Translator: Wan ED/PR: Fan
“Come in, Hyum.”
The moment he heard Lucion’s words, Hyum entered the room.
‘Did he grow a little? It’s not visible this time.’
Lucion scrutinized Hyum, but it was difficult to know if he grew, so he asked Hyum:
“Did you absorb power?”
“Yes. I’m late because I had to handle the hair, which suddenly grew longer. My apologies.”
Hyum was about to bow, but he stopped and tilted his head.
“Did someone come in? There is… the smell of snacks.”
— A bad human came! Latta resisted the temptation and didn’t look at the snacks brought by the bad human.
Latta crawled out from under a blanket, her eyes full of power.
But the moment she saw Lucion, those determined eyes were shaken, as she quickly blinked, asking for praise.
“Well done, Latta. Don’t carelessly eat things given by others in the future, too.”
— Kay! Didn’t Hyum tell Latta? Latta guarded well. Right, Hyum?”
“Yes. Well done.”
When Hyum, too, praised Latta, Latta’s plump cheeks rose high.
[Good work.]
Before Latta could even look at Russell, he spoke up like lightning.
— Hihihi.
In a very good mood, Latta wagged her tail, not knowing how to stop.
“Hyum.”
“Yes, Young Master. I’m listening.”
“There is work to do.”
“I’m ready anytime. Please speak.”
***
Knock, knock.
“Anthony-nim.”
Hyum called out.
The moment the door opened, Anthony smiled brightly and welcomed Hyum.
“Hyum. Come in. Did you have a safe trip?”
“Yes. As You can see, I have returned safely.”
“Hearing that you’re coming, I wanted to quickly go see you, but I couldn’t leave when Lord was absent. I’m sorry.”
Anthony tightly grasped Hyum’s hand.
“Thank You for Your kind words.”
Hyum felt that the gaze of Anthony, who was looking at him warmly, was comfortable.
He thought that the best word that suited such a person was father.
“Mhm. Thank you for coming to see me.”
“Anthony-nim. I apologize for suddenly visiting, but I have something to consult with You. I already received the youngest master’s permission.”
Anthony stepped outside.
Because the place he was at was none other than Novio’s office.
“Tell me anything you want.”
Anthony looked at Hyum with a slight worry.
He hoped that nothing had happened, but could there be some problem with Lucion?
Different from Anthony’s worries, Hyum carefully took out a piece of paper.
Anthony accepted the note from Hyum and read the contest.
Names of 12 servants were written on the paper.
A note in messy handwriting, so it couldn’t be recognized, drew his eye.
— Beware of those people. They’re the people selling Cronia’s information. You’re free to believe it or not, but you won’t regret secretly investigating them.
“Hyum.”
Anthony urgently called out to Hyum.
“Please speak.”
“Where did you find it?”
— Hyum, you can’t lie, so don’t speak, and when Anthony asks questions just nod your head or point fingers.
Hyum remembered what Lucion told him, and pointed a finger at the corridor.
“Did you see who dropped it?”
Hyum shook his head.
“Does the youngest master… know?”
At that question, Hyum shook his head again.
“Well done.”
Anthony at last was able to breathe again.
He couldn’t imagine how outraged Lucion would be if he saw this paper.
“Hyum.”
“Yes.”
“Do you remember in which corridor you picked it up?”
“I remember.”
Hyum showed three fingers.
It meant the corridor at the 3rd floor.
The 3rd floor was where Lucion’s room was.
“Thank you.”
Anthony smiled at Hyum and lightly patted him on the shoulder.
“I’ll tell Lord about this, so you go back to the young master, like you know nothing.”
“Did I do well deceiving the young master?”
Hyum was curious about something other than what Lucion ordered him to do.
If he deceived him about something, it would be a betrayal, so he couldn’t understand why it was a good thing to talk behind Lucion’s back, and why it wasn’t a betrayal.
“The youngest master… doesn’t have good memories about those things. Because the young master would suffer, I believe it’s better for him not to know.”
Anthony worked hard to suppress his bitter feelings.
“However, my judgment can’t always be right, so you should judge on your own.”
“It’s difficult. It’s difficult just like before, Anthony-nim.”
Hyum frowned as his eyes rolled.
No answer came, so Hyum bowed to Anthony.
“Then I’ll go first.”
“Okay. Take good care of the young master.”
Anthony waved his hand until Hyum disappeared into the corridor.
His smile instantly disappeared when he entered the room.
It may not be so in another place, but the imperial family and the border was not a place for rats.
If the imperial family crumbles, the country will go to ruin, and if the border crumbles, the empire will lose its most seasoned and sturdiest shield and spear.
“My Lord.”
Anthony handed Novio the note he received from Hyum.
“This is a note discovered by Hyum. It seems he wasn’t able to see who dropped this note.”
The face of Novio, who read the note, quickly hardened.
It was obvious after he cut the heads off Sean and the bastards he was tied up with.
Didn’t he supervise and investigate to not have Cronia’s information leaked outside again?
But there were still bastards who survived.
“… In the case this information is true, isn’t it obvious where the problem is?”
“Yes. It seems there are bastards who joined hands with our enemies among the human resource managers.”
Although Anthony was a majordomo, he couldn’t manage this big mansion alone.
For each division, he assigned butlers and maids, and among them, he especially paid attention to the recruitment issues, and put the people he trusted the most in those positions, and yet it seemed he was still stabbed in the back.
“My lord. I’ll take responsibility and investigate. I hope You will give me a bit of time.”
The expression of Anthony, which was always smiling, turned so resolute that it looked cold.
The pain of betrayal was worse than death.
Novio missed the timing to get angry and quietly crushed the paper.
30 years.
For this long, Anthony was working for Cronia, so his anger was valid.
“Make them kneel before me.”
“Yes. Those were exactly my thoughts.”
“Do you think you can find the person who wrote this note?”
Novio waved the note.
He didn’t know why they were helping them, so it was suspicious.
“I’ll search for them.”
“Ah, move after dinner. Lucion is sharp. If you move right now, he may notice something.”
“Of course. Isn’t it the day we’re holding a welcome party for the youngest master?”
Anthony smiled warmly like he had never been angry.
“Anthony.”
“Yes, My Lord.”
“He is my son, aren’t you really proud?”
Novio put strength in his neck.
Everything that happened in the central region was solved by Lucion.
Lucion, who was anxious to even walk around, received cheers in the name of the saint!
“Naturally, My Lord.”
Because Anthony was the one who supported Novio from the closest position, he understood his heart more than anyone else.
“But sometimes I wonder if all of it is not a dream, and it won’t crumble down one day. That that child will return to his room, wailing and screaming, not leaving his room, just like in the past. I don’t know what I would do then.”
Novio’s face was slightly bitter.
He was the last precious gift his wife had left him, but he was broken.
Because he barely put himself back together, he was full of wounds, like a tattered doll, but he was shining and sparkling again.
Novio had no idea how thankful he was for that.
***
[Why did you leave out that butler bastard? Are you planning to keep him to play with?]
Russell asked.
“Yes, that’s correct. I prepared a hole for him to escape through. Once he is reassured and moves, he will let more things slip.”
Lucion was busily walking down the corridor to eat dinner, while yawning.
He matched Latta’s excited footsteps, and Lucion also soon became excited at the thought of eating delicious food.
‘Good, good. It’s better that I won’t see Heint.’
If he wasn’t going out, there was no reason for Heint to chase after him.
At that moment, Lucion’s footsteps slowed down.
Hyum, who was walking behind him, hurriedly stopped, and then started to walk again.
Because he abruptly thought of something that bothered him, Lucion’s footsteps unconsciously slowed down.
‘But… if Heint doesn’t wander around, who will deal with the villains?’
He thought about things that he hadn’t thought about when he was busy dealing with things right in front of him.
As he had no plans of becoming a villain, even if he died, the incident that triggered Heint’s awakening would also never occur.
And he already became a knight of the Imperial Order, so he had no reason to wander.
‘Then the main character… if the main character doesn’t do his job, doesn’t someone have to take the main character’s role?’
[See? I told you not to wear that bracelet.]
When Lucion’s face stiffened, Russell recalled the bracelet which he received from Tella and he wore to raise his Light resistance not too long ago.
Lucion forced himself to swallow a deep sigh, and started to walk again.
‘All those incidents… it seems I’ll have to deal with them in the future…’
[Lucion?]
“I’m listening.”
[Are you worried because of Heint?]
For a second, Lucion flinched.
[How did I know? It’s obvious. Of course, you need sharp eyes like I have to know it, so don’t worry.]
Russell sighed through his nostrils, as he slightly messed around with his hair.
[I know you’re uncomfortable because of the Light properties Heint has, but isn’t he leaving in two days?]
‘… Two days?’
Lucion’s eyes twinkled.
‘The Imperial Knights are going to chase after Luminos, so can I throw them other villains to deal with after Luminos?’
Finally feeling that the burden on his shoulders was gone, Lucion was about to smile, but he didn’t as he stopped in his tracks.
[What ridiculous timing.]
Russell pointed ahead, and Latta ran faster.
— Heint!
Seeing her wag her tail, like to tell that she enjoyed the food she received from Heint a few times in the portal’s town, Lucion was dumbfounded.
“Do you have something to talk to me about, Heint Hyung-nim?”
“Ah. Carson asked me to do something.”
Heint spoke up awkwardly.
At that awkwardness, Lucion thought of the words ‘welcome party’ right away.
‘… Darn it, no way, right? No way, Father…?’
Lucion stealthy glanced at Russell, and he looked like he was desperately hiding something.
When he looked at Bethel, she urgently turned her head.
Lucion nervously asked.
“Hyung-nim?”
“Uh, he told me to take you out for dinner outside?”
‘Are they really holding a welcome party?’
Lucion followed after Heint, confused.
***
‘… You’ve called me to the back garden for this, huh?’
The moment Lucion set foot in the back garden, he was startled by the sound of applause.
His room was on the 3rd floor.
It was high enough that they could see the whole front garden.
The only place he couldn’t see was the back garden.
‘It’s not something you could prepare in one day.’
The knights all dressed in plain clothes, formed a line with the servants, and each one of them held a flower.
[When I looked a moment ago, I thought they were diligently preparing.]
Russell spoke, even happier than Lucion.
‘They might have been forced to participate in this event.’
At that moment, Lucion met their eyes and struggled to smile with a nervous face.
“We were never forced to be here.”
As if knowing that Lucion misunderstood, the knight, who met his eyes, spoke up and handed Lucion a flower.
“That’s right. There is no telling how thankful I am to Lord for giving us this opportunity. Young Master. We’re really glad you returned safely.”
After the knight, a maid smiled warmly and handed him a flower, just like the knight.
“Youngest Master. I prayed for Your safe return every day!”
“I’ll take this opportunity to say it. I’ve been, and still am, incredibly happy to be able to serve Young Master.”
Each time Lucion took a step, flowers were added to the pile.
It was truly strange — their voices were warm, and the people’s eyes were also warm.
[It seems there is a rumor that you like flowers because you often went to buy latchou.]
Russell giggled, and Latta took a flower into her mouth and happily took the lead.
— Right, right. Latta is also extremely happy with Lucion!
“… I’m really ashamed.”
Even Heint, who unintentionally ended up walking with him, ended up receiving a few flowers and awkwardly licked his lips.
‘Why?’
Lucion just absentmindedly walked, holding a bouquet of flowers.
‘Didn’t you… hate me?’
Before he could solve his doubts, Novio stood before him.
“Sorry.”
The moment Novio looked at Lucion, he apologized.
This child hated to receive attention, so wasn’t this situation very embarrassing?
“I knew you would hate it, so I tried to keep it simple, but it ended up so big.”
Novio spoke very very carefully.
Carson and the kitchen staff were the first to find out.
From the kitchen to the maids, from the maids to the butlers, the information spread and it ended up like this.
When Lucion still had his expression of incomprehension, Novio showed him a smile so he could be at ease.
“It’s not me, but you who changes and will change people.”
“… Me?”
“Yeah. I’m very proud of you, Lucion.”
At those words which suddenly smacked him, Lucion hurriedly bit his lip.
“Welcome back home.”
Carson also smiled and handed him a flower.
‘This is… a welcome party?’
Lucion’s lips trembled.
The atmosphere was strange.
Didn’t it feel like he stepped into a spring, full of blooming flowers?
‘… Wow.’
Lucion wordlessly buried his face in the flowers.
The aroma of flowers came at once.
‘It’s the best welcome party.’
Lucion felt like he returned home after ten years.
*~*~*
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