The Dutiful Kid Who Saved the Villainous Family - Chapter 11

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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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Episode 11

Declan stared intently at Airi’s face from 5 meters away.

‘I have no idea what she’s talking about. Is becoming a hero the dream of kids these days?’

He recalled Raspen’s earnest request.

“You really must treat her well. She’s still just a baby, and this is your first meeting.”

…Be as gentle as possible. He said to really treat her well, right?

Then what he should say was already decided.

Declan tried to smile as gently as possible.

But it only looked like the corners of his mouth were curling up wickedly.

“What kind of hero?”

Airi proudly stuck out her belly and said.

“Ah! But there’s something I need to tell you first.”

“…What is it.”

Were his carefully chosen words as cold as frost to the child?

Had she finally been hurt?

He could see Airi’s body flinch greatly.

Declan unconsciously started to get up, then stopped.

‘I can’t get closer.’

If he got any closer, the turbid dark magic surrounding his body might have a bad influence on the child.

Then, Airi struck a pose showing off her muscles toward him and said.

“I am very strong and sturdy! I’m also immune!”

“First of all, there are no cases of non-immune people becoming immune.”

“I became one! So, I don’t need to wear these bread-like clothes.”

As soon as she said ‘these bread-like clothes,’ he looked at Airi who seemed dejected.

Right.

She certainly does look like round bread.

“It’s dangerous, so you have to wear them.”

For Declan, this was quite gentle, but the child didn’t respond.

Getting a bit anxious, he observed the child’s face from beyond 5 meters.

Meanwhile, Airi could sense his expression without even looking.

Because Cookie, tucked away in Airi’s pocket, was muttering incessantly.

“That, that guy completely consumed by dark magic. He doesn’t believe you. Anyone can see that.”

Airi clenched her fists tightly.

Wondering how to make him believe her words, Airi opened her mouth again.

“Um, I heard you like delicious food and enjoy practicing with an Evo Sword!”

“It would be Ego Sword.”

“…”

“And everyone likes delicious food.”

Meanwhile, Airi thought while enduring her internal frustration.

‘Th-that’s it?’

Airi clenched her fists.

But it was too early to give up.

Airi quickly pulled out her answer sheet and searched through it earnestly.

[7. Hobby: Walking. He enjoys strolling around while beating up monsters. There’s a maid who heard him occasionally muttering things like, “Should I try raising a pet monster, to walk together with.”]

‘P-pet monster must be written wrong.’

Airi read the information that ‘he likes taking walks’ and imagined.

Walking together, when hearts become soft, they become close.

Then she would reveal her abilities and say she wanted to stay in the Northern Region for longer than a week.

Once she got permission, the wonderful adventures of Hero Airi would begin!

After imagining all the way to the distant future, Airi said strategically.

“Yes, so, um, well, I’d like to tour the Ducal Palace!”

“Right, I understand what you mean.”

Declan gestured with his chin toward Raspen who was beside him.

“Hand over ‘that’ map.”

“What? You mean ‘that’ map? Something so precious?”

“Yes.”

Airi blinked blankly.

‘Suddenly what map?’

But ‘that’ map was swiftly transferred to Airi’s hands.

‘…Wh-what is this?’

Airi blinked.

“That should satisfy your curiosity.”

Declan was inwardly proud that he could fulfill the child’s request.

Unaware of Declan’s feelings, Airi was in the midst of intense frustration.

How could this be. This isn’t it!

The plan was to soften his heart, then reveal her identity and settle into this family.

That gentleman’s iron wall was as strong as his dark magic.

‘As expected, the trials a hero must overcome are tremendous.’

Then there was no choice.

She had no option but to use a direct approach and reveal her identity straight away!

But the current five-year-old, former nine-year-old child encountered another obstacle.

‘What, what should I call him?’

He was Airi’s father.

But the adults Airi met in her previous life were…

Grandmother was also a woman.

Her teacher was also a woman.

The director was…

Just Director.

The instructor was also…

Just Instructor.

Anyway, so she wasn’t used to dealing with male adults.

Moreover, Airi felt tremendous resistance to the title ‘Dad.’

After serious consideration, Airi decided to use the most polite form of address.

“I apologize for the inconvenience. But I have a request, Your Grace.”

“…Your Grace?”

Declan pointed to himself and said.

“You mean me?”

Grand Duke Declann Ortejo’s complexion turned ashen.

Airi tilted her head in confusion.

Manners? Sufficiently polite.

Personality? Sufficiently kind.

Since they were still distant, she called him by a nice title too.

But why?

Thinking hard, Airi’s eyes widened.

‘Ah! Could it be… I should have been a bit more respectful?’

Right, the other person is a scary adult!

If she’s respectful like her instructor taught her, wouldn’t that work?

“Then, Your Grace sir…?”

“What?”

When she called him sir, she could feel him focusing on her.

Airi asserted herself forcefully like a child who had seized an opportunity.

“I am, really truly, an immune person, that’s what I am. And I do purification too! So please let me stay in the Northern Region for a long, long time!”

At those words, Grand Duke Ortejo made a dumbfounded expression.

Airi earnestly pleaded once more.

“I am a hero! I came to purify the Northern Region! So please, Lord Grand Duke!”

Grand Duke Ortejo thought to himself.

Setting aside all the talk about being an immune person, coming to purify the Northern Region, being a hero, and such…

‘Lord Grand Duke?’

Could this possibly be some new type of bullying that’s popular among kids these days?

* * *

“…Lord Ortejo, is something wrong?”

He had expected him to be all smiles after meeting his daughter.

Seeing his rather strange appearance, Raspen wore a puzzled expression.

“My daughter.”

“Yes…”

Raspen quickly hardened his expression. He too prepared for the worst.

The Grand Duke’s youngest daughter was said to be extremely frail.

She supposedly couldn’t endure the demonic energy that filled the Northern Region for long.

‘Ah, did the young lady perhaps collapse after meeting Lord Ortejo?’

Then, Declan buried his face in his hands and muttered.

“My daughter called me… Lord Grand Duke?”

In an instant, Raspen became like a stone statue, frozen stiff.

“That…”

“What.”

“Um, well, that is…”

“…That is, what.”

“Wow, Lady Airi is really polite.”

“Again.”

When his opponent narrowed his eyes, it felt even more threatening. Raspen asked cautiously.

“A, a, a…”

“What.”

“A…ctually, isn’t it fine?”

“What’s fine about it.”

“Well, you have to part with the young lady anyway. It’s better to distance yourself emotionally! Lord Grand Duke – what a distant form of address!”

“…”

“Ah, this is really fortunate! Actually, it’s good! Ahahahahaha!”

Only Raspen’s hollow laughter echoed through the silent space.

“Well, yes. You’re right. It would be troublesome if she stayed with me long anyway.”

So…

Raspen’s words were logically correct.

“But you, get out.”

“Pardon?”

“Go run about 1000 laps around the training grounds or something.”

“How could I possibly run a thousand laps… Ah, hahahaha!”

“…”

His gaze was cold.

Suddenly, Raspen’s laughter cut off abruptly.

“Are you serious?”

“Yes, get out.”

That’s right.

No matter how correct the words might be, there are times when they become words that deserve a beating depending on the timing.

Declan drove his sweating aide to the training grounds, then fell back into thought.

He had received observation reports about the child even when he was away from the castle in the past.

But everyone who had measured the child’s abilities said the same thing.

“She is not immune. She has no particular abilities either.”

“Lady Airi doesn’t have many days left to live. The fact that she’s breathing now is already a miracle.”

That’s why he had sent the child to the Southern Region.

He couldn’t lose his daughter after losing his wife.

Declan had planned to send the child back. But before sending her away immediately, today Airi’s claims bothered him.

‘That she became immune and is a purification mage.’

Normally, one would judge this as a preposterous claim. He didn’t believe those words either.

But even so, a certain promise from long ago came to mind.

“When our daughter is born, I’ll let her do everything she wants to do.”

“Yeah, I’ll do even more.”

“What are you saying, how childish.”

It seemed like he could hear his dead wife’s voice in his ears.

‘The method to confirm immunity is simple.’

One was confirmation through the ancient stone sent directly from the Imperial Palace.

The other was opening the Ortejo Family’s Ability Measurement Room.

The Ortejo Ability Measurement Room.

A space created by the first family head together with his summoned beast, it was a place that could only be opened by injecting enormous amounts of magical power.

When Airi was born, that place had been completely destroyed for some reason.

Because of that, he had requested the Imperial Palace to check the child’s immunity.

‘Since we already confirmed with the Imperial Palace’s ancient stone, all that’s left is the ability measurement room.’

[Prepare to open the ability measurement room. One day should be enough, right?]

After lightly writing the note.

He recalled again the sensation of meeting Airi from 5 meters away.

‘This will probably be the last time.’

Thinking that made his lips go dry.

The wistful memories of the child that came to mind right now were…

“Declan, raise our child well even without me. If you can’t raise her…”

“…Why are you talking like someone who’s going to die? I’m going to save you.”

“Just in case, I mean. Our child will grow up well, right? Lovely and beautiful, so that demonic energy can’t even invade her.”

“…She will, probably.”

…A conversation with his dead wife.

And lastly.

“So please, Lord Grand Duke!”

Ah, but even so, isn’t “Lord Grand Duke” a bit too much?

…The note crumpled in his hand.

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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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