Chapter 33
Chapter 33
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 34
Chapter Title: Uncle Dante
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"Those two have met before, but you weren't born yet."
He said, gesturing to Set and Arban.
The way he spoke made me think he really was Kaide's friend.
As I showed sudden interest and leaned forward to get closer, Dante, who had been resting his chin on his hand, straightened up in surprise.
His reaction was as if he hadn't expected me to approach him first.
Seeing him awkwardly pull back, I puffed up my cheeks.
"Aileen wanted you to hold her."
"......Huh?"
"You just dodged Aileen."
"Ah, that's not it."
Dante shook his head, denying it.
When I looked up at him sullenly, he let out a sigh. I noticed his fidgeting hands.
"Kaide. I can't handle this right now, help me out."
"Why should I?"
Kaide cynically refused his request for help. He seemed to find Dante's flustered state amusing.
I'm being super serious, so why does everyone find this so funny?
I put my hands on my hips and glanced around, and Baon covered his mouth, stifling a laugh.
Set and Arban were watching Dante with faintly disdainful expressions.
The two of them seemed to know why Dante was reacting that way.
"Haa. I'm not avoiding you."
"Then why? Aileen saw everything just now. You even sighed."
"That's..."
Dante averted his gaze, his discomfort obvious.
"It's because I've never held a child from another clan before."
"Huh?"
"Children from other clans are physically weak when they're born... If I handle them wrong, I could cause physical problems."
Just how strong is he that he could cause physical problems?
Seeing him be so extremely cautious, a question suddenly popped into my head.
As if reading my mind, Baon explained right on cue.
"Lord Dante is the head of the Iselode family. For your reference, the Iselode are the Bear Clan."
"Bears?"
"They're famous for being the strongest of all the Su-in in terms of physical might. There's even a saying that a mere brush with them can crush you."
My goodness.
I was so surprised I clapped a hand over my mouth. As I blinked and stared at him, Dante stealthily avoided my gaze.
Just how strong were they for a saying like that to exist?
I first nodded at Dante, who was standing a good distance away, to show him it was okay.
"Aileen gets it now, so it's okay. Uncle was just being careful."
But as soon as I finished speaking, a strange silence fell.
The first to speak was Kaide.
"......Uncle, he says. I don't recall us sharing any blood."
"Same here."
Dante scowled as if he didn't even want to imagine such a thing. Then, he suddenly called out to Kaide.
"By the way, Kaide."
"What."
"I've been curious since I first saw her, but for a Black Mamba, this child's pheromones feel a bit... foreign. Her egg was unusually small when I saw it before, is that related?"
Dante, who had been studying me with narrowed eyes, turned his gaze to Set and Arban in confusion.
Then he looked back at me.
"It's definitely different. I can feel your pheromones, but they're too faint. Was she unable to properly absorb them in the egg? This feels like I'm looking at a child from another clan..."
As he continued, Dante's golden eyes widened in shock.
A look of disbelief quickly shot toward Kaide.
"This child... she's not a Black Mamba, is she?"
"Took you long enough to notice."
Kaide replied sarcastically.
Dante, speechless for a moment as if in shock, scanned the surroundings and lowered his voice.
"Where did you kidnap this kid from? I didn't take you for that type."
"You think just like the others. She was properly born into my family."
"That's what makes it even more unbelievable. Knowing your personality, there's no way you would have just left another Su-in's child alone..."
Dante realized his slip and quickly shut his mouth.
I already knew what he was about to say, so I nodded nonchalantly.
"That's right. Aileen is a bird."
"Ah..."
"Do you hate Aileen 'cause she's a bird, Uncle?"
Aileen was happy because Uncle came all this way to see her.
I tensed up, secretly afraid he would say that he did.
As I waited for him to answer quickly, Dante suddenly put a hand to his forehead and bowed his head low.
He seemed even more nervous than I was, muttering in a voice devoid of energy.
"This little one really knows how to keep you on your toes."
"Do you regret coming to see Aileen?"
"No. I don't regret it. You can keep calling me Uncle."
"Really?"
"Yes."
"......Then Aileen's gonna keep calling you Uncle."
I picked up the juice in front of me and sipped at it to wet my throat, which was dry from nervousness.
Dante, who was watching me, let out a dry laugh.
"To think a child of another Su-in could be born so safely here... I'm shocked speechless."
"Ah, I'm still surprised every time I see her."
"You of all people should know this isn't something to be simply surprised about."
"I know."
At Kaide's calm reply, Dante's mouth fell open.
"There must be many families after her. Especially from the East."
I held my breath. Someone from the East is after me? Why? As I burrowed into Kaide's arms worriedly, he laughed as if it were absurd.
"That's a possibility, I suppose."
"Is that all you have to say?"
"What else is there to say?"
"That place is completely lawless right now. You know exactly what I'm talking about."
"And?"
Kaide cut him off, his expression unchanging. His monotone voice was somehow chilling.
"Who would dare."
"..."
"It sounds like you're saying someone would dare to target Aileen."
I gripped Kaide's arm tightly. I had sensed the unusual atmosphere.
In that atmosphere, Set, who had been listening to the conversation in silence, quietly raised his hand.
As everyone's eyes turned to him, Set smiled brightly and said.
"I understand what Lord Dante is worried about. But you see, we've always been the ones to strike first; we've never been struck."
Set was saying these terrifying words so casually.
What was even more surprising was that Arban, sitting next to him, was agreeing.
What if, when they grow up, they start annihilating their surroundings just because they don't like something?
As my worries began to bubble up, Arban looked at me and said.
"There's a saying, you know? Always throw the first punch."
"......Aileen's never heard that before..."
"What? I heard you take lessons from Kasana. She taught us this on the first day."
At his words, I couldn't believe my ears.
Kasana taught them something like that during a lesson?
Just the other day, she gave me a caterpillar praise sticker on my cute little grape drawing, didn't she?
As I grew confused, Kaide clicked his tongue.
Soon, my hand was lifted for everyone to see.
"That method won't do. What if this hand gets even a tiny scratch?"
At Kaide's words, everyone's gaze turned to my hand.
Feeling somehow embarrassed, I wiggled my fingers, and everyone looked as if they understood.
"So when you two grow up, you have to take the lead and protect your little sister. Ah, of course..."
Kaide's smiling expression vanished.
"I'll take care of them first, but we can't rule out the possibility of a 'what if' scenario."
I quickly pulled back my still-raised hand and hid it behind my back.
Dante, who had been staring at my hand as if mesmerized, looked down at his own palm and muttered blankly.
"......I've never seen a fist that small in my life. They're usually bigger than that."
"She has grown a lot already. When she first humanized, she was even smaller."
Baon said, in a tone that suggested it was nothing to be surprised about. At that moment, Dante stealthily increased the distance between us, moving farther away.
It was a similar reaction to when I had approached him earlier.
At that, Kaide waved a hand dismissively, looking satisfied.
"Yes. Get further away, Dante. In fact, I'd prefer it if you disappeared far, far away."