The Dutiful Kid Who Saved the Villainous Family - Chapter 183

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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 183

At Declan’s words about becoming an evil spirit, Airi’s eyes widened enormously.

“Th-the Pope must have already come…!”

Then she clenched both fists tightly like small potatoes and glared at him.

Declan suddenly thought.

‘Even at sixteen, she still looks like a baby.’

She’s cute anyway…

It was when Declan was trying to forcefully pull down the corners of his mouth that wanted to rise.

How did she interpret his silence?

Airi raised her fist and said warningly.

“The Pope is indeed in your body…”

“No, that’s not it.”

Declan messed up his hair roughly and said emphatically.

“What I mean is, it’s not that an evil spirit has actually possessed me.”

“Then what is it…?!”

“Well, you see.”

How should he say this?

‘Should I say I was jealous because I was afraid you’d already leave my embrace?’

Wouldn’t that make him too petty of a father?

But Airi seemed determined not to believe him unless he gave her proper grounds.

Judging by how she was already narrowing her eyes into sharp triangles.

Then, as if sensing Declan’s emotions, Berry stepped forward.

“Lady Airi, it’s not that with Lord Declan.”

“Huh?”

“I think he’s angry because we seem like we really, really like each other.”

“Huh? We do really like each other, so why would he be angry?”

At Airi’s honest straight pitch, Berry and Declan’s faces flushed red for different reasons.

Regardless, Airi narrowed her eyes.

“Hmm…”

Still the look that said she couldn’t trust Father who had talked about ‘evil spirits.’

Airi looked back and forth between Declan and Berry and said.

“Then this won’t do! Come on, we have something to do now.”

* * *

“They say you can’t even drink cold water in front of kids.”

He had only made one comment, half-joking and half-serious, about becoming an evil spirit.

Declan and Berry were dragged along with their hands held captive by Airi.

It was a small cottage next to the garden in the most remote corner of Ortejo Castle, the kind where a gardener might live.

“Where is this?”

“It’s a hidden room.”

“A hidden room? It just looks like a cottage.”

“No! There are tons of magical tools here too.”

Airi seemed to have already prepared everything to confront the Pope.

In a way, it was natural.

The era of peace had disappeared, and dangerous magical beasts had begun appearing, dangerous enough for Declan to lose a finger.

“…Where did the magical tools come from, and how did you make this hidden room?”

“I called the Eastern Jackvell Marquess and Uncle from the Mage Tower to have them make the hidden room.”

To think she had done such amazing things behind his back.

Declan looked at Airi with wonder, then soon had bitter thoughts.

It didn’t sit well with him that this tiny child had been suffering from the Pope for years.

But talking about it that way would be dismissing the small child who was risking her short life to oppose the Pope.

So he changed the subject.

“Why a hidden room? Are you planning to trap the Pope in this hidden room?”

Airi explained quietly.

“It’s similar. But I won’t share my plan completely.”

“Even though I’m your father?”

“Father doesn’t know, and neither does Cookie.”

“Then there’s nothing I can do.”

After nodding, Declan thoroughly inspected the hidden room.

‘Is she planning to trap the evil spirit that was the Pope here?’

There was no immediate way to deal with the being called the Pope.

Since he had no physical body.

But there was something that came to mind.

Both Berry and Declan focused on Airi’s mouth.

Then, Airi pointed to a small altar inside the hidden room and said.

“Here.”

“…”

An altar that seemed made for summoning something.

A small candle was lit on top of it.

“Hmm…”

“Is it occult-related? You know, that kind of game is popular these days.”

“That kind of game?”

Declan grinned and said.

“Kids have been going around talking about summoning the Pope.”

“Ah!”

The Pope summoning ritual.

A game where you summon the former Pope who supposedly controls souls and ask him questions.

It was like the modern concept of ‘Ouija board.’

Airi had also heard about it.

“Are you also trying to summon the Pope in his evil spirit state by making this hidden room?”

“Children are naturally reckless. But I’m not.”

Airi proudly lifted her chin.

Because she was now a grown-up sixteen-year-old.

Seeing that confident expression and chuckling, Declan stroked his chin and asked.

“Right, you’re an adult. So what do you want that made you create this thing?”

Since she neither confirmed nor denied it, was she indeed preparing a ritual to summon the Pope?

“Hmm…”

Airi stared at them intently, then shook her head several times.

Then she placed Cookie on the altar, stepped back, and did something like tap dancing.

Declan watched those suspicious actions and thought.

‘Don’t tell me that damn Pope bastard has been messing with my daughter.’

…But it would be difficult for an evil spirit to possess Airi.

While Declan narrowed his eyes and observed Airi.

Berry was watching Airi while frozen stiff.

Her attitude seemed like she wanted to capture every one of Airi’s actions in her eyes.

But Airi didn’t give any explanation until the very end.

“Now it’s finished.”

“Huh? Finished? We only looked around the hidden room?”

“Yes.”

With that answer, Airi muttered quietly to herself.

“Since I showed you around, now it’s done.”

As if their only goal was to show them the existence of the ‘hidden room’.

After that, Airi grabbed both of their hands again and left for outside.

The door to the hidden room closed with a bang, firmly shut.

There was no one there.

Truly no one at all.

* * *

Even after the conversation about the Magi, time continued to flow quite peacefully.

About a week had passed since Airi sensed the Magi from Declan and Berry.

Today was also very quiet and peaceful, as if they had never discovered any traces of Magi.

But it felt like the eye of a storm.

“First, there have been several weather anomalies.”

In the deep night where shadows cast no darkness.

Airi climbed alone with Declan to the highest tower of Ortejo Castle.

It was to watch the meteor shower that was supposed to happen today.

“Why did you come to watch the meteor shower?”

“I’m going to make a wish!”

…Even in this situation, what a romantic little one.

Thinking this, Declan asked Airi.

“Where’s Cookie?”

“Sleeping soundly.”

“…He’s asleep, I see. It’s bedtime for little ones.”

“Yes.”

Airi nodded her head vigorously.

Her silver hair, now grown to her waist, swayed gently.

Declan looked at Airi as if seeing her anew, then smiled and reached to pat her head but stopped.

“Do you still sense Magi from me?”

“Yes. The current Magi seems like Magi that cannot be absorbed.”

Airi tilted her head.

“…Since the Magi wasn’t visible before and suddenly started flowing out, I haven’t tried absorbing it yet so I’m not sure.”

Hearing Airi’s additional words, Declan nodded.

“I see, then let’s keep some distance for a while.”

Whether Airi’s purple eyes wavered with a sense of betrayal or not.

Declan spoke again with emphasis.

“It might be dangerous for you.”

“…”

Seeing Airi’s eyes waver made his heart ache a little as a father.

Declan avoided Airi’s gaze and looked up at the distant sky.

“Oh, look over there.”

Where his gaze reached.

Tonight’s sky showed not even a single star, just pure blackness.

But…

Suddenly, he could see a meteor shower falling in the distance.

The night sky full of dust.

Yet stars shining brightly despite it all…

‘It’s romantic, but it’s definitely quite suspicious.’

But Airi, as if she had no such thoughts, quickly clasped her hands together.

Then she spoke softly to him.

“Since the meteor shower is falling, I have to make a wish!”

Watching Airi close her eyes tightly and make a wish, Declan nodded.

“Sure, go ahead.”

But…

Declan was about to close his eyes and pretend to make a wish when he stopped.

The meteor shower suddenly scattering from the sky was one of the sudden natural anomalies that had appeared.

But…

‘…I got it, this is why it’s strange.’

At that moment, Declan caught a subtle clue.

Right now, at this moment.

A very faint clue about where the Pope who had become an evil spirit might be.

And…

“Airi.”

“Yes?”

Had she finished making all her wishes?

Airi opened her eyes and looked up at him.

“I figured it out.”

“What?”

“Why you can sense Magi from me.”

Hearing those words, Airi spoke quietly.

“Actually.”

“Hm?”

“…I also know the reason.”

Airi’s violet eyes gazed steadily at Declan.

As if she was seeing right through him.

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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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