Chapter 12
Chapter 12
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 12
Chapter Title: Let's Meet Again Later
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The feast had ended.
After the martial arts tournament wrapped up, everyone returned to their places.
Some might head into the city to raise a glass or two, but at least within the estate, they could finally relax and retire to bed.
The dim night deepened.
By the time Kline and Ariel had each returned to their own rooms...
The only light still burning in the Family Head's room was his.
Pour...
The sound of liquor filling a glass.
Gerard Leonhart silently lifted his cup.
Across from him, his counterpart—Ruin Calderk—poured herself a drink as well.
"You worked hard today. Let's start by washing away the fatigue with this glass."
She brought the wineglass, rippling with red wine, to her lips.
Both Gerard and Ruin emptied their glasses cleanly and met each other's gaze.
"......"
Silence.
They were both choosing their words carefully.
Pondering how to respond based on the other's reaction.
Gerard spoke first.
"I've heard about the prophecy pointing to the disaster. I plan to observe how it truly manifests in action, assess the surrounding circumstances, and report to the Imperial Family accordingly. That will also factor into whether your actions can be taken into account."
To him, the evaluation Ruin had mentioned was of utmost importance.
"What do you think of my daughter?"
He refilled his glass.
This time, Gerard picked up the wine bottle and poured for her.
"In your eyes, is my daughter truly the 'disaster' they speak of in the capital?"
"Hmm."
Ruin held her glass and twirled it gently.
As if etching the scenery reflected in the red wine into her mind.
"To cut straight to the conclusion: yes. In my judgment as Ruin Calderk, Ariel Leonhart is more than worthy of being called a disaster. In fact, no one else could bear that title but her."
"......"
Gerard swallowed his drink in silence.
A woman from outside calling his own daughter a disaster.
Normally, he'd draw his sword and sever her head on the spot.
But Gerard knew the circumstances and thus held his silence.
"Her talent isn't human. How could a six-year-old girl defeat a fifteen-year-old boy? It's beyond what talent can explain. To put it precisely, she's a different species altogether."
"Didn't you say you saw talent in my son? You're not applying the same standard to my daughter?"
"It could indeed be talent. But Duke, you're one of the three great swordsmen of this nation, just like me. You'd know at a glance whether it is or isn't."
"......"
He swallowed a sigh inwardly.
She was right.
Ariel's victory had nothing to do with mere talent.
It was possible only because she wasn't human to begin with.
"And her temperament."
Ruin didn't stop there.
She poured another drink and continued.
"An expressionless, emotionless, insensate little girl. She lacks the natural reactions expected of her age. That's already alien enough. But I witnessed it at the tournament. The emotion in that child's eyes."
It was a fleeting moment.
Ruin wasn't some master at reading emotions.
She simply gauged intentions through her accumulated experience and years.
Yet even she could clearly see Ariel's otherworldliness.
It was impossible not to.
At that instant.
When Ariel looked at Ruin.
She felt it viscerally in those clear eyes—a sinister emotion lurking within.
"Ariel Leonhart is inhuman. A being that shouldn't exist in this world. I don't know how it came to inhabit a girl's form, but if left unchecked, it will surely threaten not just the Empire, but all humanity."
"Does the prophecy say as much?"
"Yes. A disaster in the form of a girl. An inhuman connected directly to the otherworld. That's the prophecy of its emergence in this era. We searched far and wide for it... but who would've thought it was the Leonhart family's hidden second daughter."
"Then will you hold me accountable?"
"No. Strictly speaking, it would be a crime. But given the unique circumstances, I'll turn a blind eye. Even you couldn't handle this easily."
Ruin shrugged and glanced out the window for a moment.
"This means I understand your anguish."
It was a somewhat shameful confession on her part.
"The seed that will become a future disaster. Normally, I'd kill it here and now, but even that seems impossible. I only glimpsed a fragment of her power at the tournament. And yet..."
Her hand trembled slightly.
Ruin's fingertips quivered faintly.
It meant fear.
Even if the warrior's spirit within Ruin remained unbroken.
Her mere human flesh recoiled in terror before the disaster.
"The sensation of death beckoning. It's been ages since I last felt it. I misjudged. It's beyond what someone like me could handle."
"So what will you do? Watch and wait? Or send word to the Imperial Family and bring all the knight orders to the territory?"
"Joking aside, even if all four great knight orders combined their strength, I'm not sure they could kill her."
She downed her glass again.
His insides burned.
Gerard fixed his deeply sunken eyes on Ruin.
This was the crucial part.
And so.
Ruin Calderk, captain of the Imperial White Wing Knights dispatched directly by the palace...
What would she do with Ariel Leonhart?
"Duke. What are your thoughts? Will you kill your daughter with your own hands for the Empire and humanity? Or stand against the Empire as her father?"
"......"
"Of course. I don't expect an answer. How could I pose such an insolent question to a duke who has devoted himself to the Empire?"
Ruin poured another round.
The bottle of red wine was nearly empty now.
"But one thing I can affirm here: Ariel Leonhart's inhumanity is undoubtedly a grave risk factor. That's undeniable. However..."
"However, what?"
"There exists someone who can suppress it. The boy closest to her, the one she trusts and follows most."
"My son, you mean."
"Yes."
Ruin lifted her glass.
Savoring the aroma in the red wine, she continued.
To convey her judgment from this mission to Gerard.
"Kline Leonhart. He's the only one who shows potential to control the disaster. Did you see? When Ariel was about to go berserk, Kline intervened, and she instantly calmed down."
"I saw. And I'm well aware of it."
Yes.
Gerard had long known.
He'd originally paid Ariel no heed.
He managed her with the bare minimum attention.
Because he knew, as a hero, that she was dangerous.
He'd only retained his father's heart thanks to his wife's words.
Thus, he'd treated his daughter with contradictory attitudes.
'But my son was different.'
Kline took exceptionally good care of Ariel.
It defied common sense.
No firstborn son welcomes a superior sibling.
Kline must have known Ariel surpassed him.
And she was an emotionless inhuman besides. No reason for fondness.
Yet Kline ignored all that and maintained a good relationship with her.
And Gerard recognized that Ariel genuinely adored and followed her big brother.
Even if it bordered on dependence, it didn't matter.
What counted was that Ariel regained a sliver of humanity at Kline's side.
'It's shameful.'
His son was doing the father's job.
"So we've decided to hold off on any action."
Ruin drained her glass and said it plainly.
She, and the White Wing Knights, would not report to the Imperial Family that Ariel needed to be executed.
"Ariel follows Kline well, and when she's by her brother's side, she suppresses her inhumanity. That's enough. I don't have a hobby of killing children, even if they're just shells."
"......"
"Besides, there's no clear reason to bear the risk of engaging a disaster. And above all, if she can be controlled well, wouldn't she be a great asset to the Empire?"
"You truly live only for the Imperial Family."
"Indeed. That's the difference between you and me. I live solely for the imperial house, while you have your territory and family to protect."
With that, the conversation ended.
The conclusion was reached.
Ariel wouldn't be killed immediately. And killing her would be difficult anyway.
Instead, they'd account for Kline's unique trait. Use the fact that she behaved when by her brother's side.
Thus, Ariel's future held no immediate issues.
"I'll take my leave."
Ruin rose and bowed.
Gerard nodded silently.
Step... step...
As Ruin opened the door and departed, Gerard exhaled.
"Hoo."
He'd muddled through this time.
But could he protect Ariel from all the future interlopers targeting her?
Did "protecting" even mean anything?
"My son. Can you handle it?"
Thus, Gerard worried more for Kline than Ariel.
Disaster was disaster, daughter or not.
The deeper a human boy entangled himself with an inhuman, the more he'd be hurt.
The night deepened amid the Family Head's profound worries.
The curtain fell on the Lion's Feast.
After the feast, everyone prepared to leave the estate and territory.
"Young Master! That was amazing!"
"You're truly our territory's future!"
"Please show us again next time!"
I saw off the territory folk as well.
Got to do at least this much as the Family Head's son. Social sense and all.
Parted on good terms with the White Wing Knights too.
Even Jack, my sparring opponent, bowed repeatedly to me in farewell.
No need to go that far. The guy's gotten way too meek.
"If the chance arises later, please visit the imperial palace. We'll treat you with the utmost hospitality."
And he's even offering to guide me around the palace in the future.
Sweet deal.
"Good work, boy."
Ruin encouraged me too.
She seemed taken with my talent, smiling at the corners of her mouth and heaping praise.
"Looking forward to seeing the young lion grow. If you ever feel like joining our knight order, let me know."
"Haha. Sure, we'll talk later."
"Good. And get along well with your little sister."
Even mentioning Ariel at the end.
'Hmm.'
I thought she'd be offended by Ariel's harsh words.
Guess adults don't hold grudges.
Of course, I'd get along with her regardless.
I can't entrust Ariel to anyone else yet anyway.
Anyway.
Sent everyone off like that.
Until only one remained.
'Where's Yoru?'
My sword instructor who sparred with me.
Wonder where Aonia's wandering swordmaster Yoru went.
I headed to the meeting spot she'd specially told me about before.
But looking around, no sign of her.
"What?"
Where is she?
Did she stand me up? Did I fall for a little girl's playful lie?
I tilted my head and scanned the surroundings when voices drifted from afar.
"...right? Isn't that fine?"
"No."
"You're too much."
Yoru's voice. And this is... Ariel's?
I hurried over to them.
There, Yoru and Ariel faced off, staring each other down.
As I approached to call out...
Their conversation reached my ears.
"If you're siblings, you should know when to back off. I'm here to meet Kline today. Step aside."
"No. I protect Brother. Why would I leave you two alone?"
"What excessive overprotection. Ever heard of self-importance?"
What, what?
Yoru's smiling all bubbly, Ariel's her usual blank self.
So why is the tone so sharp...?