Chapter 340: A Total Mess (3)
Chapter 340: A Total Mess (3)
Grand Duke Schneider was currently in a frenzy, stretching his son’s mouth open as wide as it could go.
Whose son was this brat anyway, and why did he cause so much trouble the moment he was out of sight?
Just what kind of parents would raise a child like this…
‘Ah, he’s my son.’
“Ugh, I’m just spitting at my own face. Spitting at my own face.”
“Ehehe.”
Finally, Grand Duke Schneider let out a sigh and released his son.
Patrick rubbed his stinging cheeks and complained.
“That hurts.”
“It was meant to hurt.”
“Is this any way to treat a son you haven't seen in ages?”
“You little…!”
“I’m telling Mother.”
“Urgh… my blood pressure…”
The Grand Duke clutched the back of his neck as if he were about to collapse, and the surrounding knights rushed over to support him.
“Get a hold of yourself, Your Grace!”
“You can’t collapse yet!”
“Get some water! Water!”
Grand Duke Schneider gulped down the cold water the knights brought him.
He looked at his son, who was pouting and muttering something under his breath, let out a deep sigh, and spoke.
“First of all, I’m glad you returned safely.”
“Suuuuure you are.”
“Now, explain yourself.”
“Mmm… it’s a hassle. Can I skip it?”
“You—!”
The Grand Duke started to lose his temper but stopped himself.
Calm down. Let’s stay calm.
Come to think of it, even if he heard the explanation, he didn't even know where to begin. There were so many things he wanted to ask.
What on earth were those servants of Kalaron who suddenly appeared as reinforcements?
And a dragon?
Not just any dragon, but a Lord?
And where did the Salamander Princess suddenly come from?
‘Stay calm. Let’s ask one thing at a time.’
Grand Duke Schneider organized his thoughts and asked.
“First, what did you do in the Great Forest?”
“Well, there’s a long version and a short version of that explanation. Which one do you want?”
“What’s the short version?”
“I took over the Great Forest.”
“……”
“And those guys are the results.”
Right. So those terrifying apostles of Kalaron, currently gathered separately on the outskirts of the Allied Forces’ camp, became his son’s subordinates just like that.
Hearing it that way, it made sense…
“How does that make any sense?!”
“Hey, you told me to keep it short.”
“Then tell me the long version! In as much detail as possible!”
“Aww… but it’s a hassle.”
“You brat…!”
“Fine, fine! I’ll explain, so put the sword down first.”
And so, Patrick began his explanation.
“So, to explain how this all happened from the beginning…”
Patrick continued his story.
“I went into the Great Forest and found a metropolis called Pabera where the apostles of Kalaron live, and when I got there…”
“Mhm, and then…”
“The Four Calamities tested me to see if I could take down the Outer God, but those cheaters came at me three-on-one. But your brave and valiant son…”
“Uuuugh…”
“After that, I was recognized as the Prophesied Human or whatever, and they suddenly told me to take the Dragon Lord as my disciple. Besides, she looked like she was about to go crazy from the stress of childcare, so I felt a bit sorry for her and for now…”
“So… so you took her as a disciple? The Dragon Lord?”
“Uh-uh, I’m not finished yet.”
“Ahem, continue.”
“After that, I thought things were going smoothly, but then suddenly…”
“The Living Calamity betrayed you?”
“But who is your son? I just went bam-bam-pow and crushed that traitorous turtle bastard. But then…”
“The leader of the Dark Mages appeared? Jonsa?”
“Yes. I was about to have a showdown with him, but my disciple and her subordinates barged in, so things wrapped up for the moment. After that…”
“After that?”
Everyone in the audience gulped. Patrick looked at them and said:
“To be continued in the next episode!”
“You little shit?!”
“Do you want to die?!”
“How dare you cut it off there?!”
Public sentiment shifted violently as all sorts of objects were hurled at Patrick, but he dodged them nimbly and shouted.
“Hey, it’s just a bit annoying and complicated to explain!”
“You absolute failure of a son!”
“Hahaha! He says he raised a failure of a son~!”
“G-Gaaah…!”
Watching Grand Duke Schneider clutch the back of his neck again, Patrick said nonchalantly.
“Anyway, I gathered strength here and there and rushed back as fast as I could, arriving just in time for the battle.”
“……”
“……”
“I did good, right? Everyone, a round of applause for the precious Patrick.”
As soon as Patrick finished speaking…
“Just go die!”
“Die! Just die already!”
“Leave the continent! You demon!”
Every object in the barracks was hurled at Patrick once again.
Patrick dodged the attacks by scurrying up a pillar of the barracks, avoiding the projectiles from above.
‘Hmm, the public sentiment is quite grim.’
Do these people even know how much I suffered?
Just as the barracks were turning into a complete mess…
“Master, are you inside?”
“Oh, Sona? Come in.”
“Yes, understood.”
Persona, the Dragon Lord, entered the barracks.
The first thing she saw upon entering was her so-called master clinging to the ceiling like a cockroach, moving with rapid, scuttling motions.
“What are you doing?”
“I’m being unfairly bullied.”
That seems entirely justified, Persona thought, though she didn't say it out loud.
However, the moment she appeared, the atmosphere in the barracks shifted instantly.
That slender, beautiful woman with black hair was none other than the Dragon Lord.
The King of Dragons, the guardian of the Middle World.
In a sense, she was the most noble being in existence, making the Emperor of the Empire or the Pope of the Holy Kingdom seem like nothing. And yet…
“How could she become the disciple of a demon…”
“Sanson, watch your mouth!”
“Oops… Oliver said that just now.”
“Brother, you piece of—!”
Oliver looked ready to draw his sword and settle things, but Grand Duke Schneider stepped forward first.
“I am Jeycol Paulo Schneider, Grand Duke of the Schneider Duchy. I greet the Great One.”
As he bowed politely, Persona lowered her head in return and spoke.
“I cannot accept such excessive courtesy from my Master’s father. Please, just feel free to call me Sona.”
“No, I couldn't possibly…”
“It’s fine, it’s fine. Just call her that.”
“You stay out of this, you brat!”
When his father snapped at him, Patrick scurried back up the pillar.
Whose child was he? He really was like a cockroach…
‘He’s my son. He’s my son.’
The deepest sense of sorrow settled in Grand Duke Schneider’s eyes.
Leaving the Grand Duke behind, Persona headed toward one side.
The place she headed to was…
“I greet the three Madams.”
It was where Patrick’s three wives were.
Despite their status as the Grand Duke’s daughters-in-law, they had all bravely participated in the battle. Now, clad in armor covered in dust, they didn't know what to do with themselves.
However, Persona brought her hands together in a polite Fist Salute, just as Patrick had taught her.
“I am Persona, a direct disciple of the Twin Dragon Sect and the current Dragon Lord. I look forward to your kind guidance.”
“Ah… yes. We… look forward to yours as well.”
“Yes. Yes… yes.”
“……”
The three of them were at a total loss.
It was only natural.
The Dragon Lord herself was treating them as her superiors—how could they not be shocked?
While they were all women of significant status and skill, the being before them was on an entirely different level of existence. But then…
“Heh, look at how well-mannered my disciple is. I guess a great master really does lead to a great disciple, huh?”
“……”
“……”
Everyone in the barracks looked at Patrick with eyes that asked, ‘Do you even have a conscience?’
In the midst of this, Oliver spoke up.
“Excuse me, I have something I’m curious about.”
“Knight A, just keep your mouth shut.”
“Aw, why?!”
“If you start acting up while the Young Master has just returned, everyone here might actually cough up blood and collapse.”
At Sanson’s words, many people nodded with expressions that said, ‘That’s true.’ Even the good-natured Grand Duke Schneider joined in.
Oliver felt deeply wounded, but he persisted nonetheless.
“No, I’m seriously curious.”
“Sigh. Fine, speak. But know that if you say something useless again, you’re getting hit.”
As he said this, Sanson raised his fist, already preparing to strike.
Oliver spoke cautiously.
“The Dragon Lord just said she was a disciple of the Twin Dragon Sect, right?”
“What kind of bullsh— Huh? Oh, right. She did.”
Sanson’s fist, which was about to launch, came to an abrupt halt. Come to think of it, she did say that.
So, that meant…
“What is that? You said you were the Young Master’s disciple, but what on earth is the Twin Dragon Sect?”
It was a surprisingly sharp question for someone like Oliver.
Everyone in the room turned to look at Persona with a ‘Now that you mention it’ look.
Persona, in turn, looked confused. She looked up at Patrick, who was still hanging from the ceiling.
“Master. Did you perhaps not tell them?”
“Tell them what?”
“Did you not tell them about your past life and your identity?”
“Huh? Oh, that…? Now that you mention it…”
Patrick scratched his head, hopped down to the floor, and said:
“Nobody ever asked.”
Persona looked absolutely flabbergasted.
“I mean, even so…”
“Excuse me, Lord. What do you mean by that?”
At Grand Duke Schneider’s question, Persona let out a sigh and began to explain.
“Master is…”
Persona then explained everything about Patrick.
About a being from another world, and how that being had been reincarnated into this world.
Since she had to explain about the Outer God anyway, it wasn't something she could keep hidden.
Once the explanation was finished…
“Wh-What? Then…?”
“The reason the Young Master was monstrously strong was because…”
“How can this be?”
Everyone was in shock.
It was a story beyond their wildest imaginations.
Sanson hurriedly spoke to Patrick.
“Young Master!”
“Yeah?”
“Why did you hide such a fact from us and not tell us?!”
“Huh?”
“Did you not trust us? Is that why you didn't tell us such a momentous fact… Gack!”
“What kind of nonsense is this now? Are you turning into Knight A?”
“Urgh…”
How could you say something so cruel? Sanson’s expression seemed to ask. Patrick told him:
“When did I ever hide it? Huh? When?”
“Then why didn't you tell us? Why?!”
To Sanson’s desperate question, Patrick replied in a very matter-of-fact tone.
“You didn't ask.”
“…Huh?”
For a moment, a ‘Now that you mention it’ look appeared on Sanson’s face.
And this time, it was Patrick who started ranting.
“When did I ever hide it? Huh? I’ve been telling you everything since I started teaching you martial arts!”
Come to think of it, he had.
“If I wanted to hide my identity, would I have taught you those things? Huh? I would’ve just kept them to myself.”
Patrick’s words were logically sound.
If he really wanted to hide his identity, he would have lived quietly without letting anyone know he possessed such power.
“Uh, well, that’s…”
“He… never really hid it… did he?”
“I don't think he did?”
If they thought about it…
When Patrick was only ten years old, he had beaten up Brian, who was a 2-Star Knight at the time.
[The thirty-seventh thing I hate most is a loser who insists they didn't lose. You brat!]
After that, he had taken down a massive Saber Tiger.
[Hehehe. Yeah, you definitely look expensive.]
Then he beat up an Orc Warrior…
[Die! Die! You green-skinned bastard!]
He even cleanly sliced a King Ogre into four pieces.
[Everyone, out of the way!]
Did any of that make sense?
A ten-year-old child had slaughtered a monstrous creature classified as a national-level calamity.
It was something that shouldn't be possible by common sense.
Yet, the knights of the Schneider Territory had witnessed and participated in that entire nonsensical process.
And yet, not a single one of them…
[Young Master, where did you learn that?]
…had ever asked him that.
“I just thought the Young Master was a genius.”
“I figured it was a natural talent since he’s a demon from hell.”
“Me too, me too.”
“But seriously, did no one ask?”
“I thought you asked.”
“Why would I?”
Looking at the bright-eyed, innocent knights of the Schneider Duchy, Persona thought to herself:
‘This whole place is a total mess.’