Black-Haired Dad Isn’t Something You Reap - Chapter 167

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 167. Learning Only the Bad Things About Being Young (1)
Kirke’s photograph arrived, as expected, on Halloween. For some reason, a plump golden pig also came with the shipment, but that hardly mattered….
The photograph contained the image of an elegant woman with jet-black hair that held a subtle greenish tint. In the Southern Region, such greenish-tinged black hair was considered one of the hallmarks of supreme beauty, and I could certainly understand why—her appearance possessed an otherworldly mystique.
Something about her seemed odd, though. Her eyes gleamed with an almost unnatural brightness, and her facial features were far too flawless. It looked as though photograph enhancement techniques had been applied….
In any case, now that I had her image, I issued a kingdom-wide wanted notice throughout Kisomalos. I sent handwritten letters to each nation requesting their cooperation in the search and posted a substantial bounty. Of course, I also sought Nanakda’s assistance. He assured me he would find her quickly and that I need only trust him.
I consulted with Father about this matter, and we decided to tell those around me only that my goal was to restore Kisomalos to the status of a higher deity, while keeping secret the fact that I would face repeated execution by quartering upon reaching twenty-one.
Everyone would certainly panic, and Father’s opinion was that Choco would absolutely go berserk.
Setting aside the rampage itself, I agreed with keeping it hidden. There was no need to needlessly sow anxiety, and I believed everyone would achieve better results if they worked with light hearts and gave their best effort. If I burdened myself with the pressure that I might die, it would only make it harder to move forward. I made sure to tell Kisomalos this as well—to keep it sealed tight.
“Waaahhh! Brother, please! Just once! I’m begging you!”
Why was that little brat Larima clinging to Croa’s tunic hem like that….
Today was a birthday party celebrating my fifteenth year, and I’d kept it modest, inviting only those close to me to the Princess Palace. Over there by the wall booth, Genie Teacher was reading the fortunes of the Emilys for the coming year, and it had been ages since Chamberlain and Aunt Kazelnu ventured outside. Though they were wearing handcuffs and shackles as a set. Ah, and Looping had even fled here to the Princess Palace, claiming he didn’t want to work.
“Well, there’s a contract that says I can’t use curses in the Imperial Palace before becoming an adult…!”
“But you’ll be an adult in just two months!”
Croa, of all people, using that as an excuse. Croa’s birthday was March 1st, so our age difference wasn’t that great. Come to think of it, was Croa already an adult?
Under Kisomalos law, he would have already reached adulthood last year, but since Croa was a citizen of the Media Kingdom, he had to follow Media law. According to Media law, Croa would become an adult in two months. That’s why I scaled back my birthday celebration somewhat. I wanted to hold a grand coming-of-age ceremony for Croa.
“Curses? You’re saying something rather ominous on such a fine day.”
“Oh, Your Highness! Happy birthday!”
I sipped some non-alcoholic champagne and approached Larima. That electric skateboard you gave me is quite impressive. But honestly, watching you create electric divine artifacts would have made for an even better birthday gift.
Upon hearing this, Larima’s face fell and he lowered his head.
“I apologize. Duke Alset simply won’t acknowledge me….”
“So he intends to make the second son his legitimate heir after all?”
Duke Alset and his second wife were engaged in a love for the ages, after all. Larima’s mother had been merely a political marriage. But for him to remarry immediately after she died was too much. It was despicable, like a dog eating its own young.
“Why a curse? Are you asking Croa to curse your younger brother to death?”
“No, I can handle that myself. And if it’s about killing someone, wouldn’t that be too much of a burden on Brother Croa?”
I couldn’t tell if you were a good child or a wicked one. The way you casually spoke of killing your brother made you seem depraved, yet your concern for Croa’s wellbeing showed you were thoughtful and admirable.
“If you have no intention of killing him, what else do you plan to do with a curse?”
“I’m going to make Father impotent.”
The moment Larima spoke, every man in the room flinched. While others might have let it pass, Father and Choco flinching was amusing. So Father and Choco were, after all, biologically male. Regardless of gender, these two had such monstrous aspects that made me question whether they were even human.
“…That’s actually not a bad idea?”
“Right!”
Larima’s half-brother was three years old this year, I believe—around the same age as our Leon. Whether you kill that child or cast him far away, and then make Duke Alset impotent, there would be no legitimate heir besides Larima. It was an extremely logical and reasonable plan.
“Still, you should seize the dukedom through your own strength. Without such resolve, even if you become the legitimate heir, you won’t hold it for long.”
“Whimper.”
Larima pouted his lips and looked at Aunt Kazelnu with an affectionate expression. This boy still hadn’t abandoned his ambition of making his aunt a duchess.
“Phew, thank you, Pisha. That was quite awkward.”
“Croa, you too. You should have firmly refused.”
“Well, he’s a close younger brother, and I thought making him impotent wouldn’t be too much trouble….”
Hey! Have you forgotten you’re still a prisoner? You belong to me, so you need my permission even to get hurt. When I made this argument, Croa laughed bashfully and blushed, while Larima gazed at us with eyes full of longing.
“How romantic! That was the most romantic thing I’ve ever heard, Your Highness!”
“Hmph, is that so?”
“Pisha, you do have a tendency to say things that make one’s heart skip a beat, don’t you?”
“Ugh! You startled me half to death.”
Just as we were cheerfully boasting about our marital bliss, Shirley appeared carrying Leon. She wedged herself between me and Croa, then forcibly thrust Leon into my arms.
“Do visit the child more often. Leon will forget his mother’s face.”
“Well, I’ve been rather busy lately, you see.”
“And you think I’m not?!”
I understood Shirley was busy with her doctoral studies, and she had a child to raise too, but why did she have to raise her voice like that? Leon, sensing his mother’s irritation, began to whimper, so I gently bounced him in my arms to soothe him.
Oh, how precious. Our Leon is so beautiful when he smiles.
“How petty of you, bringing the child along like that.”
“If you’re so upset, why don’t you have a child yourself?”
“You didn’t even give birth to him.”
“But my genes are definitely in there, aren’t they?”
Well, that was true enough. Doctor Marichi had given birth to Leon, after all. I chuckled and decided to discuss the matter with my friends. While I couldn’t use the method of castrating Duke Alset, I wondered if there was something we could do to help Larima become the rightful heir.
“We can’t meddle in other people’s family affairs, but is there something we could do to help Larima stand out?”
“Wouldn’t Pisha helping Larima itself be seen as meddling by those around you?”
“Well, that’s why we should help discreetly. Without making it obvious.”
“Hmm….”
As we huddled together, Father and Head Attendant Grandmother chuckled, amused by the sight of us debating which candidate to support.
“Should we ask Genie Teacher for some direction?”
“Oh! Great idea!”
It wasn’t as though we were doing anything serious anyway. Why not grasp at straws? I asked the lined-up Emilys for permission and decided to have Larima’s fortune read for the new year. Genie Teacher asked for Larima’s birth time, but since we didn’t know the exact hour, I only provided the birth year and date.
“Born in year 8169, on the 12th of December.”
“In the lunar calendar?”
“…The lunar calendar?”
“I mean the Luna Calendar.”
“What’s that?”
Right, most people wouldn’t know their lunar birth date. Still, Genie Teacher had thoughtfully prepared a Luna Calendar reference at the booth for everyone’s convenience. As we tried to find the lunar date in the booklet, Shirley closed her eyes briefly, then opened them and stated the date with certainty.
“The 15th of the 11th month.”
“Yes, confirmed, madam.”
That genius. Everyone trusted Shirley’s intellect enough that no one bothered checking the booklet themselves, and Genie Teacher immediately shook the divination cylinder. Since no one knew the birth hour, she said she’d use the I Ching method instead… I didn’t quite understand it, but I could only sense the mystique of the Southern Region. What kind of fortune could possibly be read from those hastily drawn lines?
“Let me see now, for the young lord next year….”
After examining the celestial board and the wooden divination sticks, Genie Teacher smiled with interest, then alternated her gaze between Aunt Kazelnu and Larima.
“It seems you will encounter a formidable rival.”
A rival? Ah, I see. To showcase Larima’s abilities, pitting him in competition might indeed be an effective approach.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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