The Dutiful Kid Who Saved the Villainous Family - Chapter 42

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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 42

* * *

Declan finished his schedule faster than planned and returned to the castle.

When he arrived at the training hall where the children were supposed to be, the scene he witnessed was bizarre.

The first thing that entered his field of vision was a corner of the training hall.

It was Serafin, covered in dust, sparring with Airi.

He pressed his forehead and let out a sigh.

As expected, it seemed like the strong-willed Serafin was bullying little Airi.

‘I should say something.’

He should have told him beforehand that it was wrong for a thirteen-year-old to bully a five-year-old.

But Declan, who was about to call out to the children, paused for a moment.

“What?”

A murmur escaped him without realizing it.

That was because Serafin’s expression was a face he had never seen before.

‘…Is he smiling?’

Serafin, smiling brightly, came into his view.

Moreover, he shouted loudly toward Airi.

“Hurry up and teach me more of that martial art!”

“Yes sir!”

Serafin watching Airi shout with spirit looked very happy.

He recalled the reports about Serafin from before.

[Lord Serafin Ortejo is a typical problem child.]

[He frequently exhibits problematic behavior. He has quite a talent for martial arts, but he’s evaluated as having a somewhat arrogant disposition. He has friction with several professors.]

[…(omitted)…]

Declan recalled the days when he worried whether all of this might be his own fault.

While also remembering the times when he suffered because he couldn’t approach the child…

He was seriously convinced.

“Something’s wrong with Serafin.”

“Pardon?”

“…Check if he might be possessed by dark magic.”

When he gazed at Serafin with a father’s heart filled with constant worry.

Serafin looked at Declan from afar and stiffened.

Then he quickly turned his gaze away.

There wasn’t even a trace of a smile on his lips.

‘…No, that’s the normal Serafin.’

He ran his fingers through his hair in dejection and muttered.

“…Raspen?”

“Yes.”

“Open up that thing we do every year when Serafin comes.”

* * *

In commemoration of Serafin’s return!

A small party was held at the Haunted Castle.

It was a party that was always held whenever Serafin came.

The servants would bring cake to celebrate Serafin’s return and hand over lots of gifts from who knows where.

But today, the format of the ‘party’ was a little different.

Serafin entered the dining room with a puzzled expression.

Declan was already sitting at a very far distance. He asked his father, who was distant because they didn’t meet often.

“Um, excuse me. What’s with this incredibly long table?”

“I had it custom made.”

“…?”

What on earth was happening?

Behind the pondering Serafin, Airi appeared.

“Wow! Hello!”

But Serafin was so flustered that he couldn’t even pay attention to Airi’s entrance.

‘Why am I having a meal in the same space as Father!’

Well, it didn’t really matter.

Father didn’t like him very much anyway. They were awkward and distant with each other.

Serafin took his seat.

Then he sat next to Airi and ate his meal earnestly.

Very combatively, that is.

It was around the time when the family meal was finishing without much conversation.

Airi, who was eating sherbet for dessert, suddenly brought up a new topic at the dinner table.

“By the way.”

“Huh, what?”

“Is Lord Serafin on vacation?”

“Yeah, but why?”

“Gasp, then don’t you have vacation homework?”

“Hey! What are you, what are you, I just got home and you’re telling me to do homework! Even demons would cry!”

“Thank you.”

Serafin was left speechless looking at this tremendous formidable opponent.

Serafin’s face turned red and blue.

Moreover.

A five-year-old kid.

A brat who hadn’t even been to the Education Hall many times…

How on earth did she know the concept of vacation homework?

But that wasn’t what was important.

“I don’t do things like vacation homework! A dark tough guy doesn’t do that, that kind of…”

This was strange.

Really strangely, words that usually came out smoothly wouldn’t come out of his mouth.

Was it because of Airi’s pure gaze?

‘It feels like I’m being exorcised!’

But Serafin gritted his teeth and said.

“Well… It’s nothing! I’m never going to tell you what it is!”

“I see. Understood.”

“…”

Whatever expression Serafin made, Airi seemed to have no thoughts about it.

“Hmph!”

Declan crossed his arms and smiled smugly.

“They seem to get along well without me needing to mediate.”

“…We don’t get along!”

Serafin stood up from his seat combatively.

Then he returned to his room, pretending to be angry and scrunching up his eyebrows for no reason.

‘…The vacation homework topic got safely passed over, right?’

Something like vacation homework.

Serafin originally never did it anyway, so he absolutely didn’t care.

He glanced at the [Vacation Homework List] that had been carelessly thrown on his desk.

[Draw a Family Portrait]

Serafin snorted.

When his mother Olivia was still alive, the family used to draw many portraits together.

Serafin glared at an unfinished portrait placed among the things he had brought from the Academy.

Even though Mother had passed away, she could draw her face with her eyes closed.

However, Serafin glared at the face shape—no, circle—drawn bare in the middle of the portrait without any facial features.

That was the face of the father Serafin thought of, Declan.

The blackened, smudged drawing had no eyes, nose, or mouth at all.

A father who always went off to war and never came close to him.

When they occasionally met, it was so awkward that they had never properly made eye contact.

‘I don’t know how to draw Father’s face. I can’t remember it.’

So Serafin grumbled irritably for no reason.

“…Well, I don’t care about this kind of thing anyway.”

He muttered while shoving the vacation homework list and unfinished portrait deep into his drawer.

“I don’t need to do this stupid homework!”

* * *

Meanwhile, at Ortejo Castle’s Education Hall.

After the bell rang signaling the end of class.

Airi hugged the homework Teacher Fiona had given her tightly to her chest.

Teacher Fiona, who had become strangely motivated after the parent observation class, often gave homework now.

Fortunately, this homework was simple.

[Observe people around you and write an observational picture diary]

“Teacher, why do we do this homework?”

“It’s to develop empathy skills for the friends around you. I brought it because they often assign it as homework at the Academy too.”

As soon as Airi checked the homework content, she wondered who she should observe.

“Hey, Karhen, who are you going to do?”

“Ah, I’m…”

Karhen quietly glanced at Airi.

“It’s, it’s a secret…”

“Ah! Okay!”

Airi, being a polite and well-mannered child, didn’t ask about the secret.

‘Then who should I do?’

Airi stroked her chin and thought carefully. Fortunately, her thinking didn’t last long.

Airi’s eyes sparkled.

‘Serafin!’

The uniquely peculiar existence among those currently around her.

She was planning to observe Serafin Ortejo.

Because she had observed strange behavior from Serafin.

‘I’m sure I became friends with Serafin, so why isn’t all the magi being absorbed?’

Even when she talked with Cookie last night, no clear reason emerged.

“I think that guy is stupid, so his magi absorption method is different from others.”

“Gasp, Cookie.”

“Hm?”

“That was totally unhelpful just now!”

“…Tch. Honestly, I don’t know well either. Are there separate conditions for being able to absorb all the magi fog?”

In that case, I’ll observe Serafin and properly figure out the reason.

With the momentum to prepare Taegeuk Chapter 2 if Chapter 1 doesn’t work!

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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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