Chapter 59
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 59
Chapter Title: New Family-1
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Inside the carriage heading back to Altesia.
In the silence, I found myself constantly watching Maribel.
I'd somehow managed to explain things so Garum wouldn't misunderstand, but an uncomfortable tension lingered.
"Coco, does it feel nice and cool?"
"Yeah! Super cool!"
Right now, Maribel was giving Coco a lap pillow while cleaning her ears.
She'd worked hard this time, so I had no issue with her getting her ears cleaned or whatever. Still, for some reason, a nagging feeling tugged at a corner of my heart.
Like my spot had been stolen by Coco?
'What the hell am I even thinking...'
Any other guy might be different, but the one receiving the service was Coco.
There was zero reason to feel jealous, right?
I cleared my mind and stared straight ahead.
Garum, returned to wolf form, was curled up asleep like a coiled snake.
His blissful slumber made me envious.
"Young Master."
"Hm?"
"Thank you so much for stepping up for me and Maribel."
"The justification was revenge, but the trigger was pure self-satisfaction. I just wanted a dopamine hit, so no need to thank me."
"Understood."
Kizen accepted it with a gentle smile.
His face suggested he saw right through to my true intentions.
It made me feel unnecessarily guilty.
It was true I'd wanted to help the father and daughter, but what I'd done wasn't all that impressive.
Chasing revenge while grabbing benefits along the way probably dulled any sense of brutality.
"Where to next?"
"First, back to Altesia for resupply, then north."
"That means the next leg is the journey to Lunaria."
"Planning a quick stop in Rudmillan along the way."
I needed to see the protagonist's face at least once.
Considering my actions might trigger a butterfly effect, it was worth confirming.
"Got it. How will you handle personnel assignments?"
"I'd love to take everyone if possible, but if Altesia falls to the cult while I'm gone, it's game over..."
As the emperor's special envoy, no one could openly attack Altesia. But the cult wouldn't care about methods or means.
They'd use families on the brink of ruin or turn them into puppets.
Fill any troop shortages with cult believers, and they could breach it somehow.
That couldn't happen.
"I'm thinking of asking Lena and Gerrick to guard the territory. They're positioned to help immediately if Altesia gets into danger."
"Once the family head returns, couldn't you take everyone then?"
"True enough."
The elite knights stationed in Altesia had all followed the family head.
With them holding it down, collapse was unlikely.
If the cult took me hostage, that'd change things, but I wasn't worried about my safety.
Just the ones in this carriage were a powerhouse group on their own.
"But Father couldn't have returned already."
The Count of Altesia had rushed back after hearing of Heinz's death notice.
Meaning he hadn't returned until the moment Heinz was supposed to die.
Timeline-wise, Heinz's assassination was still far off, so the family head returning early was improbable.
Or so it should have been...
"Oh! You're finally back!"
"Father?"
Upon returning to the estate, the Count of Altesia greeted me.
At first, I didn't recognize him as the count.
The portrait in the estate showed a man with black hair like mine, but now it was a flashy golden blond.
I thought some rude intruder had shown up, but his face hadn't changed, so it clicked.
Mikhail Altesia, Heinz's father and the undisputed lord of Altesia, had returned.
"Everyone, say hello. This is my one and only son, Heinz Altesia."
"Ahaha! He looks so scrawny! Calling him a skeleton wouldn't even be an exaggeration!"
"Right? I almost used magic to exterminate him!"
"Tch! May! Sui! You can't tease your big brother like that!"
Accompanied by his new wife and the mesugaki twin sisters.
Oh boy...
The long dining table inside Altesia.
Mikhail Altesia sat at the head, which had been empty until now.
To his right was me; to his left, the wife and daughters he'd brought from abroad.
Mikhail had taken as his wife a woman with exotic beauty and a warm personality.
He'd brought her home without a word to his own son, but I showed no discomfort.
In this era, a child couldn't object to the family head—holder of absolute power—taking a new wife.
If anything, it was surprising he'd stayed faithful to his late wife, never keeping even a concubine.
"Heinz, let me introduce you. This is my wife, who will be your stepmother, Dere Altesia."
"Nice to meet you. Let's get along from now on!"
"And these are her twin daughters, May Altesia and Sui Altesia."
"Hi!"
"Hey there!"
Casual greetings devoid of any solemnity.
They clearly hadn't learned etiquette, waving forks and spoons in hand.
The stepmother was beautiful too, but she had zero noble vibe.
The authoritarian Heinz would've been offended and flipped the table.
But I was different from the Ketchup Young Master, so I bowed my head politely.
"I'm Heinz Altesia. Looking forward to spending time together."
"Seems like a lot happened while I was away. You've grown much more mature."
"A lot went down, and I learned plenty. I'll fill you in later."
"Good. I've returned earlier than planned too, so let's catch up after dinner."
The table was laden with a feast, but enjoying it freely was tough.
My new family members across from me stared straight through me.
I tried ignoring their gazes, but the stepmother and twins took turns fixing their eyes on me—it was impossible not to notice.
Like being sized up by lions in a den.
Pretty damn uncomfortable.
"Is there something you want to say to me? Stepmother?"
"Oh, no! Your image didn't match what I'd heard, so I couldn't help staring. Sorry if it's bothering you."
"It's fine."
I'd briefly considered playing the spoiled brat, but no need.
The territory folk's view of me had completely shifted anyway, and the cult now saw me as a dangerous enemy.
Pretending to be a worthless punk offered no real gains.
It might even distance me from heir status, so better to hold back.
As I nodded and chewed perfectly seared steak, the twins piped up.
"By the way, didn't you say you can't use swordsmanship or magic? Is that true?"
"Yeah."
"Then why carry a sword at your waist? Showing off?"
"For self-defense. Even if I can't wield it, I need some long weapon to protect my life."
"Has to be a cheap piece of junk then! Like pearls around a pig's neck, right? Kuhuhu!"
Tirving freaked out at being called cheap and spat out unintelligible gibberish.
The proud demonic sword had been properly triggered by the insult.
But I didn't respond.
Introducing it as a demonic sword to defend its honor? They'd want to try holding it themselves.
Better if they thought it was junk.
"May! Sui! Don't say rude things to your big brother!"
"Ehh? We're just stating facts."
"Yeah, it’s bonding time to get closer to big bro!"
Some exchange—they were just provoking me one-sidedly.
I couldn't tell what the sisters wanted.
Seemed like they were just poking at my pride to rile me up.
Maybe preemptively crushing my spirit so I couldn't mess with them?
Suddenly wanted to spank the mesugaki sisters' rears.
"Pearls around a pig's neck... Fair point, since I'm as frail as you say. But even someone like me has strengths."
"Like what?"
"My luck is top-tier. Especially my knack for surrounding myself with strong people—wouldn't overstate it to say it's my gift. That's why I've got folks way stronger than you around me."
As I smirked, their eyebrows twitched.
The arrogant mesugaki twins, hailed as sword and magic prodigies abroad.
My jab at their pride got an instant reaction.
"For real? If so, might have to ask for a spar."
"You said stronger than us—worth looking forward to?"
Young and honest with their emotions, the sisters bit easily.
Time to reel them in.
I dropped the magic word that'd force a challenge from them.
"Chicken?"