The Duke Dad I Chose Can’t (Really) See Well - Chapter 31

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

Chapter 31

 

“What, what are you glaring at? You can’t even move from there anyway!”

 

He shouted with all his might, but even to himself, it sounded pathetic.

 

Moreover, the eyes still glaring at him were nothing but murderous.

 

Eventually, the guard stepped back. Then he threw the items into the cell as if hurling them.

 

A small bottle rolled across the rough floor.

 

However, the young boy didn’t even glance at the bottle that had fallen to the floor.

 

“You bastard, do you know how much that costs? It’s a potion that can perfectly heal both internal and external injuries!”

 

The guard shouted as if he was the one being wronged, but the young boy didn’t even look at the bottle.

 

‘That ungrateful beast.’

 

The guard clicked his tongue and opened the envelope he had brought with him. Depending on what the patron gives, the lifespan of a chess piece changes. Therefore, he had to make sure to tell the chess piece who their patron was so they would feel grateful.

 

That way, the patron would be intoxicated by that sense of victory and pay more money, and the strengthened chess pieces would put on more entertaining matches.

 

“Listen carefully. Your patron is ‘The World’s Cutest Youngest Snowflake’…? What is this?”

 

The guard’s voice, which had started confidently, ended in bewilderment.

 

Using pseudonyms wasn’t uncommon, but this was the first time he’d seen something so blatantly childish.

 

‘And this envelope seems to have a subtle fragrance…?’

 

What is this, jasmine scent?

 

The guard, who had been sniffing the envelope for no reason, straightened his posture again under the young boy’s contemptuous gaze.

 

“A-ahem!”

 

After letting out an embarrassed cough, he crumpled up the unread letter and threw it carelessly on the floor.

 

“…Well, if you won’t drink it, don’t. Getting rid of someone like you wouldn’t be any trouble at all.”

 

The guard also threw the envelope that came with it on the floor and left the room with his threats.

 

Inside the prison cell, left alone again.

 

Now alone, the young boy raised his hand and grasped the medicine bottle.

 

Originally, slaves, and chess pieces facing their end, wouldn’t carelessly drink what guards gave them, even if it was called sponsorship. There were many cases where they were ‘disposed of’ under the guise of sponsorship.

 

However, the young boy opened the bottle and drank it.

 

An amount that wasn’t even a full sip.

 

There was no pain. Rather, he felt the boiling heat inside him calm down.

 

His judgment was complete.

 

The young boy stood up from his spot.

 

He had only applied a little force.

 

Clank-.

 

The handcuffs broke with a loud sound.

 

Everything after that happened swiftly. The young boy leisurely escaped from the prison cell and headed to the forest.

 

The black jaguars, who had been wary upon sensing human presence, stepped back after confirming the young boy’s silhouette.

 

As the jaguars retreated, a large jaguar crouched in the center became visible. It was the leader of this pack. The lifeless eyes of the beast looked as if they would go out at any moment.

 

The young boy crouched down and forced open the leader’s mouth. He pushed the potion he had brought into it.

 

The leader opened his eyes dimly and turned his head as if to say it wasn’t necessary, but stubbornly maintained his position.

 

【Hey, Your Highness. Stop it now.】

 

“…”

 

【I said stop it.】

 

He was still stubborn. He was probably being even more stubborn and refusing to look because he had been called by the title he despised.

 

【Rene.】

 

Finally, the leader called his name. Only then did the young boy’s movements stop.

 

【Stop it now.】

 

“…”

 

【Everything has a reason. It’s just my time to go.】

 

“…”

 

【So stop doing such dangerous things trying to find medicine. Your body is a mess too.】

 

Though he was pretending otherwise, the leader who had watched the young boy for a long time instinctively knew. The internal injuries sustained after the ‘education’ still hadn’t healed.

 

So it would be better if he had taken this precious medicine himself. Why was he giving it up for him?

 

He wanted to be angry, but it wasn’t that he didn’t understand his heart.

 

From the time they were abandoned on this land, the jaguars had been the young boy’s parents and siblings. Family should never be abandoned, no matter what.

 

But that didn’t mean he should harm his own body to protect them.

 

The leader growled as if to say he was being foolish. The young boy just glanced around as if to say ‘go ahead’ and then turned his head away sharply.

 

The young boy stood up and looked over the jaguars once.

 

“Kiiing…”

 

The beasts, who had been afraid of losing their leader, rubbed their heads against the young boy’s hand as if acting cute.

 

“…”

 

The young boy’s hand moved very slowly. But that was only for a moment. Leaving behind the jaguars who had come to greet him, the young boy left the forest.

 

His destination was the underground auction house.

 

The young boy lightly jumped over the perimeter and headed to his prison cell. Since no one could escape, there were no guards either. The young boy, who had returned to the prison cell that everyone wanted to escape from, suddenly noticed an envelope that had fallen on the floor.

 

Most sponsored items were things like strong weapons or shields. This was because the organizers would take care of treatment for the better chess pieces.

 

So they probably didn’t even know that he needed medicine.

 

“…”

 

Cold golden eyes quietly stared at the ridiculous title.

 

Then he immediately turned his head away.

 

The young boy’s goal was to find medicine to save his family. And he had heard that it was sold at this auction house.

 

If he could just find that, this auction would be nothing.

 

He had neither reason nor leisure to care about anything else.

 

But even so.

 

The young boy, who couldn’t take his eyes off the envelope for a long time, slowly closed his eyes.

 

* * *

 

A few days after Riche and Bashel’s wedding ended safely.

 

“Max, Max.”

 

Having returned to Stukkyia, I quietly called Max.

 

“Hm?”

 

At my call, he, who had been moving his hands diligently, turned to look at me.

 

“Did you deliver what I asked you to properly?”

 

“Well, it probably went well.”

 

“What did you say the pseudonym was?”

 

At those words, Max, who had been moving his hands busily, hesitated. His ears turned red as if he was thinking about something.

 

“I won’t tell you.”

 

“Why? Don’t tell me you used a weird name?”

 

“It’s not like that! Just… ah, forget it. Anyway, there’s something like that.”

 

“That’s mean.”

 

“…Then you. Why would someone as young, tiny, and cute as you sponsor someone at a place like that?”

 

“That’s…”

 

As soon as I was about to pout, I had to straighten my mouth again.

 

“That’s a secret.”

 

“Right? It’s the same for me.”

 

Max raised his eyebrow as if he had expected this.

 

It was annoying, but there was nothing I could do.

 

Even if he asked why and how I came to know that person, I had nothing I could say.

 

That day, I asked Max to sponsor ‘that child’ in my place.

 

Since I had left Agnito and there was no chance of meeting anymore, I couldn’t even call him a friend now.

 

Anyway, that child was the first and last friend I had made in my previous life.

 

However, I didn’t know The Girl’s name or face.

 

Among the few pieces of information I could remember, the only thing that came to mind was that The Girl had voluntarily entered the Underground Auction House to obtain medicine that could treat her family’s illness.

 

However, she had no desire to join their games, so she didn’t participate in the matches. To make matters worse, she became seriously ill and missed the timing, failing to obtain the medicine.

 

And so she eventually had to let her family go.

 

[It was just something that happened. It’s nothing special.]

 

[Still, it must have been so difficult for you…]

 

[If I stayed quiet, they wouldn’t bother me, so it was okay.]

 

The Girl said that, but it must have been far too difficult to simply dismiss as ‘just something that happened.’

 

Moreover.

 

[Even so, I think the operators there went too far. You must have been young too… It’s not easy for a young girl to endure alone in a place full of men.]

 

Though I had sent those words with sincerity, somehow no reply came from The Girl after that note.

 

The reply came several days later, and by then the topic had naturally passed, so I couldn’t ask anymore.

 

I had no intention of asking further anyway. Nothing would be more painful than making her recall that incident again.

 

‘And that time was exactly around now.’

 

Knowing that, I couldn’t just let it pass.

 

So I sent medicine that could help The Girl through Max.

 

However, even as I sent Max, I was anxious.

 

I only had exactly two clues.

 

A girl who appeared to be around my age, who hadn’t been active as a Chess Piece for a long time.

 

The clues were far too insufficient to sponsor someone.

 

Nevertheless, seeing that it was delivered well, it seemed certain that The Girl was there.

 

‘She said she couldn’t participate in the matches because she was sick.’

 

Taking medicine would increase the probability of participating in dangerous matches. So I hesitated about whether to send the medicine or not… but ultimately decided to send it.

 

Although she wouldn’t be able to obtain medicine strong enough to save her family, I wanted to at least keep The Girl from being sick.

 

Even if it was a past that had now disappeared, my memories with that child were still vividly alive within me. I wanted to repay my gratitude in this way.

 

Even if she was in pain, I hoped that her will would remain alive.

 

‘I hope it helped even a little… Oh, wait a minute.’

 

Then I suddenly remembered one fact.

 

‘Come to think of it, I think Rene said he completely cleaned out the Underground Auction House around this time.’

 

After that day, the Underground Auction House didn’t open for quite a while.

 

So I recalled Count Agnito’s earnest plea not to bring up that old incident to the man who would become your husband.

 

‘The Girl and Rene wouldn’t run into each other, would they?’

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