Chapter 88

"Hmm."

Embarrassed by the sharp tone, the marquis gave a false cough.

Enoch, who was sitting with his arms crossed and his legs crossed, glared fiercely at the marquis.

"Why? Is the kid a bastard?"

"Surely not. He is of my blood, isn't he? It's right for me to take him in."

"Ah."

Enoch's jaw tightened at the brazen answer.

The nobles hate this. They do things that clearly show their true intentions but can't let go of meaningless face-saving.

The one who was afraid of the consequences and asked to kill the child before is now saying it's his child and he wants to take him in...

'Really, I want to punch him.'

Enoch closed his eyes tightly and swallowed the rising impulse.

"Well, shouldn't we hear the child's opinion? I wonder if he wants to see the father who locked him in a small room all day, beat him, and starved him."

"That never happened."

"Haha, really..."

Enoch clenched his teeth while smiling.

"I am grateful for the care you've given the child. I plan to file a paternity claim with the royal family as soon as we find the child's mother."

The marquis took out a few documents and added,

"Even if the mother doesn't appear, proving my relationship with the child won't be difficult. It will just take some time to establish custody."

"Custody?"

"...Guardianship. I misspoke."

Really, should I hit him? Enoch clenched his fists and examined the documents the marquis had offered.

"Oh, the testimony of the servants who knew about the child's existence. So, you mean the criminals who participated in the marquis's abuse and, for a few coins, are willing to throw the child back into hell?"

"Let me reiterate, that never happened."

"Well, okay. Fine. Let's ask the child. Whether he really considers you his father, who did nothing for him except bring him into the world."

"The child will be satisfied. I plan to pass on the family name. It's important to have a clear position."

Enoch nodded and stood up.

"Being a noble is good. A child who used to eat scraps for being a bastard will become the legitimate heir and successor."

"Can I take the child now?"

"No. The child's opinion comes first. And once the petition is filed and the formal authority is granted, then come back."

Enoch looked down at the marquis coldly and gestured with his chin.

"If you understand, leave now. I don't want to look at you any longer."

* * *

"Daddy, Daddy, Daddy!"

"Hey, Princess!"

As soon as I got home, I hurried to find Daddy.

"I was just about to go look for you."

"Huh? Why?"

"I think we should ask Princess first."

"...What?"

Daddy, who was hesitating, led me to the sofa in the study and sat me down.

"Princess."

"Yes."

"Do you like Cesar?"

"Of course I do!"

"Okay. What if Cesar becomes your big brother?"

"...Huh?"

"In fact, Onyx Marquis came a little while ago. Cesar's father."

"Oh, really...?"

What a conscienceless bastard! He couldn't wait and came to our house to take Cesar away.

I stammered,

"Why, why did he come? Surely not to take Cesar back?"

"Yes."

"Cesar will be against it!"

"Yes. I think so too. I'll ask, but I don't think Cesar will be happy about it."

"Then what should we do?"

"But if the marquis insists on taking Cesar, there's not much I can do. That's why..."

Daddy showed me a piece of paper.

I immediately recognized what it was.

A foster agreement.

Here it comes.

"They want to make Cesar a foster son. Then, even if the marquis tries, he won't be able to take Cesar away."

It looked like a prepared document.

'As expected, Daddy.'

Daddy had already anticipated everything the day Cesar came back with the Dos badge.

That the marquis would brazenly come and demand Cesar.

"But we should ask Princess first. After all, she's suddenly getting a big brother."

"Right. That's true."

It's proceeding just like the original story.

I knew Cesar would become Daddy's foster son and we would become siblings.

But.

'Why am I hesitating? This is the right thing to do.'

I couldn't answer right away.

"Princess, why do you look like that? Do you not like it?"

"No! It's not that."

"It's not that?"

"It's not that... "

Seeing Daddy's puzzled face, I swallowed hard.

Enoch Rubinstein.

And, Cesar Rubinstein.

The heroes who saved the world.

A father-son relationship deeper than blood.

I was just a villain in the original story, and to be honest, I was nothing more than a foreign object between them.

I don't know why my heart is so conflicted, but I shouldn't follow my feelings.

There's no other way besides making Cesar a foster son.

"Yes."

Finally, I nodded.

"Okay. Do it. I, I'm fine with it..."

* * *

"Cesar."

"Yes. What is it?"

Cesar, wiping sweat from his forehead with the hem of his shirt, plopped down next to me.

After returning from the training facility, Cesar has been practicing swordsmanship for more than half the day.

I found him at the training ground as soon as I arrived.

"Listen."

"Yes."

"Do you like me?"

"..."

Caught off guard by the sudden question, Cesar stared at me blankly.

After a long pause, he answered.

"Yes."

"Right. I like you too."

I need to get to the point...

Cesar waited for a very long time while I fidgeted.

"You!"

"Yes."

"Do you want to be family with me?"

Cesar's eyes widened.

"What, what do you think?"

"..."

Cesar, who had been looking at me, suddenly turned his head forward. His ears were red, so he must have been embarrassed.

"What do you think...?"

I urged for an answer, but Cesar hesitated for a long time.

He pulled at his hair and fiddled with his collar, biting his lips.

Then, in a tiny voice, he said,

"...I want to. Yes."

"Ah."

At his answer, I was stunned and turned my head forward.

I hugged my knees tightly.

"Really?"

Before, when I asked, Cesar said he didn't need a family. But now, it seems he can accept both my dad and me.

'Wow.'

But I'm in big trouble.

"Okay, Cesar... Let's, be family."

"Yes."

What should I do, really.

* * *

Deputy Commander of the Dos Knights, Axiom Libre, came to the Rubinstein Dukedom with the enlistment papers for the Imperial Army.

"Ah! Duke Libre, how are you!"

"It's been a while!"

"Hey, yeah."

Hearing that Cesar was at the training ground, he came and was greeted by the soldiers.

Since they often interact, they all knew him.

"What brings you here?"

"I came to enlist Cesar."

Shaking the papers, the soldiers tilted their heads.

"Isn't that something our Duke should do?"

"Yeah, that's right."

Graduates from the training facility, from 1st to 3rd class, immediately join as young soldiers.

The principle is that the commander of each rank personally visits to help with the enlistment.

The 1st class commander of the Dos Army is Enoch Rubinstein.

But he...

"Princess is leaving the facility, so I'll be busy for a while. So, you handle the young soldier enlistment."

He dumped it on Axiom, the deputy commander.

When asked why he would be busy, the answer was that he needed to play with his daughter.

Axiom almost hit him.

But what could he do?

If told to do it, he had to.

Axiom, trembling with a tightly clenched fist, asked,

"Where is the kid?"

"Ah! Cesar is over there!"

Looking over, Cesar was sitting with Lirys on one side of the training ground.

"Hee. They look so good together."

"Miss Lirys is so cute..."

The soldiers, with wide grins, were chatting happily about the two children.

Axiom rolled up the papers he was holding and lightly tapped the soldiers on the head.

"Your jaws are dropping. Close your mouths. Stop playing and get back to work."

"But, it's just a break."

"Seeing Miss Lirys at the training ground is a rare sight... I need to keep an eye on her..."

"She's so cute. I want to have a daughter too."

One of the soldiers, muttering, clapped his hands and asked Axiom,

"But, Your Excellency, aren't you going to get married? Why not get married soon and have a cute child like Miss Lirys?"

"No."

"Why not? You're so handsome! Rich! Successful!"

"I don't want to see those cute children, so I won't."

"Ah."

The soldiers nodded, understanding what he meant.

It's almost a given that high-ranking ability users pass their rank and military duties to their children.

So, some ability users, like Axion, who have experienced the horrors of the battlefield, think differently.

"I don't want to desert with a daughter like someone else."

"Hmm, I understand."

"But, do you know? Miss Lirys is an Octavia."

Axiom nodded.

It's quite surprising.

"Yes. I heard."

"Phew, I'm so relieved. Look at Miss Lirys. Her tiny limbs moving... Oh, it's not right for a soldier."

"Choke! Look! Miss Lirys is waving at us!"

"Ugh!"

When Lirys waved from a distance, the soldiers waved back and roared like beasts.

Axiom, glaring at them with disgust, approached the two.

"Samchoon!"

Lirys ran over and grabbed his pants leg happily.

Like a cicada hanging from an old tree, she clung on and smiled.

"Uhh. What brings you here?"

Well, she seems a bit cute.

Her rosy cheeks.

Her tiny mouth, which she was moving.

"I'm here to do the work your lazy father dumped on me."

"What? What work?"

"Cesar."

Axiom gestured, and Cesar, who was behind, came forward.

"Ah! Cesar is enlisting now... "

Lirys glanced at the papers Axiom was holding and muttered.

"You're a mana user. You'll keep using the sword, right?"

"Yes."

Axiom scribbled on the papers while standing.

Lirys, who was watching, asked,

"Hey. Why don't you go inside and sit down to do it slowly?"

"I don't want to. It's boring and I don't have time. I need to finish quickly and go to the Schmid Dukedom. Again, this is your father's job. He dumped it on me."

"Sniff."

Lirys scratched her cheek, embarrassed.

At that moment,

"Excuse me... Your Excellency. Please wait a moment. Someone is looking for Cesar."

"What?"

Axiom turned around.

Two soldiers were leading someone to him.

It was a familiar face.

Onyx Marquis.

'Why is he here?'

Puzzled, Axiom watched as the marquis walked past him and approached Cesar.

For some reason, both Cesar and Lirys had stiff expressions.

'What's going on?'

Finally, the marquis embraced Cesar.

"...Son."