Chapter 89

"Son?"

Axion stood there in a daze, looking at the marquis who was hugging Cheshire.

He knew that Cheshire was the illegitimate child of a power-user, but he didn't know which family.

"Ah, so he's of the Onyx lineage, then."

When he suddenly asked about the guardianship, Enock had said,

"If we left him alone, the child would have died. What could I do?"

Though he didn't say much, his twisted, grim expression spoke volumes.

The child must have been abused.

An illegitimate child born between a power-user and a non-power-user.

Naturally, he would have been seen as a lower-class individual, one who would tarnish the family's reputation.

"But it turned out to be a Dos."

Cheshire's reputation spread across the city in just two days.

The unprecedented birth of a Dos.

It was truly remarkable that a non-power-user mixed-blood received a first-class rating.

"Hmm, I see."

Axion nodded, looking at the marquis, who wore an infinitely affectionate expression.

The inner workings of the man who had abused the child were now clear.

Since the child was a Dos, whether legitimate or not, he was trying to bring him back into the family in a hurry.

"Hey."

The moment Axion guessed their situation, he unconsciously frowned and muttered,

"You have no conscience…."

At that moment, silence.

When his quiet voice rang out clearly, everyone turned to look at Axion.

The Marquis of Onyx, Cheshire, and Lilith.

"Finish what you were doing."

Axion shrugged.

The marquis, who had been clearing his throat, looked at Cheshire again.

"Have you been well? I missed you."

"……"

Cheshire's expression was confused.

Axion, who had been watching, clicked his tongue.

"Why ask such a thing? Of course he's been fine. No one here has hit him."

The marquis turned around.

"…Duke Libra?"

"Ah, just talking to myself. Finish it. The touching father-son reunion."

"Hmm."

The marquis, looking at Cheshire again, smiled. His expression was that of an infinitely affectionate father.

"I was heartbroken thinking about all the things I couldn't do for you because you weren't home."

"You were heartbroken thinking about all the times you hit and starved him—right?"

Everyone's gaze turned to Axion again.

"Just talking to myself, talking to myself."

Axion shrugged and put on a show.

"I want to take you with me right now, but I need some time."

"Uncle!"

At that moment, Lilith, who had been listening, interjected between Cheshire and the marquis.

"Why are you taking Cheshire away! Who do you think you are!"

"Duchess?"

"Every day, you locked Cheshire in a dark, smelly room with rats! You didn't feed him! You hit him! You insulted him!"

Lilith's eyes were red, and tears welled up.

Seeing this, Axion slowly became angry.

"Anyone listening would think it's true. Duchess, you should be more careful with your words."

"Then it's true, isn't it? It's not a lie!"

The marquis's gaze, looking down at Lilith, was cold.

No, it was more than cold.

Axion frowned, noticing the marquis's eyes, which seemed to want to kill a mere seven-year-old child.

"Ah!"

Finally, the marquis pushed Lilith to the side.

"Lilith!"

Cheshire was surprised.

'Is this guy crazy?'

Axion quickly caught Lilith, who almost fell.

It was absurd. What kind of nerve did he have to treat the duke's precious daughter like this?

'Ah.'

But Axion soon realized the reason and snorted.

He must have heard about Lilith's Octave status.

Even if Enock was terrifying….

'He's already thinking about reaping the benefits from his child.'

Cheshire was a young Dos.

An unprecedented power-user, expected to grow as much as Enock Rubinstein.

If Cheshire became the head of the family, the Marquis of Onyx's position would be immense.

The balance of power could change in an instant.

"Son."

The marquis placed his hand on Cheshire's head.

However,

Thud!

Cheshire's hand, which pushed it away, was fierce.

"I'm not going."

The marquis's eyes, which had paused, became strange.

"Never come back."

"……"

Despite the cold rejection, the marquis didn't seem flustered.

He just stared at Cheshire and smiled again.

"You must be very hurt because your father came too late."

The marquis, who spoke arbitrarily, sighed.

It was a ridiculous show.

"I'll come back soon."

The marquis put on the hat he was holding, gripped his cane, and turned to leave.

"Let's smile when I come back."

Everyone was speechless as they watched the marquis leave.

"Ugh."

"……"

"……"

After the marquis left.

Axion, holding the sobbing Lilith, looked at Cheshire.

Eleven years old.

Still a young age.

Confusion, and anger.

Indescribable emotions mixed in his face as the child trembled for a long time.

* * *

"Phew."

I was sprawled out on the study chair like melted ice cream.

"Why are you like that?"

"Ah, Master!"

Oscar's face suddenly appeared in my field of vision.

I jumped up.

"I thought you abandoned me!"

Oscar blinked in confusion and then chuckled.

"…Me?"

"Yes! Master didn't come!"

"Don't worry. I was busy."

"I'll study hard!"

"Ooh, really? Then let's do functions today?"

Oscar chuckled and sat down next to me.

I picked up my pen excitedly.

"Yes! We can start with cubic functions!"

"Wow, you're not even trying to hide it anymore."

"Hmm. Then let's start with linear functions…."

Oscar, smiling, picked up the scissors on the desk.

"What is it?"

"Ah, I want to cut my hair."

I picked up the scissors and shyly handed them to Oscar.

"Can you do it for me?"

"……"

After a long moment, Oscar, with a deep gaze, took the scissors.

"Sit and look at me."

"Uh-huh."

Facing each other, Oscar propped his hand under my bangs and started cutting.

"Close your eyes. It might get in them."

"Okay."

I obediently closed my eyes.

Snip, snip, the sound of hair being cut.

"Octave?"

"Ah, yes. That's how it turned out."

"Bold."

"But, you know."

I peeked one eye open.

"I was really surprised. That mana measurement device…."

"Why were you surprised?"

"When I tried it, it said I had no mana and was a non-power-user. I almost got caught."

The mana measurement device for power-users, created by the Magic Tower, the Manaportal.

Oscar must have known that if I went in, my Primera status would be exposed.

Then I would be doomed.

"Master took me to the Magic Tower with such confidence? If I got caught there, it would be the end?"

"Hey, if you have a brain, I thought you'd figure out how to manipulate the Manaportal."

Oscar, throwing the cut hair on the desk, added,

"I planned to take you to the Magic Tower after making you a Dos."

"Ah?"

"What is Octave? How hard is it to live in this wretched country with that status?"

Oscar frowned.

"Also, how suspicious is it? Enock Rubinstein's daughter, an Octave?"

"But there was no choice."

"I know. But your life will be tough from now on."

"I'm fine. Now I don't have to worry about my father, the Emperor."

"……"

Oscar stared at me and said,

"Would you die if I told you to die in place of your father?"

"Yes, I guess."

Saying it without hesitation, Oscar's mouth dropped open.

He suddenly grabbed my nose.

"Ouch! It hurts! It hurts!"

"I meant to hurt you! Sit and look at me again. I need to cut your side hair."

"It hurts…."

I rubbed my nose and turned back.

Holding up the hand mirror I had brought, I saw my bangs were neatly cut.

"Wow. You did it without magic. How did you do that?"

Almost like a professional.

"I've done a lot of cutting."

"Huh?"

Curious, I turned to look, but Oscar just chuckled.

"Don't move your head. Look at me again."

"Okay."

"But what's wrong? Why were you sprawled out like a dried squid?"

"Ah."

"Let me cut your back hair now."

I wiggled my bottom and turned to show Oscar my back.

"There's Cheshire."

"Ah."

"Cheshire's father came to take him. He wants to take Cheshire back."

"Oh, he's a Dos."

"Yes."

"So? Are you sad because you might have to part with him?"

"No. We don't have to part. My father said he would adopt Cheshire as his son."

"Then what's the problem?"

"Haah."

"Done. Take a look."

Oscar, grabbing my legs, turned me around and smiled proudly.

"Looks good."

"Haah."

"Why the sigh?"

"A big problem has arisen."

"What problem?"

"If Cheshire becomes my father's son, Cheshire and I will be siblings, right?"

"So?"

I sighed again and picked up the pen on the desk.

"Master asked me something before…."

"Me? What did I ask?"

"Um."

On a blank sheet, I drew a heart.

Blink, blink. Oscar, looking at it, said, "Huh?" and stared at me in disbelief.

"Hmm."

Actually, Oscar was the only person I could openly share such worries with.

I became gloomy and confessed,

"Actually, I, I, I… my heart, my heart started beating for him…."

"Wow."