Chapter 36
Chapter 36
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 36
Chapter Title: Refusing the Family Head Position
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Porto had promised me the position of Family Head.
That meant the chance to rule over a vast and expansive territory, along with the granting of an earldom—a title even the king and other nobles would consider an honor.
If that happened, all the territory's residents would look up to me just as they did Porto.
I could exile Woorel and Kenneth, whom I couldn't even stand to look at, beyond the territory's borders.
Since those guys had their sights set on becoming Family Head, it would be one of the ultimate ways for me to get revenge.
The looks on their faces after having the position stolen by a disowned young lord would be quite the sight.
I could fill my belly with the money pouring in from abundant resources and commercial facilities, and if I felt like it, spend the rest of my days flirting with pretty girls and living it up.
That had been my goal before my memories of my past life returned.
Now, those emotions and memories were all jumbled up like smeared paint, faded and subdued.
It was a position that someone like me, who had lived as a talentless disowned young lord, could only yearn for.
Porto was a lord trusted and respected by all the territory's residents.
He was a true patriot who shortened his own sleep to ensure everyone else went to bed full.
That was an undeniable fact.
Sons naturally look up to their fathers.
There had been a time when I wanted to become a man like Porto, whom everyone praised in unison.
Back in those days of inferiority, I was filled with a desire to be acknowledged by others.
Back when only my second sister worried about me and took care of me.
Even knowing it was pointless, I read difficult books, and even knowing I'd lose, I swung a wooden sword at my opponents—
All because I wanted to be acknowledged by everyone.
If I became the Family Head of Tristi,
I could deny my siblings who had pointed fingers and insulted me as the disowned young lord.
I could paint a beautiful picture where everyone affirmed my existence.
"Haha."
It was unfortunate news for Porto, who was trying to make me Family Head.
But what I just said was all in the past.
The inferiority complex from my childhood had long since been resolved.
The memories of living in the harsh, cutthroat 21st-century South Korea had brought about many changes in me.
I was different from my younger self.
My values had shifted so much that I could say I was a completely different person.
I prided myself on knowing how to live a happy life.
After curing my sick sister, we could go on walks together, let Dalpi handle the household chores and auto-hunt, and I could lounge in bed all day, freeloading off life—that kind of leisure had become my goal.
Setting aside how busy and annoying the Family Head position would be.
The guy who had ignored me nonstop until now was spouting crap like, "My goal is to make the territory powerful! You're the right one for it!"—no way was that going to look good to me.
If I wanted to play territory tycoon, I'd rack up some achievements and get a new one from the king instead. I had no interest in the Tristi Family Head seat, even if it was offered.
What appeal could the Tristi Family Head position hold for someone like me?
I wasn't that innocently cheerful of a person.
Even if Porto's attitude had changed, that didn't compensate for my childhood spent crying amid indifference and torment.
In fact, human psychology being what it is, hearing that would only make me want to smash it to pieces.
Dalpi glanced at me.
She was gauging my mood, but since I wasn't furious to the top of my head like with Kenneth, it was fine.
Porto seemed to be under some serious misconception.
It was time to awaken his outdated mindset.
To repeat myself, I was fine.
Still, my personality wasn't so prickly that I'd swing a fist at my biological father who had sired me.
Unless it was about burning a cart or something.
I just wanted to have a conversation with Porto.
"I'm amazed by you, Father."
"Hm?"
"I can never think of you as the same kind of human as me. It's always surprising."
Porto's words were unpleasant.
It felt like looking at someone trapped in their own world—utterly revolting.
"You seem to be under a serious misconception, but I'm not your property. I'm not some tool created just to carry on the line."
Until now, I had never contradicted Porto's words.
After awakening to my past life, I hadn't had the chance.
Before that, I had been too weak.
This was probably the first and last time.
I wouldn't see him anymore after this, so I decided to let it all out.
"It's foolish to think all children want the Family Head position. I've had no interest in it from the start. The only reason I've stayed in this ragtag mansion like a beggar's blanket is purely because of Sister Haniell. Father."
Safely securing the territory?
The Tristi Autonomous Territory must prosper forever?
The most capable person should take it?
What a load of bullshit.
"You never even spared me a glance until now. Not that I want attention from someone like you, but now that I've solved the millennium problem and done something amazing, suddenly I'm catching your eye as a father?"
I glared at him.
"After throwing every stone at me until now, you think spouting that crap as 'persuasion' will make me inherit the seat and devote myself to the family and territory? God, it's so absurd—ah, but I get it. You're just your typical old-fashioned lunatic."
For the record, I wasn't getting help from Nob AI.
Koreans are better at cursing than AI anyway.
"Sending your kids on pilgrimages and to battlefields to weed out the dangerous ones—such a creative idea. Wow, truly impressive. Yeah, applause for my creatively overflowing father!"
I pretended to clap.
And then.
"People like Kenneth or Woorel who are dumb as rocks, or like Brother Jeffer or Sister Haniell who have their own goals, might put up with your beggarly nonsense, but not me. Shall I explain kindly?"
"The Tristi Family Head position holds no appeal for me. No value. It's equal to or less than a stone rolling on the ground."
"I've earned enough honor. I can make as much money as I want. I don't love the family like you do. Wasn't it you who shattered my pride as a Tristi from childhood?"
"I have no obligation or sense of duty to protect this autonomous territory now. Oh, if you're saying I ate and wore clothes bought with the residents' taxes until now, I think I've repaid that favor to some extent with this observation."
"I'd love to take Sister Haniell and leave the territory right now, but she doesn't want that. I'm staying here because I pity the innocent people in the autonomous territory and my sister. I hope you don't misunderstand that, Father."
"Unfortunately, if you use the Family Head trial as an excuse to treat Sister Haniell harshly, I'll stop it with everything I've got. Go ahead and try. It'll be pointless anyway."
"Finally, as your son, let me advise you: don't even dream of trying to harm me after I leave this mansion. If you do something that foolish, the potential danger you just mentioned might turn into a real one."
Venting all the pent-up resentment toward Porto until now left me breathing heavily once I finished speaking.
The royal medal and baronetcy.
And, though unintentional, the achievement of observing this polar period.
Could Porto dispose of me like he did Felix?
I didn't think so.
My standing had grown too large for a 15-year-old boy.
That was the basis for my boldness in front of the autonomous territory's lord.
"Fuck off, Father."
I raised my middle finger.
"Be grateful that I treat you and my other siblings like filthy bugs and ignore you. If not, no matter what it took..."
At that moment, Dalpi patted my shoulder.
"..."
Yeah. He'd gotten the message by now.
Any more anger would just hurt me.
Wasting unnecessary emotions was a chore too.
"Haa."
I sighed and shut my mouth.
Porto was stunned.
"......."
The reaction was underwhelming.
Honestly, I'd expected something more intense, so it was a letdown.
The silence continued, disappointing me, but seeing Porto speechless made it feel like some recompense for all the shitty times.
Anyway, that was that.
"I heard you've distributed proxy Family Head authority to Haniell, Woorel, and Jeffer. Does that mean you're stepping back from the front lines?"
"Yes."
Porto seemed to have nothing more to say to me and left the room.
Dalpi patted my back.
"Young master, you must be exhausted from all that cursing."
"Yeah."
I had to say what needed saying.
"Who's the overall person in charge now?"
"Master Jeffer."
On my way, I made eye contact with Kenneth, but he averted his gaze first and slipped away.
"No trouble from Kenneth while I was gone?"
"No. He was quiet as a dead mouse."
As always, fear works wonders.
Should've beaten him sooner. Damn.
Anyway, I rushed the news to Jeffer.
"Brother, a powerful mana reaction has occurred in the autonomous territory. Something's off. We need to investigate the cause quickly."
What happened to Etilla on the hatch before wasn't random.
A mana reaction that struck suddenly without warning.
According to Nob AI, we needed to go check it out directly.
"A mana reaction?"
We looked north.
It would be nice if it were as quiet as Kenneth's sealed lips, but the north was crawling with demons.
"It won't be easy to go. With demons everywhere, even sending a search party will be tough..."
"I'll go with Dalpi."
Jeffer blinked.
"You and one maid? You sure you can handle it?"
『Nob AI can take care of it.』
I nodded slowly.