Chapter 135: Shouldn't You Greet Your New Daddy? (5)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 135: Shouldn't You Greet Your New Daddy? (5)
“I’m just a guy who’s a hero for fun.”
At that single sentence, bursts of laughter erupted from all directions.
“Pwahahaha! Hey, did you hear what this crazy bastard just said?”
“He says he’s a hero for fun!”
“But what the hell is a ‘hero’?”
“Search me. What is a hero anyway?”
Well… yeah… it was an expected reaction.
It wasn't just the word 'hero'; even Natalia had once asked me, ‘What is a date?’
Thanks to that, Adolf Goebbels, the leader of the thugs standing right in front of me, tapped my shoulder and sneered.
“Has this prick lost his mind? Looking at that pretty face and those fancy clothes, you seem like some noble lordling. Did you have a few too many drinks this evening?”
“I’m sorry, but I don’t particularly enjoy drinking. What I’m here for is that Dragon’s Horn over there. If you return it nicely, nothing will happen.”
“Hahaha, is that so? Then I guess I’ll give it back. On one condition…”
“And that is?”
“If you suck off every guy here, including me. Or, you could just offer up that noble ass-hole of yours. Khahahaha!”
In that instant, I heard the sound of something snapping inside my head.
However, I was a modern man possessed of common sense and intellect, and at the same time, a nobleman who must always set an example with dignity and grace.
In a situation like this, I should gracefully step back, walk toward the door I just entered, and…
“What, you going to find your daddy? You little homo!”
…I fastened the locks, one by one.
“Manners.”
“What?”
“Maketh.”
“What the hell is this guy saying…”
“Man.”
—Click.
After securing the third and final lock, I turned back to face the thugs.
“Do you know what that means?”
“You’ve been spouting nothing but nonsense since—”
“I suppose you don’t. Then I have no choice but to teach you.”
Immediately, I launched a Serious Kick right between Adolf’s legs.
—CRUNCH!
The sound of two small, precious jewels being utterly pulverized echoed mournfully through the room.
“Guh… hu-urgh…”
I kicked the fainting Adolf, whose eyes had rolled back into his head, sending him flying, and then looked at the remaining trash.
“What are you doing? Are you just going to stand there and stare, or are we going to fight?”
“Y-You bastard…!”
“Kill him!”
What happened after that was… simple.
The guy who lunged at me with a dagger as pathetic as his own 'equipment' was repaid with his own blade to the crotch.
The guy who swung a club had that club shoved where the sun doesn't shine.
The ones who threw stones or junk lying around also had their crotches crushed by stones and junk.
The last man standing wasn't just collapsed on the floor; he was actually pissing himself.
“E-Eeeek! Don’t come any closer! Stay away! Wh-What are you going to—!”
—BOOM!
I stomped the ground right in front of his crotch with enough force to leave a crater in the shape of my foot.
“Gurgle…”
Finally, the last thug fainted, foaming at the mouth.
And I even went easy on that last guy.
“Anyway, my business here is done.”
Since I had turned every man who called me a homo into an actual eunuch, all that was left was to take the Dragon’s Horn and head back.
*
As I stepped out of the thugs' hideout with the Dragon’s Horn in hand…
“Y-You…! What have you done…!”
Apparently, her spirit wasn't broken yet—or rather, she hadn't learned her lesson—because Merlin was pointing a finger at me.
“What does it look like?”
I held up the Dragon’s Horn in front of Merlin as if showing off a trophy.
However, Merlin didn't seem to care about the horn at all as she raised her voice again.
“Did you kill them?! Did you kill them all?!”
“Haha, of course not.”
As a nobleman who must always set an example, I merely taught the lower classes some manners and dignity, though the lesson was quite overdue.
The tuition fee was admittedly very steep, though.
Besides, those guys are technically human, and if I were to kill them, the aftermath would be incredibly tedious.
Of course, there’s no way I would actually be punished, but the mere act of going back and forth for investigations and such is unpleasant and annoying.
But then… for some reason, Merlin fell to her knees and began to sob.
“Ugh… h-hic… what am I going to do…”
“What do you mean? You’re going home. How long were you planning to live like this?”
“What do you know?! What do you know about anything?! Adolf was my friend! He was the only one who looked at me!”
“Ah, you mean the ‘friend’ who was going to bleed you dry, rape you, and then sell you off to a brothel?”
Is she actually an idiot?
Even Sitri was looking at her with eyes that said exactly that.
In fact, that was exactly what Sitri was thinking.
Thanks to that, the tears flowing from Merlin’s eyes eventually stopped… but.
“Hic… I’m alone again. I’m left all alone again… Now there’s no one…”
“Sigh… Merlin.”
“…What.”
Try calling me Daddy… No, no, that’s not it.
First, I lowered myself to eye level with the slumped Merlin and spoke again.
“I heard everything from Lady Irene. How much you were loved by your late father, and how much you loved your parents.”
“…So what, are you going to act all high and dry and say you understand? Fuck off.”
“No, I wouldn't dare say such a thing. I shouldn't. All I can do is pray for the repose of your late father’s soul.”
When I added that I was sincerely sorry and would pray for her father, the atmosphere around Merlin, which had been like a hissing cat, softened considerably.
Good, I’m getting the reaction I wanted. Fortunately, she doesn't look like she’s going to bolt like last time.
Taking advantage of this momentum, I spoke again in a gentle voice.
“Merlin.”
“…What.”
“Won’t you forgive your mother now?”
“…”
“As much as you were hurting and suffering, Lady Irene was hurting and suffering too. To the point where she literally couldn't see her only daughter.”
“…”
“I’m not trying to defend Lady Irene. I’m not telling you to give in and understand everything. That’s not something I can or should do. It’s just… I want you to forgive Lady Irene. I want Lady Irene to be forgiven by you. That’s what family is.”
To put it bluntly, Merlin hadn't been told she was a child her mother regretted giving birth to, like Valeria.
Nor had her parents drawn a blade against her like in some other godforsaken households.
Of course, neglect and indifference are bone-deep cruel and painful… but at the very least, this is what I think.
Irene didn't commit an unforgivable sin against Merlin.
Fortunately, whether she felt the same way or not, Merlin’s lips quivered.
“Mom and I… are… family…”
“Yes.”
Merlin suddenly looked up at the sky.
Since this was an era where the lights of the earth did not yet obscure the night sky, countless silver stars twinkled in the heavens above the Imperial Capital.
As if searching for her father among those myriad glimmers, Merlin stared at the night sky for a long time before…
“Give it.”
She suddenly looked at me and held out her hand.
“Hm? This?”
“Yeah, that. I’m going to put it back myself.”
“Hmm… well, they do say he who ties the knot must untie it.”
“He who… what?”
“It means the person who caused the trouble should take responsibility. Here, take it.”
As soon as she took the sack containing the Dragon’s Horn, Merlin stood up.
Naturally, I stood up as well… but.
Merlin suddenly glared at me with fierce eyes and spoke.
“You, what’s your relationship with my mom?”
“Hmm?”
When I replied with a look that said, ‘Do you really not know?’ Merlin’s gaze grew even fiercer.
So, to change the mood, I shifted the topic slightly.
“I don’t really need to ask, but you’re going home, right?”
“Yeah. I have nowhere else to go anyway. But, I have one condition.”
“It’s a first for me, seeing someone set conditions for going to their own home.”
“Shut up. I still remember the first thing you said to me.”
“Hahaha, is that so? Then do you want to try calling me Daddy?”
“…”
Ooh~ she looks pissed~ Hey guys~ Merlin’s mad~
Ahem… well… Merlin’s expression was so intense that those words almost slipped out… that’s basically what I mean.
Regardless, Merlin looked at me as if she wanted to devour me whole.
“Stay away from my mom.”
“Eh?”
“You said you wanted Mom to be forgiven by me, right? Fine, I’ll do it. On the condition that you never show your face in front of me or my mom again. Got it?”
“Hmm…”
“I asked if you got it!”
“Haha, fine. If her only daughter asks for that much, I suppose I have to comply.”
“…If you run your mouth like that one more time, I’ll kill you no matter what it takes. Understand?”
“Understood. I’ll do as you ask.”
For today.
As soon as I took a step back, Merlin turned away from me.
As I watched Merlin’s receding back, our Great Demon finally embraced me.
“I suppose I don’t even need to ask… but you don’t actually intend to stay away from Irene, do you?”
“Hahaha, that really is a question that doesn't need asking.”
“Fufu, as expected. Then, shall we return to Irene’s mansion? Or…”
“Hmm~ For today, I should head back to my own place. It would be undignified to interfere with a mother and daughter’s long-awaited reunion.”
And so, Sitri and I took to the night sky once more.
Because Irene isn't the only woman who loves me, and whom I love.
However, as Sitri drifted leisurely through the night sky, she suddenly spoke.
“Still, it’s a relief that Merlin listened so easily.”
“Hmm? Why?”
“Be honest. What were you going to do if Merlin insisted on not going home?”
“Hahaha, well~”
If she couldn't be made to understand with words… well… I’d have to do it the Clausewitz way… or rather, the Helena way.
I would have had no choice but to carve a harsh lesson so deeply into her body that she could never forget it again.
“…Sometimes I wonder if you’re the Great Demon instead of me.”
“Hmm… do you dislike this side of me?”
“Fufufu, of course not.”
Saying she loved every part of me, Sitri kissed me.
Naturally, I responded by saying I loved every part of her as well.
And so, we flew through the night sky, locked in each other’s embrace.
*
“Me-Merlin…?”
Around the time Leon was strolling through the night sky with Sitri.
Irene murmured in a trembling voice as she looked at her daughter, who had suddenly appeared.
Normally, Merlin would have glared at Irene as if she were a bug or pierced her heart with sharp words…
“…I came to give this back.”
But Merlin merely held out the sack to Irene in a tiny, muddled voice.
As if she were embarrassed, she couldn't even bring herself to look at Irene.
As Irene took the sack with trembling hands, she heard Merlin’s voice, now even smaller than before.
“Um… my room… is it still there…?”
“…Me-Merlin…! Sob, hic… uwaaaah…”
“N-No…! I just asked if my room was still there…! Why, why are you crying… Don’t cry, Mom…”
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry… I’m so sorry…”
Before they knew it, tears were streaming uncontrollably from Merlin’s eyes as well.
Before they knew it, the mother and daughter were locked in an embrace, soaking each other with their tears.
The daughter who had returned after a long period of wandering, and the mother who had been forgiven after a long wait, simply held each other and sobbed for a long time.
Because of that, Merlin could never have known.
With her vision blurred by tears, she could never have seen.
That at some point, the silver ring had disappeared from Irene’s ring finger.