Chapter 9
Chapter 9
First Meeting (8)
Yuki’s mother.
The current head of the Castel family. Elena von Castel.
A hero who, in the war against the demon race, had cut down thousands of enemies on the front lines.
Through the trembling in Yuki’s grip on my wrist, I understood the severity of the situation.
That Yuki—the arrogant young lady who never flinched before anyone—was shaking.
"...Why would someone like her come all the way to a place like this?"
"It seems rumors reached her that I’ve been dragging you into the forest every night to torment and harass you. She said it’s a disgrace to the family and demanded to see me immediately."
"Well, it is a disgrace. The promising heir of a noble house indulging in dirty desires by tormenting a man."
"T-that’s not true! It was training!"
Yuki shouted, her face turning red, but it was too late.
The moment the drawing room doors opened, an overwhelming pressure filled the space.
On the sofa sat a woman with long silver hair like Yuki’s, radiating a chilling presence.
If Yuki was a rose yet to bloom, her mother was a rose forged from steel.
"...Explain."
Elena’s gaze was like that of a starving beast.
She tossed a crude printed paper onto the table.
"[Breaking News] Lady Yuki lashes a young boy in the forest every night... shouting ‘Harder.’"
"So rumors have reached even my ears that my daughter is disgracing our family with such shameless acts. Is it true?"
"That’s...! I was just spending ‘hot time’ with Ian—no, I mean—!"
The more Yuki stumbled, the deeper Elena’s frown became.
"I sent you here to recuperate, not to torment others."
"Mother, it’s a misunderstanding... I never—"
"A misunderstanding? Are those commoners outside the gate hallucinating when they shout about rescuing a boy from a witch while reeking of eel extract?"
Her voice was as cold as a blade.
Then her gaze shifted to me.
"So you’re the victim? What is your name?"
"...Ian, Your Grace."
"Certainly, you are pretty enough to catch my daughter’s eye..."
"M-Mother! I was only training—!"
"Training? I know your level. What kind of training could you possibly have with such a frail boy? You’d be better off admitting you were satisfying your desires."
At that moment—
"Your Grace! Please save Ian!"
Crash!
The window shattered as a black figure burst in.
Kara.
She carried a blacksmith’s hammer on her back and wore a headband that read “Ian Protection Squad.”
Behind her, Millie climbed over the wall and followed.
"This noble lady—no, that witch—is torturing Ian every night! Look at his pale face!"
Kara pointed at me, shouting.
Elena’s eyebrow twitched.
"Is that true?"
"Yes! She calls him into the forest every night, beats him, forces him to eat meat, and even leaves his buttons undone—!"
The temperature in the room seemed to drop below freezing.
Elena rose slowly and approached Yuki.
"Yuki von Castel. Why have you fallen into such sadistic habits, even at the cost of your family’s honor?"
Yuki lowered her head, biting her lip.
"Mother, this is a misunderstanding. I simply—"
"A misunderstanding? The village girls are protesting at the gate and even bringing medicine for this boy. How cruelly must you have treated him for commoners to oppose the Castel family?"
Bang!
Elena slammed the table.
Teacups rattled.
"Men are to be protected, not abused! And yet you dare commit such acts in the name of Castel! Look at the boy’s eyes—aren’t they filled with fear?"
No, that’s because of you.
"If all of this is true, it is a grave crime."
"N-no, Mother! It was just... efficient training—!"
"Training? With a civilian boy? Do you think a commoner could serve as your training partner? That boy?"
Each of Elena’s words struck Yuki like nails.
Yuki trembled with frustration but couldn’t say the truth—that the “frail boy” was actually far stronger than her.
That was exactly what I hated most.
And in this situation, even if she said it, Elena wouldn’t believe her.
"..."
"No answer? Is your silence an admission?"
Elena’s hand moved to her sword.
"If this is true, you will be escorted back to the capital immediately. And this boy will receive full compensation and apology from our house—"
"My lady, wait."
I stepped forward, cutting through the heavy air.
All eyes turned to me.
"Ian! Stay back!"
Yuki grabbed my clothes desperately.
What should I do?
Saying “I’m stronger than her” here would be madness.
Elena would draw her sword and test me, and my peaceful life would end forever.
But if innocent people suffer because of a misunderstanding caused by me—
that’s not something I can ignore.
"I will correct everything."
My voice cut through the room.
Elena’s hand stopped on her sword.
"A mere commoner dares interfere in a family matter? I am sparing you. I will deal with my daughter’s wrongdoing myself."
"Wrongdoing? Your Grace, you are under a grave misunderstanding."
"A misunderstanding? Are you protecting my daughter, or have you been threatened?"
Her hand tightened on the sword again.
Even that small motion made the air feel thin.
Yuki gripped my clothes as if they would tear.
A silent plea.
But if I step back now, Yuki will be taken away—and I’ll be stuck in the village forever, drinking eel extract.
That’s the worst ending.
"My lady did call me to the forest."
"Ian...!"
Yuki’s voice trembled.
Kara clenched her fist. "See! I told you!"
Elena narrowed her eyes.
"Continue. Will you testify against my daughter?"
"But she did not torment me. Rather..."
I paused.
Then slowly picked up one of the scattered papers.
The same crude print Elena had thrown.
"That she said ‘harder,’ and that I begged her to stop—those are true. But the context is different."
I met Elena’s eyes directly.
"I was too strong, so my lady attacked with all her strength... and I begged her to stop because I was afraid she would get hurt."
Silence filled the room.
One second. Two seconds.
"HAHAHAHA!"
Kara burst into laughter.
"Ian! That joke is too much! You’re stronger than the lady? Even a passing boar would laugh!"
Millie looked at me with pity.
"Ian... the torture must have been too much. You’ve lost your mind."
But Elena did not laugh.
"You dare lie so blatantly before me? There are no marks of a swordsman on your body. Your frame is thin, your shoulders weak. What talent could you possibly have?"
"What you see is not everything, Your Grace."
Her eyes flickered strangely.
"...Interesting. Either my daughter has driven a common boy insane, or I’ve encountered a deceiver unlike any I’ve seen before."
She slowly drew her sword.
Clang—
The sharp sound filled the room.
"Prove it. If your words are true—"
Yuki stepped in front of me, shouting.
"Mother! No! Ian is just a commoner!"
For her, this was the worst situation.
She knew I was hiding my strength, but the opponent was her mother—the empire’s hero.
To her, I must have looked like a fragile boy who would shatter from a single strike.
"Yuki, step aside. I need to confirm whether this boy is a madman—or your teacher."
"M-my teacher?! Mother, what are you—!"
"Yuki. Have you forgotten how to read the flow of a battlefield? The moment this boy spoke, the atmosphere changed."
I let out a quiet sigh.
A peaceful resolution was no longer possible.
The only thing left was to resolve this dramatically.
"My lady. This room is too small. You wouldn’t want your mansion damaged."
My voice had grown calmer.
A faint, excited smile appeared on Elena’s lips.
"Very well. We’ll go to the training ground."
