The Duke Dad I Chose Can’t (Really) See Well - Chapter 32

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 32

 

He wasn’t exactly… kind, but he was still my friend. I was hoping that Rene wouldn’t harm my friend.

 

“So anyway. Hanisha. Are you listening to me?”

 

“Ah, yes! Of course!”

 

I snapped out of my thoughts at the voice calling me. I was used to listening to Max’s rambling with one ear and letting it go out the other, so I could pretend it was nothing.

 

“We were talking about the blacksmith, right?”

 

“As expected, you were paying attention to this genius’s words.”

 

Max nodded satisfactorily.

 

That’s right. Even after that day, Max decided to continue working at the blacksmith.

 

“Of course, I won’t give up on making prosthetic limbs.”

 

Max’s opinion was this.

 

Unlike abilities given by gods, mana occurs naturally. Therefore, any human born on this land possesses a small amount of mana.

 

‘Then conversely, couldn’t minerals also replace parts of the human body?’

 

-That was his thinking.

 

“Since the first attempt failed, I’m going to learn from the basics again. First, I need to figure out which minerals can safely affect the human body. To do that, I should follow the worker thugs around and learn from them first.”

 

It made sense. I nodded in agreement, but unfortunately, my attention was focused elsewhere.

 

“So for the future, I think it’s right to leave home and come to Stukkyia. It’s like taking one step back for the future… Hanisha, are you listening to me?”

 

“Max.”

 

“Huh?”

 

At my call, Max stopped his busy hands and turned to look at me.

 

“What?”

 

“Over there-.”

 

Crouching down with my chin resting on my knees, I pointed at the socks scattered to one side.

 

My words about punishing him for secretly taking minerals were sincere. Max had to wash socks first at Stukkyia’s Castle, not at the blacksmith.

 

“-You haven’t washed Mister Ralt’s socks yet.”

 

“…Damn it, no matter how much I wash these socks, they never decrease, why!”

 

Max gritted his teeth and picked up the socks lying to one side.

 

Perhaps due to the reaction, soap bubbles splashed onto the black nose of the gatekeeper Marsu. The Marsu sneezed and shook its body.

 

“See, I told you I’d help.”

 

“What help can you give with those small hands. Just stay still.”

 

“…”

 

“If I want to do the work I want, I need to do the assigned work well first. That’s right.”

 

Max grumbled but still wiped the bubbles from the Marsu’s nose and sat down heavily to wash the socks again.

 

Even though he talked a lot and grumbled, he was still a caring kid.

 

To think that such a kid became contaminated with mana and became ‘Mad Max’ who went around killing people. It was a terrible thing to think about again.

 

‘Hmm, should I help a little?’

 

“Don’t try it on people first, try it on Marsu first.”

 

“Marsu? What do you mean?”

 

“No, Max, you said it yourself. That any human born on this land possesses a small amount of mana.”

 

“I did.”

 

“Then Marsu must have much more mana. Marsu are natural mana that occurred from nature.”

 

“Natural mana…”

 

“Even so, they must have been injured at least once.”

 

By this point, I had given all the hints.

 

If Max was really a genius, he would understand what I meant right away.

 

“…”

 

Max was silent for a while. That was brief, then he got up from his seat.

 

“I’ll be back in a bit.”

 

“…Don’t you need to wash the socks?”

 

“I can wash the socks later!”

 

First-, this comes first!

 

Max’s eyes sparkled for the first time in a long while.

 

“Have a good trip!”

 

It looked quite nice, so I waved along with the gatekeeper Marsu.

 

* * *

 

Paterre Stukkyia’s Study.

 

Paterre slowly stroked what he held in his hand.

 

The cold sensation of metal was transmitted through his fingertips. As he slid his hand along it, the trigger caught on his index finger.

 

With a light twist of his hand, the grip that spun once was caught firmly in his grasp.

 

‘It’s much lighter than I thought.’

 

Existing firearms had long grips and took a long time to fire, so they weren’t preferred.

 

They had strong destructive power but were terribly cumbersome.

 

But what if that cumbersome aspect was eliminated?

 

No one could disagree that it would become incredibly powerful.

 

However, they only thought about it but couldn’t actually make it.

 

Then he met Ralt and other blacksmiths.

 

They claimed to have just done mercenary work while making weapons for self-sufficiency, but they possessed strong technical skills that simple mercenaries wouldn’t have had.

 

Perhaps these people could make it possible. With that thought, he joined hands with them.

 

Of course, before making it a reality, he ascended to the ducal position and the plan was somewhat delayed.

 

No, to be precise… it had to be postponed due to an unexpected accident.

 

Paterre, who had been smiling briefly while remembering the past, suddenly sensed a presence and spoke.

 

“Something seems different.”

 

“As expected, you noticed, Paterre! Yes, that’s right. This is a gun for use on people.”

 

At Ralt’s words, Paterre slightly furrowed his brow as if asking what he meant.

 

A gun for use on people… Yes, that’s what they had agreed to make, but fundamentally what they wanted to create was a gun for subjugating Marsu.

 

No matter how skilled they were, Ralt and the other blacksmiths were fundamentally people who had lived protecting others.

 

They wanted to make weapons for protection rather than weapons for killing.

 

That’s why they had joined hands with Paterre.

 

Unlike indiscriminate cutting and stabbing for killing, Paterre’s mana could quietly subdue opponents.

 

But a gun for use on people. He thought they were making one for use on Marsu.

 

Caron would be jumping for joy, but it was a change that didn’t suit the blacksmiths.

 

“Did you change your mind?”

 

Paterre asked in an indifferent voice.

 

“That’s not it!”

 

At the resounding shout, Caron, who was standing behind, coughed. Along with the words ‘the cold I suddenly caught will get worse.’ Ralt lowered his voice by half a tone and said.

 

“It can be shot at people, but it won’t kill them!”

 

Shooting at people but not killing them.

 

Paterre raised an eyebrow as if asking what that meant.

 

“Max did something.”

 

“Max… Ah.”

 

The memory came back belatedly.

 

That day was like usual, a day for testing the blacksmiths’ weapon performance.

 

However, the blacksmiths arrived at the study later than the promised time.

 

And they brought along some small kid with them.

 

“Did you have a child in the meantime? Is it happening faster these days?”

 

“No, sir. I met this child while out mining for minerals, and he seems to have better skills than expected. He appears to have no family either. So, Your Grace…”

 

Ralt’s voice was hesitant, unlike his large build. Paterre could easily guess what words would follow.

 

Many things were abandoned in Stukkyia. Most of them claimed to be children of Duke Stukkyia.

 

Since he could count on his hands the times he’d left Paterre Castle, they couldn’t be his children, but he didn’t deny it. If they wanted to stay in this garbage dump that badly. Besides, it wasn’t really his concern anyway.

 

So he was about to give his usual casual consent then too.

 

“Y-Your Grace!”

 

If not for the young boy’s childish voice that suddenly burst out.

 

There was a thudding sound as if he had fallen to his knees, something hitting the floor.

 

“P-please accept me. I’m a genius. Not now, but someday…!”

 

The urgent voice that followed carried the childish impatience characteristic of a child who hadn’t yet grown up.

 

When the flustered Ralt tried to restrain the boy.

 

“My family…”

 

The boy continued speaking.

 

“I’m looking for something that could save my family. I-I’m not trying to steal it. If you would just accept me…!”

 

“…”

 

“Please, I beg you. P-please…”

 

This place was a garbage dump anyway, so he didn’t need his permission.

 

“Brother… *sob*, sister…”

 

But that voice leaking through the tears was so heartbreaking.

 

“Brother, why… why are you like this?”

 

“Paterre.”

 

“Why on earth…!”

 

“Paterre. Please, I beg you. At least you, please don’t let Trisha…”

 

So, because it brought back fragments of his own past that he thought he had completely forgotten.

 

“What’s your name?”

 

“…M-Max, sir.”

 

“I see, Max. You seem to be my child too.”

 

So he allowed Max to stay.

 

Curious about how this boy who resembled his own past, who had brought back dim memories of what he’d lost, would actually save his family.

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