Chapter 303
Translator: crow
Chapter Title: Ten Years Later (4)
Nine years had already passed since Imperial Princess Leah ascended to the throne as Empress.
With the peace forged by her predecessor Leonhardt and her own political prowess, the Empire had ushered in an era of unparalleled prosperity.
As the nation grew prosperous, the people began to amass wealth.
And their methods varied wildly.
Most built their fortunes through legitimate business or investments.
However, not everyone did.
Here were two men lurking around a pizza shop in the city streets.
The Gunter brothers had always made their money through the most ruthless and despicable means.
“Brother, if we’re going to pull a scam anyway, why not do it in the western rich district? Why this place of all places?”
The younger brother, with his brown hair, clicked his tongue.
No matter how he looked around, he couldn’t spot anyone who seemed loaded in the city streets.
“You only know one side and not the other, Gunter. If you get caught scamming in the rich district, your face gets known right away, and word spreads—you’re out of business.”
His older brother leaned against the wall, hands shoved deep into both pockets.
The younger brother pointed at the pizza shop sign with his finger in rebuttal.
“Witch Pizza.”
“But still, come on. What rich guy comes to a place like this for a meal?”
“Ignorance.”
The older brother gazed at a group of customers approaching from the distant horizon.
A boy and his father riding a colt adorned with luxurious Eastern-style trappings.
And children who looked noble at first glance.
“Those born into wealth might not get it, but people who came from poor childhoods often crave nostalgic foods now and then.”
His pitch-black eyes gleamed through his brown hair.
He spotted my face approaching from afar and quickly turned his head away.
“Oh... that father definitely gives off the vibe, right? He reeks of money.”
“Idiot, don’t you know who that is? That’s His Highness the Duke.”
Duke.
The mere sound of those lofty two syllables made the younger brother’s jaw drop.
“H-His Highness the Duke? Isn’t he someone we absolutely shouldn’t mess with...?!”
“True enough. But here’s the thing. People of overwhelmingly high status go to extreme lengths to avoid scandals.”
I glanced at the two men standing in the alleyway.
Then, I tied the colt to a post in the alley and leisurely entered the pizza shop with the children.
“If we pretend to be hurt just enough, he’ll pay us off quietly to keep our mouths shut. He’s famous for being laid-back and generous, after all.”
The scammer headed toward the colt tied to the pillar, gesturing for his brother to follow.
He lightly smacked the back of what was clearly a high-end beast.
“――――――”
“Welcome! How many in your party?”
“Let’s see. One, two, three... plus me makes five in total.”
I pointed at each of the children’s heads in turn as I spoke.
The staff member smiled brightly and led us to a table for six.
“Where’s the owner?”
“She stepped out to buy ingredients. She’ll be back soon.”
I nodded at the friendly female staff’s words.
Then, I led the children in a line to the table and sat down.
“Waaah!! Pizza!!”
Leon, my second child with Lydia, plopped down across from me with an excited grin.
Ian promptly took the seat next to him.
But my two daughters were different.
“Hmm―.”
Helena, who had always acted so mature.
Even though I urged her to sit first, she just stood there blankly.
“What’s wrong? Why aren’t you sitting?”
“Do you want to go in first?”
At Liri’s question, Helena smiled and yielded the seat.
But the black-haired girl knew the princess’s intent.
“No thanks.”
Because if she went in first, she couldn’t sit next to me.
“You always act so grown-up. But deep down, you want to snuggle up to Dad too, huh?”
“...”
Helena had no retort to Liri’s sharp jab.
She just blushed and cleared her throat awkwardly.
“Come on, come on, my princesses. How about Dad sits in the middle? Then you’ll both be right next to me.”
“I’m sorry, Father. Liri’s just so jealous.”
“What? You’re the one who didn’t go in first!”
I sat between the bickering girls, chuckling.
How were they so exactly like their mothers?
Blood truly runs thick, it seems.
“Dad, what should we get?”
Unlike their sisters, my sons only had food on their minds.
Leon stared intently at the menu, his sharp fangs bared in concentration.
“I want the one with pineapple.”
“Hey, pineapple on pizza? Gross!”
Leaving the squabbling kids behind, I hurriedly called over the staff.
To keep them from fighting, I ordered three pizzas.
“Four kids and only three pizzas...? Will you finish them?”
“Oh, it’s fine. Two more families are joining us later.”
The apron-clad woman nodded at the mention of two more families.
She headed back to the kitchen leisurely, adding,
“Got it. The owner will be back soon too.”
The shop wasn’t too crowded yet, being midday.
Still, the interior was bright and the tables spotless.
‘They’ve put a lot of care into this place.’
“Yawwwn...”
Leon yawned, tired from the trip from the eastern palace.
Ian wiped his half-brother’s eyes for him.
“Dad, look at this―.”
Liri proudly showed off her gold-plated tournament medal.
Her impish, mischievous eyes brimmed with confidence, just like her mother’s.
“Wow, real gold? The headmaster at Mosian really went all out.”
“Right? They could’ve used that budget to fix our uphill roads instead.”
Helena, unconcerned with the medal, made a precocious remark.
Her intelligent eyes were fixed on the state affairs textbook she’d brought to the pizza shop.
“Doesn’t that just mean our daughters shone in a tournament worthy of such prize?”
I threw my arms around the adorable girls flanking me.
Dining with beauties who took after Leah and Lydia was a feast for the eyes.
“Be proud of it, girls.”
“If Father says so...”
Our happy time continued.
Then the doorbell rang as Richard’s family arrived.
――――――.
I glanced up, but it wasn’t the burly Richard and his daughter who caught my eye.
It was the two men from the alley earlier.
“Excuse me... who parked the colt outside...?”
A man in his thirties extended one hand politely.
His crisp white shirt bore a vivid hoof mark.
“I was just passing by for a smoke when the colt suddenly kicked me. Ugh...”
“Oh no, brother... are you okay?! Let me carry you!!”
The counter grew noisy, drawing all the children’s attention.
“Huh... the colt? You mean our Tony?”
Leon tilted his head with the most innocent expression.
I left the kids for a moment and stood up.
“Kids, hang on a sec―.”
I approached the counter quickly.
The older-looking of the two men met my gaze.
“Are you by chance the owner of the horse tied up outside, young master?”
“Yes, that’s me. Did our horse kick you?”
I sent the flustered staff away and spoke directly.
The man continued in a polite tone.
“Yes... I was going to let it slide, but it feels like a cracked rib—every step hurts like hell.”
I focused my mana into my eyes and silently examined his body.
I smacked my lips and tilted my head.
‘That’s weird. He walks too well for someone with a broken rib.’
Normally, a rib fracture that severe would stab internals with every step, making movement impossible.
Yet this guy had limped his way into the shop.
“Really? Oh, I’m truly sorry. Shall I take you to a nearby clinic?”
“Oh no, no... you’re dining with your children. How could I possibly take up your time?”
He gave my kids an exaggerated look of sympathy.
The other children watched curiously, wondering what was happening.
But.
Liri and Helena were different.
“That’s strange. Tony wouldn’t kick anyone.”
“Yeah. Samard black horse breeds are always docile unless provoked.”
The Emperor’s eldest daughter narrowed her sensual eyes.
Liri eyed the scene with her mother’s regal gaze.
“It is odd. He took it to the rib, but only limps on his leg. Usually, breathing alone would be agony.”
“Smack smack...”
Even Ian chimed in with a sharp glare.
Leon munched on a pickle, glancing between his sisters and brother.
“Tony only kicks when people get startled and jump.”
He put on a dopey face but dropped a keen observation.
Ian stood as representative to defend Tony and approached me.
But I waved him off, saying it was fine.
The situation felt fishy, but time with the kids mattered more.
“Just give us a bit for hospital fees, and we’ll leave quietly.”
The man seemed polite enough; a few coins should send him packing clean.
So I reached into my pocket and asked,
“Alright, how much would suffice?”
“Well... around 300 gold...”
‘You bastard?’
In an era where one gold buys three pizzas, demanding 300 for medical fees?
Even with my wealth, the outrageous demand sharpened my gaze.
“If you could just graciously give that much, we’ll handle the treatment ourselves...”
“Sigh... I’d love to argue, but this is us cutting you a lot of slack.”
With the brother chiming in, I couldn’t help but scoff.
For a moment, I wanted to toss the money and tell them to scram, but the fire of my twenty-year-old self stirred.
The staff fidgeted, sensing my menacing expression.
She relaxed only when the door opened behind her.
“What’s with all the commotion at the counter?”
“Owner...!”
A petite woman entered with a girl, dressed in a black dress.
Her lustrous black hair cascaded to her waist.
“What are you doing here?”
“Hi, Dad―.”
The six-year-old girl clung to Mago’s skirt and waved one hand.
Her name was Marie.
She wore her hair in short twin tails, just like her mother in childhood.
“Oh, you’re here? These guys say they got hurt by our colt.”
The staff stared blankly as the owner’s daughter called me “Dad.”
The kids I’d brought had all sorts of hair colors already.
And now the owner had a child too.
She seemed curious about my identity.
“Causing trouble again, Bale?”
Mago smirked like an old childhood friend.
She grabbed my cheek and gave it a light shake.
“Aaah― I’m the victim here!!”
Only upon hearing “Bale” did the staff realize I was the Duke, her jaw dropping.
But the scammers demanding payment didn’t bat an eye.
As if they’d known my identity all along.
“Look, I can barely stand anymore. Can’t you pay up already?”
“Yeah! What if my brother collapses?!”
Mago crossed her arms alone, scrutinizing the two men.
As owner of eight Witch Pizza branches and president of the Imperial Sorcerers’ Association, she’d seen every type of person.
So she sensed the same unease I did.
“Hmm... so you’re saying it’s because of Lydia’s colt tied in our back alley, right?”
She told them to hold on and rummaged in her handbag.
Then pulled out a smooth crystal orb.
“...?”
Ever since sorcery was recognized as a new magic in the Empire recently.
Mago had opened this pizza shop and done various social activities to improve witches’ image.
“Shall we check how exactly you got hurt?”
Her round, cat-like eyes gleamed as she activated the crystal.
The back alley from 30 minutes ago reflected on its smooth surface.
“Uh uh...”
As their actions played out before everyone, the Gunter brothers went pale as ghosts.
As if they’d never imagined this.
“W-Wait a minute...!!”
The bulkier younger brother instinctively reached out.
I seized his wrist and fixed him with cold eyes.
“Wait your turn. You dare reach for my wife?”
“T-That’s...!”
Mago blushed slightly at me stopping the man.
She sidled closer to me and kept channeling mana into the orb.
At that moment.
“Brother, even if it’s a colt, those thighs are thick—be careful...!”
“It’s fine, fine. A light smack on the back like this, and it’ll kick weakly as a threat.”
Well-practiced at provoking beasts, he expertly slapped Tony’s back.
The black colt startled and lashed out with its hind leg.
“Pruuuhhh...!!”
Thwack―――!!
“Gahak...!!”
“Brother!!”
“It’s fine, fine... I was a knight candidate once. I defended on instinct.”
They sprawled after the kick, laughing it off.
“Alright, let’s go squeeze some cash now. He’s the Duke, so stay polite—he’ll fork over a big sum.”
“As expected of you, brother. I always learn from your shameless moves!!”
After the final scene aired.
The orb dimmed, reflecting our icy faces.
“Knight candidate? I didn’t sense any mana.”
“It’s so faint it’s undetectable.”
As we conversed with deadpan eyes.
The brothers began sneaking backward.
The moment we noticed.
They yanked the door handle to flee.
“Run for it!!”
“Brother, scatter and meet up!!”
The pizza shop door burst open.
As they bolted forward.
They slammed into someone massive who’d just arrived at the door.
“Gahak...!!”
“What the—get out of the way!!”
They shoved at his body with their shoulders.
But.
The man before them didn’t budge an inch.
“What are you punks?”
The one they faced was one of the Empire’s seven knight order captains.
“You almost hurt my kid...?”
Richard pulled Lina, clinging to his side, back.
He flashed his signature menacing grin.
“Eek...!!”
Instinctively terrified, they spun back toward the shop.
But an even more fearsome presence followed behind.
“Sigh... you’re really pissing me off after all this time.”
I threw my arms around the two men’s shoulders.
Gazing down at them with the chilling eyes of my guard knight days.
“I’ve lived long, but you’re the first scammers I’ve seen try to fleece a duke.”