Chapter 227: Lainella's Fate is Decided by Lainella (20)
Chapter 227: Lainella's Fate is Decided by Lainella (20)
It had been a while since I’d seen my parents and older brother, and they all looked healthy.
My father and the head of the Percus family, Teon Percus, reached out to me with his usual welcoming smile. A handsome middle-aged man with a genial impression, my father was famous for his informal attitude. Despite being a noble, he was a man who carried almost no sense of authoritarianism.
Most nobles learn authority along with etiquette as they grow up. They realize that the hierarchy of status and the blade-like weight of prestige are the very foundations that maintain society. This was a sort of social trend established over generations.
Consequently, most nobles couldn't distance themselves from that sense of authority even if they wanted to. In fact, the existence of a noble like my father was something of a mystery. No matter how unique an individual might be, they couldn't entirely escape the influence of their upbringing.
I had once heard an explanation that it was because the history of the Percus family was still short. It made sense; the shorter the history, the less cultural baggage and tradition there was to accumulate.
For my part, I had no complaints, as it had made adjusting to the Academy much easier.
There was only one thing I had been worried about.
Aside from Reto and Celine, whom I’d known since childhood, my father had never met any of my friends. He likely hadn't dreamed in his wildest imagination that the lineup of those friends would be this illustrious.
The Saintess, one of the highest leaders of the Holy Kingdom.
Seria, the genius swordsman of the Yurdina family.
And Senior Elsie, the promising prodigy of the prestigious magic house, the Lainella family.
For a long time, even within the Academy, these were people I had no connection with. The fact that they had become my friends and come to visit in just a few months was something my father could be forgiven for finding abrupt.
However, surprisingly, my father didn't seem particularly shocked.
"It is a pleasure to meet you, guests. To think you are friends of my foolish son..."
"O-Oh, no!"
If anything, it was the women who were startled.
In particular, Senior Elsie jumped and raised her voice the moment she heard the words 'foolish son.'
"O-On the contrary, I am the one indebted to the Mas—I mean, to Lord Ian. R-Really!"
Senior Elsie’s way of addressing me had improved slightly, but it was still strange. I had somehow endured 'Master,' but in her flustered state, she hadn't managed to correct 'Lord Ian' to something more casual.
Despite this, my father simply let out an awkward laugh, resting a hand on the back of his head.
"Hahaha, Lady Lainella has a peculiar way of speaking, doesn't she? 'Lord Ian,' you say..."
My father’s benevolent golden eyes flickered toward me.
I simply cleared my throat and turned my head away.
Eventually, my father closed his eyes and shook his head with a bitter smile.
"It seems he's still a long way off from deserving such a title."
Well, from a father's perspective, I would always be his young son. Isn't that just how parents are? If I wanted to stand before him as a dignified adult, I would have to prove myself worthy of that image.
Of course, my father wasn't the only one who would fuss over me during this long-awaited visit home.
My mother also seemed to view me as a child who still had much to learn.
Exuding a demure atmosphere, my mother still looked remarkably young. My father looked young for his age, but my mother looked even younger. At a glance, one might mistake her for my older sister rather than my mother.
However, the affection and worry shimmering in her eyes were emotions only a mother could show for her child.
First, my mother held me in a tight embrace for a long time. Then, letting out a sigh, she began to scold me in earnest.
"Ian, I've been hearing strange rumors lately... stories about you defeating Fiends and thwarting the plots of the Dark Cult."
"...Yes, well."
At a loss for words, I could only avert my gaze again. I could roughly guess what she was going to say next.
"Of course, you are an adult now, and it is time for you to take responsibility for your choices. But our Percus family has always followed the path of moderation. While rumors are bound to be exaggerated, as your mother, I cannot help but worry that you've become involved in such dangerous affairs."
It seemed my mother believed the rumors about me were inflated. She probably thought it was impossible for me—who until recently had been quietly attending the Academy—to suddenly become a rising star of the continent.
To be honest, it still didn't feel real to me either.
I thought it was for the best. If I confessed that I had faced death several times and reached a point where my body wouldn't even recover without Divine Artifacts, how would she react? She might faint on the spot.
My mother was a tender-hearted person. As her son, I decided to reassure her at least a little.
"Don't worry too much, Mother. I've returned with all my limbs intact, haven't I?"
But my words only made her gaze grow more sorrowful.
I was at a loss, struggling to find the right words. Having been away from my family for a while, I had lost my sense of how to talk to them.
That was when the Saintess spoke up.
"Mother, I understand a little of how you must feel."
"...Ah, Saintess."
A devout believer in the Heavenly God, my mother stood up in surprise at the Saintess's intervention. However, the Saintess stopped her with a benevolent smile.
Though she still looked dazed, my mother hesitantly sat back down. She seemed unable to believe that someone of the Saintess's stature was actually in the Percus mansion.
"You are not the only one whose heart clenches whenever Ian goes into battle, Mother. I, too, have spent countless hours trembling with anxiety by his side."
Her subtle voice drifted into my mother's ears. My mother seemed deeply moved by the fact that the Saintess herself empathized with her. Moreover, the Saintess was saying she worried about me just as much as my mother did.
No parent could remain unmoved by the fact that their child was being treated with such high regard.
As my mother wore an overwhelmed expression, the Saintess quickly took my mother's hand in both of hers.
"But please, do not worry, Mother. For I am always by Ian's side. With this power granted by the Lord, I will support and protect Ian forever."
Support and protect him forever?
If you just listened to the words, it sounded almost like a marriage proposal.
Naturally, my mother was so moved that tears welled in her eyes. The divine power the Saintess wielded was nothing short of a miracle. If she was by my side, I surely wouldn't lose my life.
My mother gripped the Saintess's hands tightly, pleading with her repeatedly.
"I leave our Ian in your care, Saintess. Sniff... He's such a kind and fragile child that he can't even stand the sight of blood. I had so many worries when we first had him pick up a sword..."
"Aha, ahaha... That Ian? He... hates the sight of blood?"
The Saintess tried to laugh it off, but she couldn't help but look at me with a bewildered expression. Her eyes were clearly asking, What on earth is she talking about?
But what could I do? To my mother, that was the truth.
Still, my parents were the easy ones.
The successor of the Percus family and my older brother, Aaron Percus, was a man of exceptionally few words. In the Percus family, where most had slender builds, he was the only one with a rugged, broad-shouldered physique.
When a reliable-looking giant stays silent, it tends to create a strange sense of intimidation. Because of this, my brother was often misunderstood by those around him, and today seemed to be no different.
Seria was currently fidgeting in front of him, nervously gauging his reaction.
Regardless, my brother just stood there silently observing Seria. His golden eyes were sunken so deep they were unreadable.
Having finished greeting my parents, I approached him. My brother turned his gaze toward me without a word, and I lunged at him with a broad grin.
"...Brother!"
As I approached him familiarly, he patted my shoulder a few times in silence, as he always did. His face looked indifferent, but I knew. I could see the hint of satisfaction in his eyes.
He was happy to see his younger brother after so long. Despite his appearance, my brother was deep-thinking and incredibly considerate. He cherished his siblings, and he and I were quite close.
Though, for some reason, Ria found Aaron strangely difficult to deal with.
It seemed my brother's bear-like appearance created a sense of distance for her. At one point, my brother had been quite dejected because of that, but he seemed to have adjusted now, as he didn't look particularly sad.
Of course, he still wore a wounded expression whenever Ria subtly avoided him. But that was unavoidable. Just like with friends, there are bound to be family members who just don't click.
Especially since Ria had been away for a long time as a child due to her illness; everyone in the family must have seemed like a stranger when she returned. Perhaps that was why she was so obsessed with me.
I was the one who had spent the most time with her and looked after her back then. My parents had to maintain their dignity as the masters of the Percus family, and Aaron was naturally taciturn, so it had to be that way.
That was why Ria still maintained strict etiquette when dealing with our parents and Aaron. I was the only one she treated comfortably.
Personally, I found Aaron the most comfortable to be around, more so than my parents or the prickly Ria. He was a kind brother who never even raised his voice when I played mischievous pranks on him as a kid.
I asked him brightly, "It's been a while, Brother! How have you been?"
"Mm, yes. I've been well, but..."
My brother's blunt gaze turned toward Seria once more. Seria looked restless, wondering if she had done something wrong.
However, my brother's interests always had a way of exceeding people's expectations.
"...Is she my sister-in-law?"
"Si-sis! Sister-in-law!"
Seria choked on her breath at that one phrase, unable to even speak properly. She looked utterly shocked.
I think I knew why my brother was interested in Seria. His younger brother had returned after several months with a group of beautiful women, so he was likely curious if one of them was my partner.
A sigh escaped my lips involuntarily.
"No, Brother. Seria is from the Yurdina family... Why would she ever want someone like me—"
"...N-No!"
Seria began to deny my words with a slightly heated voice. There was even a strange sense of determination in her momentum.
"I-It's fine! Sister-in... ugh... You can call me sister-in-law! O-On the contrary, Senior Ian is someone far too good for me!"
It was the first time I'd seen Seria get so worked up. Perhaps she felt her respected senior had been insulted. Leaving me behind to stare at Seria in a daze, Aaron rummaged through his pockets.
Then, he handed a small raw ruby to Seria.
Now it was Seria's turn to be stunned. As she stood there, unable to grasp my brother's intention, I spoke again with a sigh.
"He's saying he looks forward to getting to know you. Aaron's hobby is mining... so, well, if he finds any raw gemstones, he keeps them to give as gifts."
That was why if you went to Aaron's room, there was a whole pile of pickaxes on display.
Seria immediately bowed her head at my explanation, looking overwhelmed.
"T-Thank you! So... um... Brother-in-law?"
A rare, satisfied smile touched Aaron's lips. He patted my shoulder a couple of times as if saying 'well done.' Then, he spoke in a heavy voice.
"Treat her well."
Treat her well in what way, exactly?
For a long while, the Percus mansion's reception room was crowded. The one who pulled me out of that chaos was Celine.
Celine tugged on my sleeve and whispered to me.
"...Ian Oppa, Ian Oppa!"
I was just about to head over to Ria, who was wearing a grumpy expression in the corner. She seemed upset because I hadn't paid attention to her since I got back.
I lamented my situation, having to stop just before the important task of soothing my younger sister. My eyes turned to Celine with a questioning look.
What is it?
Celine shivered and whispered in my ear.
"Look, look over there!"
As she spoke, Celine subtly pulled me closer. My arm came into contact with her soft chest, but Celine feigned ignorance.
Heh. I let out a dry laugh, debating whether to pinch her cheek. No matter how much she pretended, she couldn't hide it from me. However, since her expression did look genuinely uneasy, my gaze followed her pointing finger.
Standing by the door was a tall, middle-aged man glaring intently at me.
It was Elsie's uncle.
We had just finished our greetings and parted ways, but he had already returned to the doorway and was staring only at me. To be honest, it was a bit much.
Celine seemed quite unsettled by it.
"That man... his eyes look dangerous, don't they? Is he going to kill you, Oppa?"
"Oh, come on. Surely not."
"Better safe than sorry!"
Despite my denial, Celine didn't seem any less anxious. She made a suggestion.
"His gaze is so cold... Can't you go and talk to him?"
I wanted to tell Celine not to worry about useless things, but I couldn't. In truth, I had also been quite concerned about Elsie's uncle.
In the end, I cleared my throat and turned my steps. Within the reception room, filled with the Percus family and their guests, my movement wasn't particularly noticeable.
And Elsie's uncle, facing me, spoke as if he had been waiting.
"...Shall we see what you're made of?"
It was a truly sudden proposal.