Chapter 42: Enemies Inside and Out (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 42: Enemies Inside and Out (2)
Five flagbearers had rushed to the inner chamber at Rosa’s summons.
The third son, Ran; the fourth son, Vigo; the fourth daughter, Myu; the fifth daughter, Anne; and the second daughter, Luntia.
Rosa had them stand in a line, her gaze heavy and oppressive. The storm of her fury had subsided for a moment, but it returned in full force the instant Jin stepped into the room.
“How can you call yourselves flagbearers and handle matters so poorly!”
As Rosa’s voice boomed, a pile of documents and pens on her desk flew in every direction. One pen, unable to withstand the sheer force of the energy infused in her shout, cracked and shattered.
Sigh.
Rosa let out a long breath and looked at Jin.
“…You’ve arrived.”
“Yes, Mother.”
The siblings’ eyes all fixed on Jin.
Ran and Vigo looked slightly annoyed. Since they hadn't been involved in this particular mission assignment, their reaction was only natural.
Myu and Anne, however, made no effort to hide their blatant hostility.
Though their lips curled into smiles, their eyes burned with a crimson light—a silent promise that they would kill him at a moment's notice.
Luntia remained expressionless, merely curious to see if her long-unseen youngest brother had truly reached 5-star.
“Have you heard that your next mission is the Colon Ruins?”
“I have.”
“That mission is canceled. You will not be going to Colon.”
“Mother!”
Myu and Anne cried out in unison.
“You girls are obsessed with killing the youngest. Tell me, has becoming flagbearers and wielding some petty authority made you think you can look down on your own mother?”
Rosa looked down at her daughters with a chilling gaze.
But the two sisters did not back down.
“Mother, is it so strange that we’re trying to kill the youngest?”
“What…?”
“To be honest, I don’t understand why you’re shielding him like this.”
Myu looked Rosa straight in the eye.
“Keep talking. Have you gone mad?”
“Until now, you and Father have always encouraged us to fight amongst ourselves through your silence. Wasn’t that because our family needs competition?”
“She’s right, Mother. You know better than anyone how much we all had to endure from our older siblings while growing up. Even in the intermediate class, I was assigned grueling missions more times than I can count, all thanks to my siblings!”
A brief silence followed.
Myu and Anne weren't entirely wrong. The war for succession and internal power struggles were a lifelong duty for any Runcandel, and Cyron and Rosa had rarely intervened.
“Yes, you are right. Competition is necessary, and the means are irrelevant.”
Rosa spoke with a thin smile. Myu and Anne couldn't read her true intentions.
“But did either of you achieve 5-star by the age of fifteen?”
“What?”
“The youngest is different from you. If you had achieved what he has at his age, perhaps I would have protected you as well. But you didn't, did you?”
She stated the reason for her favoritism plainly.
“In other words, neither of you was worth protecting. And seeing how you dare to question me now that you're flagbearers, I find I don't regret that decision one bit.”
Myu and Anne’s faces contorted, their eyes blinking in shock.
Even for the cold-blooded siblings of this harsh family, no child could remain unscathed after facing such blatant discrimination from their own parent.
“…Ha. You’re right, Mother. I was being short-sighted.”
“I understand your will, Mother.”
The two women bowed politely and stepped back. In their hearts, a thick, viscous hatred began to bloom.
“Luntia, Ran, Vigo.”
“Yes, Mother.”
“As fellow flagbearers, you are not without responsibility for this mess. Especially you, Luntia—I am deeply disappointed. You will spend some time in self-reflection. Ran and Vigo, you will each surrender one of your swords.”
Luntia shrugged and accepted the order, but Ran and Vigo felt a surge of resentment.
“M-Mother? Surrender a sword?”
“Why? You should be grateful it’s only one. If I followed my heart, I’d confiscate every masterwork blade you’ve taken from the family armory.”
The brothers had no choice but to bow their heads. They felt they were being punished for something they didn't do, and their anger naturally shifted toward Jin.
What a dysfunctional mess. This is going to get annoying, Jin thought, clicking his tongue inwardly.
Rosa Runcandel.
Did his mother scold the flagbearers because she truly loved and cherished him?
Jin was certain that wasn't the case.
Mother… she wants me to fight my siblings even more fiercely. She’s intentionally inciting hostility from my older brothers and Sister Luntia, who had nothing to do with this.
He was right.
The reason Rosa had summoned the other flagbearers besides Myu and Anne was to test Jin.
To be precise, it was a test for all her children.
There was no better way to see just how tenaciously they would tear each other apart.
I wonder how the youngest will navigate this, Rosa thought to herself. He’s a smart boy, so I doubt he’ll be foolish enough to think I’m simply doting on him…
She was curious and intrigued, yet she maintained her facade of fury.
If Jin were to act hypocritically by defending his older siblings and asking to be punished instead…
Or if he showed any satisfaction with his mother's favoritism, that would be the end. Even if he was a once-in-a-century genius who reached 5-star at fifteen, Rosa would lose all interest if his response was so mediocre.
Of course, even if he disappointed her, he would still be her beloved youngest son, but he would be completely disqualified from the succession race.
She believed that a child who mindlessly sought refuge under their mother’s skirts could never lead the Runcandel clan.
“Mother.”
“Speak, my son.”
Rosa replied in a low voice, hiding her anticipation.
“I actually like the mission my sisters assigned me.”
“Do you even know what the Colon Ruins are?” Rosa let out a short, mocking laugh.
“Yes. It's Zipple territory. A place the Runcandels once tried and failed to conquer, though that was before I was born.”
“You are well-informed. Back then, Elder Telot led thirty Guardian Knights on an expedition there and suffered a humiliating setback. It’s nothing more than a tourist attraction now, but for some reason, the Zipples keep a close eye on that land. What do you think you can accomplish there?”
The mission assigned to Jin was theft.
He was to steal some of the ancient relics the Zipples were excavating from the Colon Ruins. He hadn't confirmed the list of relics yet, but there would be at least three.
“I won’t know until I try. It is a dangerous place, but I don’t find the assignment particularly unfair. Didn't my sisters assign it to me because they judged I had the capability to handle it?”
“That's either reckless bravado or you're testing your mother.”
Reckless bravado.
It wasn't a bad answer, but it wasn't the one Rosa was hoping for.
“Furthermore, if the mission is suddenly changed, it would reveal a flaw in the family's system to our retainers.”
“No retainer would doubt the Runcandels over something so trivial. Your sisters simply want to harm you. Since they cannot fight you directly, they are using their authority as flagbearers.”
“That is precisely my point, Mother.”
Jin smiled thinly.
“I have no intention of backing down from this fight. If I were to duel my sisters right now, I would lose miserably. But if I successfully complete this mission, it will be a significant blow to them.”
Rosa’s eyes gleamed.
“In other words, this is a fight I have a chance of winning. It might be wiser to keep my head down for now and wait until I’m stronger to face them directly… but I dislike my sisters far too much to wait.”
“The Colon Ruins is a place where a single mistake could get you killed. Are you confident?”
“Yes. And if I return after succeeding, please give me the swords my brothers surrendered. Since this is a mission you’ve judged to be dangerous, I’d like at least that much as a reward.”
“What?”
Ran and Vigo instinctively glared at Jin, while Rosa hid her satisfaction.
The youngest had begun to provoke his siblings perfectly, as if he had read her mind.
“Brother, why on earth would you get the swords we surrendered…?”
“Fine. I’ll allow it.”
Rosa cut Vigo off.
Ran let out a sigh and spoke.
“Youngest, if you want a sword that badly, I’ll just give you one of mine. But give up on this mission. Your achievements are already known to the world. That means you need to stay alive until Father arrives.”
If Jin was gone when Cyron returned to the Garden of Swords in a month, everyone who visited the Runcandels would be disappointed.
Many would likely suspect that the Runcandels had fabricated the rumor of a fifteen-year-old 5-star and then covered it up with his death.
Ran intended to sound like he was looking out for the family's reputation, but Jin just tilted his head.
“That’s a strange thing to say, Brother Ran. If that was such an important issue, you should have stopped my sisters when they were assigning the mission.”
Ran had been a mere bystander. Neither he nor Vigo had objected when Myu and Anne decided to send Jin to the Colon Ruins.
Jin could see right through his brother’s attempt to act magnanimous and score points with their mother.
“Hahaha… this must be quite embarrassing for you, Ran. You should have just stayed quiet like your sister.”
Ran couldn't hide his reddening ears.
“I am curious to see if the youngest can truly take his brothers' swords. I shall watch closely to see if this ends as a mere provocation or becomes reality. Everyone, you may leave.”
Once her children had left, Rosa rested her chin on her hand.
I trampled on the others' pride because I worried the youngest might end up like Luna. It seems my concern was misplaced.
The youngest looked absolutely starved for a fight. Today, he had fought with words instead of a blade, but he had completely toyed with his much older siblings.
Cyron will be pleased to see how well the youngest is growing when he returns.
Of course, that was only if Jin made it back from the Colon Ruins alive.
As soon as they left the inner chamber, Ran and Vigo headed straight for their rooms. Luntia considered speaking to the youngest for a moment but decided it was too much effort and left as well.
“Do you think luck will be on your side this time too?”
Myu, who had been waiting for Jin outside, spoke. She and Anne were leaning against the wall, not even looking in his direction.
“I’m not sure. You sisters might not know this, but I’ve never been particularly lucky.”
“This is the last time you’ll get to act so smug. It’s not a solo mission, so at least you won’t be lonely on your way out.”
“Haha, thank you for your consideration, sisters. I’ll see you later then.”
The two women glared at Jin’s back as he strode past them, watching until he disappeared from sight.