Chapter 121
Chapter 121
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 121
Chapter Title: Training the Guard Dog
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Nihil added,
"Of course, you have to keep your mouth shut. It's not usually this noisy."
"......Lending him isn't difficult, but having Sir Evan stand guard alone does seem a bit overwhelming, doesn't it?"
King Sedes pondered whether he should increase the 2nd Prince's guards on this occasion. But he couldn't just appoint anyone. Since guards stood closest to royalty, mutual trust was essential.
Normally, the one being guarded would personally appoint from among the volunteers, but that hadn't been possible for the 2nd Prince. No one had stepped forward to serve as his guard.
'And then Sir Evan appeared amid all that.'
The youngest ever to join the knights and the first from commoner stock. His volunteering for the 2nd Prince had been unexpected, but the two-year-old prince had beamed so innocently at him back then.
'He doesn't exactly have a face kids would warm to, though...'
As King Sedes's thoughts drifted into strange territory, Nihil spoke up.
"Our house's puppy can handle guarding alone just fine. It's just that the puppy's in for a bit of pain."
"......Why would I be in pain?"
Suddenly being treated like some puppy about to fall ill left Evan perplexed, and he raised one eyebrow. It stung his pride a little, too, since he'd never so much as caught a cold before.
Nihil ignored Evan's sullenly furrowed brow and pressed on.
"You're probably curious about how to build up manpower—or have me oversee the puppy's training. I can show you right now. On the condition that you lend me that knight for a fortnight."
"There's a way to build up manpower?"
"I can do it. You can watch."
"......"
"Decide. Will you lend him?"
"I'd take that over house arrest any day!"
Frederick chimed in with a sly grin. He was probably thrilled at the prospect of seeing his sister more often.
"......Very well. A fortnight it is. Shall we head to my private training grounds? It's the only place to avoid the servants' eyes."
"No. Right here. Doesn't need much space, and it'll be over quick."
"......?"
Doubt flickered across King Sedes's face. What kind of training could possibly happen in the office? It wasn't tiny, but it was awfully cramped for swordplay.
Nihil promptly grabbed Evan's hand to demonstrate. Evan followed along, utterly baffled at the unfolding situation.
"Mind if the puppy draws his sword?"
"Go ahead."
With King Sedes's permission granted, Nihil jerked his chin at Evan, signaling him to draw.
The moment Evan's hand touched his hilt, the other knights all shifted to flank the king, poised to respond to whatever might happen.
"What are you planning?"
Evan muttered as he drew his sword, equal parts anxious and excited.
"First, envelop it in aura. Condense it as tightly as you can."
With that, Nihil strode past Evan—who now stood alone in the center of the office, sword drawn—to the unlit fireplace. He picked up the poker hanging beside it and trudged back.
Evan scowled at the sight of Nihil approaching with the poker in hand.
"What do you plan to do with that?"
"Your aura's scattering. Do it right."
"I'm warning you now—don't even think about striking an aura-clad sword with that. You'll hurt yourself."
"Keep enveloping your aura that sloppily, and you'll get hurt. Quit yapping and focus."
"......"
Stung by the word "sloppily," Evan clamped his mouth shut and concentrated on compressing his aura. The vivid golden aura swirling flamboyantly around the blade gradually shrank, turning clear and serene.
While Evan focused, Nihil snatched up a rabbit doll sprawled on the sofa, untied the green ribbon decorating its nape, and blindfolded himself with it. Then he planted himself right in front of Evan's aura-shrouded blade.
"I'm going to hit your sword with this. You just have to hold this aura state steady."
"......And if I do?"
"You won't. So try."
"...That's all?"
"Just ten minutes, easy. Gotta save some strength to get back to Rian's palace."
"Ten minutes...? What do you take me for...!"
The poker swung before Evan could finish.
"Cough, cough—ugh, urk!"
Exactly ten minutes later, Evan crawled across the office floor, dry-heaving. Mana exhaustion.
Nihil unwound the green ribbon from his eyes and rubbed them as he muttered,
"Hmm, about nine times, give or take."
"Urk—on-ly ten... urgh... couldn't hold...?"
"You blew nearly half your mana on the first go. Not a bad score."
"Do-esn't... feel like... consolation... urgh..."
"Then the puppy can take a quick breather by the sleeping baby cat..."
Nihil spun around to face the still-charred audience.
"Any questions?"
Hands shot up at once. Even King Sedes, who'd been struggling to maintain his dignity, slyly raised his.
"Father gets to speak first."
King Sedes reflected that he really ought to find it commendable how the boy always prioritized "Father" even now.
"What... exactly did you do?"
All the kid had done was swing a poker at a sword nine times. And yet Sir Evan was reduced to crawling and retching on the floor.
"Just stimulated the aura to make it disperse more intensely. Slipped into the gaps and induced resonance. I can see it, so it's doable for me."
"Then someone else with those special eyes could do it too?"
"No."
Theoretically possible, maybe. But every user's aura differed wildly in size, density, speed—not to mention daily condition and focus. No way to spot those gaps and resonance points just by looking. And if the opponent's moving? Difficulty skyrockets.
"That's the whole of manpower training."
The office fell briefly silent. Everyone looked like they had a million questions but couldn't decide where to start.
Nihil had no intention of showing more cards, though. Without waiting, he spun on his heel toward Lianus.
"I'm off."
"Huh? W-wait, kid! You can't just leave like...!"
Abel—still furiously jotting notes—jerked his head up. He hadn't even gotten in a single proper question.
"Prime Minister, make sure to clear out your mana circuits nice and clean. Treatment's not cheap, so brace yourself."
"W-wait!"
Abel shot to his feet. The chair nearly toppled from the momentum, but a nearby knight caught it.
Ignoring the fidgety prime minister, Nihil approached the still-blissfully sleeping Lianus and called out to Frederick.
"You. Look after our house puppy."
"Y-yes? Right away!"
Frederick hauled Evan up from where he'd collapsed under the sofa where Lianus had been lying. But with Evan's towering height, the support looked comically awkward.
Evan staggered onto his own feet.
"Ugh... I'm fine, Sir Frederick. I can walk."
"No walking. Piggyback or fireman's carry."
"The young master says so! Get on, sir!"
"Ugh...!"
Evan flushed crimson with humiliation. To end up this pathetic after a mere ten minutes of training...
"W-wait—who's carrying His Highness, then...? Lynx, put him down."
"......"
Evan snapped at Nihil, who'd seized the chance to scoop up Lianus. Nihil, naturally, ignored him completely and bolted for the terrace with the prince in his arms.
"Uuung...? Niiil...?"
The motion roused Lianus; he rubbed his eyes sleepily. Nihil patted his back, and Lianus promptly buried his face in Nihil's neck—looking ready to drift off again. Proof his body was recovering properly, no doubt.
Nihil briefly veered toward King Sedes. The sudden approach startled the king into rising, but Nihil kept his distance.
Quietly, Nihil called to the half-asleep Lianus.
"Rian."
"Uuung..."
"Say hi to Daddy."
"Umu..."
"Come on, repeat after me. Daddy, hi."
"Uung... Appa... Annyeong..."
"......"
"Good boy. Now sleep more."
"Uuumu... Zzz..."
"......"
Everyone in the room dissolved into dopey smiles at the adorable greeting. King Sedes alone couldn't quite manage a full grin. He reached tentatively toward Lianus, then withdrew his hand.
Nihil snatched the king's large, hesitant hand without a second thought and plopped it squarely atop Lianus's curly locks. Sedes flinched in surprise but soon began stroking gently.
"......So soft."
"Underwhelming critique."
"......"
"See you at lunch tomorrow, Father."
"...You knew I'd be at lunch?"
"It's in the main palace. They wouldn't hold it without the master of the house."
"...True enough."
"Rian likes shrimp. And I want strawberry shortcake for dessert, so keep that in mind."
King Sedes found himself smiling despite himself.
"Shrimp's noted. Cake... we'll see. If it comes to mind."
"If senility makes you forget... can't be helped. The young one forgives you."
"......"
King Sedes clamped his mouth shut, having failed even to land a retort. Nihil was technically older, but teasing kids was always a delight—so he waved with a grin.
"Heading out first. Short legs mean a long walk. 1st Prince is nearly here—enjoy the show."
With that, Nihil shifted Lianus to one arm, secured him snugly against his chest with a blanket...
"Y-you madman, what are you doing! Put His Highness down—urk...!"
Evan lunged in horror, only for his legs to buckle. Nihil fished a wire from his bosom and called to Frederick.
"Bring the puppy safe. Take good care of him for the fortnight."
"Haha, you got it! No worries!"
"No worries? What no worries! Sirs, grab him! This is the fifth floor! Damn lynx—why carry wire around! Your Majesty, why just watch! He's absconding with the prince!"
"......"
"Your Majesty! Throw him in the dungeons for illegal weapon carry! Royalty defamation, child abduction, enticement, insolence—take your pick!"
Evan ranted wildly, forgetting himself before the king. His body wouldn't obey, fueling his frustration.
"......He's heading to the 2nd Prince's palace anyway."
King Sedes saw no need to intervene. The boy had wrecked one guard knight in ten minutes flat. Somehow, he seemed trustworthy—maybe even better than the others?
'Might not need to appoint separate guards after all.'
Nihil breezed past the knights—who dithered between grabbing him and holding back—and hopped onto the terrace railing.
He flashed a toothy grin at the hysterically screeching Evan, then bowed theatrically.
"Baby cat's mine now."
The lynx leaped.
"Aaaah—you absolute lunatic—!!!"