han let out a hollow chuckle as the honeybees he'd befriended patted his shoulder like consoling pets.
"Haa, thanks anyway."
Knowing they meant no harm, he nodded appreciatively.
Nice folks.
Hostile at first, but once friendly, they acted like puppies.
And yeah, they were plumper and fuzzier than average bees—pretty cute.
"...You like the potion that much?"
Wondering if they loved his gifted potion, Lee Han tilted his head while petting them.
That's when—
"I-Instructor! Save me!"
"?"
"Wh-why are Tigerwolf Bees here!?"
"...What're you doing?"
Lee Han tilted his head at the gray-haired status window holder he hadn't seen in a while.
The guy was surrounded by bees, hands up in terrified surrender.
"Why freak out over some bees?"
"H-how are Tigerwolf Bees just 'some bees'! They're the world's strongest honeybees—could take an ogre if they wanted!"
"These cuties?"
Lee Han blinked and locked eyes with the biggest bee.
Whirr?
It mimicked him by tilting its body, its pattern tiger-striped unlike normal bees.
But even that...
"...is cute?"
"They see you as stronger, so they accept you as master!"
"...That's how it works?"
Makes sense now.
"So that's why you brought honey every day."
Lee Han scratched his cheek, realizing he'd gained not friends, but serfs offering tribute honey.
Felt kinda like he'd bullied them.
But that guilt faded fast.
Whirr!
The bees just nuzzled his cheek.