New Family - 3
"You actually showed up without running away?"
"It's not like you're the one fighting, so who cares!"
The next afternoon.
As I made my way to the Altesia training grounds, the twin sisters were already waiting for me.
Mikhail the Count was serving as referee, probably to keep things from getting too heated.
Meanwhile, my stepmother Dere Altesia approached me, suddenly grabbing my hand and apologizing.
"I should have stopped them, but when I think about all the hardships those kids went through for my sake, I couldn't bring myself to scold them harshly. I'm truly sorry..."
"They grew up in such a unique environment, so it's understandable. I'll handle their discipline myself."
Seeing my stepmother's eyes welling up with tears, I could see why Father had fallen for her. She was elegant and kind-hearted—who wouldn't?
"Please take good care of May and Sui."
"Don't worry about it."
I reassured her that everything was fine.
As I released her hands and stepped onto the training grounds, the twins glared at me. They clearly weren't thrilled that I'd been chatting with their mother in the meantime. Talk about picky sisters—I hadn't even started the conversation.
"Since we're dueling anyway, how about we make it interesting with a wager?"
"We need something to really spike the dopamine, right?"
At the twins' sudden proposal, Mikhail the Count glanced my way. It was his way of saying he'd use his authority to block the bet if I wanted. I closed and opened my eyes to signal it was fine.
"Sounds good. So, what do you two want if you win?"
"If we win!"
"You'll be our slave until the day you die!"
"May!! Sui!!"
The shout didn't come from Mikhail the Count. It was my stepmother from the spectator seats, reacting with intense emotion. She must have thought the twins had crossed a line, and they looked terrified in response. Fair enough—wanting to enslave a future family member was pretty outrageous. Especially since mother and daughters had endured brutal slavery themselves. It would be like repaying their savior's son with enmity.
"W-We won't make you do anything harsh!"
"We just wanted to make sure you couldn't harm us or Mom!"
The twins started making frantic excuses. They must have figured the rogue like me would torment them. They couldn't touch them while Mikhail was alive, but who knew what I'd do once I inherited the lordship. This was their way of securing a safety net beforehand. Did they really need to use the word 'slave,' though? Guess their education didn't cover more polite phrasing.
"And if I win?"
"Then we'll be your slaves."
"Even if we look like this, we were the slaves every noble in Azat Kingdom coveted!"
The twins boasted about their popularity, but I couldn't deny it. With sea-blue hair and striking lapis lazuli eyes, these twins stood out. Older sister May had a ponytail, younger sister Sui had twintails—a nice variation. They'd surely grow into beauties. Inheriting their mother's looks plus martial talent? No wonder they were popular. But it didn't really tempt me, so I snorted. Pretty or not, they were just kids. Seeing my lukewarm reaction, the twins furrowed their brows, pride wounded.
"I was expecting something impressive, but 'be my slave'? Eh, what can I expect from you two."
"So annoying...!"
"I wanna smash that smug nose flat!"
After all the back-and-forth, the wager was set, and the twins started badgering me to send out my proxy already.
"Hold on a sec."
The night before, after talking with Mikhail the Count, I'd mulled things over. Who to assign to educate the twins? They'd been sold into slavery by their deadbeat father and nearly had their limbs chopped off. They dodged the worst, but ended up as child gladiators, treated like disposable tools to bring wealth and glory to their owners.
Such a pity, all around...
That explained the scars etched across their bodies—not marks of endless training, but wounds from daily fights for survival. Rolling in brutal arenas had toughened their tongues too. Provoking opponents was Gladiator 101. So, I couldn't punish them excessively just because they were bratty.
If I crush them too miserably, Mikhail the Count will hate it.
That ruled out Kizen and Rena. Kizen didn't do mercy, and Rena would flip if they taunted her age. Maribel got scary once she learned they'd badmouthed me. In the end, only one person fit the bill as their opponent. I wanted to send Garum too, but the twins would probably burst into tears at his monstrous looks.
"Coco."
"You called?"
"Can you fight those two?"
"Yeah!"
No better option, so I picked Coco as my duel proxy. Felt bad pulling her mid-play with Garum, but the wolf girl didn't mind. She beamed with a full smile, thrilled. The twins, however, took offense.
"A beast after all...!"
"Sending out a little girl."
"You're little girls too, aren't you? Be grateful I'm matching your level."
"We don't need your pity!"
"At least bring one more!"
They balked at a 2-on-1, but I shook my head. I exuded confidence that Coco could handle them solo. Already scratched up from three rounds, the sisters raised their sparring weapons, battle-ready. They glared at Coco, dead set on flattening my nose. But the wolf casually introduced herself.
"I-isu domo Coco desu!"
"Coco, that's another language. And they speak Imperial too."
"Aha! Then what should Coco do, big bro?"
"Subdue those two up front. No playing—end it quick."
"Got it!"
With proxies set, Mikhail the Count signaled the duel to begin. May charged straight with her wooden sword, while Sui started chanting. The plan: stick close to distract, then finish with magic. Too bad it wouldn't work on Coco.
"They say assassins are the natural counters to mages since ancient times."
By the time May's wooden sword slashed diagonally, Coco had already melted into the shadows, vanishing. The wolf's target: the mage. She burst from Sui's shadow behind her. But Sui twisted as if expecting it, swinging her staff long behind her.
"I'm still in the shadow, though?"
Coco didn't emerge from Sui's shadow. She'd just exuded killing intent to trick them into thinking she had. Once the staff whooshed through empty air, Coco popped out, clamping Sui's mouth with one hand and prodding her throat with a wooden dagger. By the rules, Sui was as good as dead.
"One down, cut!"
"Tch!"
Tongue-clicking, May spun and charged Coco again. No concern for her fallen ally. She chalked up her sister's retreat to bad matchup and figured she could take her down. As she lunged to stab Coco's gut—
"Yah!"
"Kyaa!"
Coco grabbed a handful of sand from her pouch and flung it at May's face. Eyes stung by the grains, May cried out in pain. Seizing the opening, Coco kicked her gut. As May toppled backward, Coco mounted her and pressed the dagger to her throat.
"My lord, looks like it's over."
"...Yeah, winner Coco!"
"Yay!!"
The duel ended so one-sidedly it felt anticlimactic. Despite their talent and gladiator experience, the twins couldn't match Coco. Predictable. Coco had master Kizen; the sisters had only taught themselves. A sword swung with expert training and insight packs more meaning than wild flailing. Their talents were comparable, but the learning gap decided it.
"Ughhh...!"
"Eek! Uuugh...!"
The twins, whose pride had soared after beating adults. But this was their first overwhelming defeat. They tried holding back sobs, but tears finally spilled. Sui cried first, then May let out fat tears like chicken droppings. Bratty and prideful, but kids are kids after all.
"Big bro, they're crying—did Coco hit too hard?"
"Nah, it's fine. That's how kids grow up."
I patted Coco's head, praising her effort. Pride swelled watching her growth, but Mikhail the Count shot me a look. Go console the twins. I shook my head no, but he stared firmly—no veto allowed. Unable to defy the lord's gaze, I grudgingly approached the sisters.
Huddled together, desperately stifling sobs, they flinched and trembled as I neared. Probably thought they'd suffer now that they'd lose the slave bet. But I pulled out a handkerchief and gently wiped their tear-streaked eyes.
"I have no intention of making you slaves. Who in the world enslaves their family?"
"Family...?"
"Yeah. Blood doesn't connect us, but we're family. At least, that's how I see it."
Like it or not, we were one family now, so I smiled. Hoping this duel would leave them with a good impression, curbing their tantrums toward me. The twins stared blankly at me for a while, eyes red and puffy.
Did I overdo it?
Made sense—they'd been rude just moments ago, so sudden kindness might seem weird. As I pondered switching back to curtness, they suddenly clutched my sleeve tight. Then they gazed up with sparkling eyes—this was getting burdensome. Had I accidentally charmed them?