Chapter 92

Eunok kept laughing.

"Hahaha."

"......"

"Hahaha..."

"......"

Then, he pursed his lips, scratched his head, and asked.

"Why? Not good?"

"Say something that makes sense."

"What's not going to make sense?"

"Really, you're out of your mind. I've seen him three times today, no—"

Axion, frowning, pointed to the door Cheshire had left through and added.

"Four times. I've seen him four times."

"Bring him in as a foster son, and you'll see him more often."

"Wow, you really don't get it."

Axion, looking at Eunok's stubbornness, opened his mouth wide.

Eunok sighed deeply.

"Don't you feel sorry for the kid?"

"What does that have to do with me?"

"Ha. After all the beating and starving you did, now you want to take the kid back…."

"......"

"It's not like you've changed your mind. You just want to use him because of his class."

Yeah, that's harsh.

I was also angry at the Onyx Duke, who had sent his conscience to the other world.

But that's as far as it goes.

Axion couldn't understand why he had to have this conversation with Eunok.

"You're not going to get married, right? Naturally, you won't have an heir."

"So what?"

"If you die, Libra will disappear, won't it?"

"Uh, doesn't matter to me? Do I have to think about my family disappearing after I die?"

When you're dead, that's it.

Eunok, looking intently into Axion's firm eyes, sighed again.

"Our deputy leader... When you get old and retire, who will be there for you?"

"......"

"Without any children, you'll die alone and lonely…."

"Hey."

Axion closed his eyes tightly and ground his teeth.

Regardless, Eunok kept talking.

"Thinking about you living a lonely life and eventually being buried, I feel tears welling up, my friend."

"Huh."

"Wait, wait. Is there even someone to dig your grave?"

Axion jumped up.

Eunok looked up at him.

"Stop barking."

"Axion."

Tap tap.

Axion tapped the young soldier's enlistment papers he had placed on the table.

"Handling the work dumped by the negligent leader. I've done it all, so check it out."

"Really, think about it. Enlistment is approved within a day if you just submit the papers."

"Don't call me unless it's official business. I'm done."

"Hey, hey!"

Axion left without looking back.

Eunok, who had tried to catch him, sat down again with a thud.

"Ah."

Eunok, tilting his head back and wiping his dry face, thought of Cheshire.

If only it weren't for the uncle.

He had a rough idea of what that meant.

"This is really something."

Eunok chuckled and rubbed his forehead.

"...I'm going crazy."

* * *

"Haaa."

Is the ground going to open up?

Sitting in a corner of the training ground, playing with dirt with a twig, I smacked my lips.

I need to stop sighing.

'But, but!'

I'm so frustrated.

Cheshire was stubborn.

He said he wouldn't be this family's son even if it meant going back to the Duke's house.

'Why is it like this?'

If it went according to the original story, it wouldn't have been a problem to consider...

'It's me. Just me, right?'

But it's not because of me.

I had an embarrassing thought, wondering if Cheshire was because of me, but he firmly denied it.

While pondering how to resolve this situation, a large shadow suddenly loomed over me.

It was Axion.

He looked around the training ground and asked me.

"What are you doing here?"

"Just thinking…."

"Why? Because of Cheshire?"

"Yeah. Cheshire's dad wants to take him back. He's a bad person…."

"......"

Axion stared at me without answering.

I sighed again and looked at the training ground where our family's soldiers were training.

"But why are you here, Uncle?"

"Where is Cheshire?"

"I don't know. He's disappeared again."

"Haaa."

What's with the sigh? Looking up at Axion, who was squatting, he said.

"Lilith."

"Yup."

"...Can you dig my grave later?"

"Huh?"

What's with the sudden question?

Frowning, Axion stammered.

"No, I mean, you could dig it along with your father's, right?"

"Yup?"

I have no idea what he's getting at.

Though puzzled, seeing his worried expression, I nodded.

"Sure."

"Really? You'll dig it?"

"Yeah, sure. It's not hard. I'll dig it along with my dad's…."

"Thanks…."

Axion still looked reluctant even after I promised.

We both looked ahead and sighed in unison.

"Haaa."

"Huh."

* * *

A week passed in the blink of an eye.

I received a letter from Riko and my heart sank.

[The Onyx Duke has obtained the right to meet and negotiate from the Imperial Citizen Protection Bureau.

It seems he applied for the right to meet and negotiate temporarily because it's hard to meet the child freely before the results of the paternity verification are out.]

This means the Onyx Duke can visit our house and meet Cheshire at any time.

If the verification results come out, he can legally take Cheshire away.

[Fortunately, the verification period is expected to be quite long.

About two weeks?

The Duke didn't clearly state the reason for raising the child in secret in his application.

If he truthfully states that he was ashamed to reveal the illegitimate child and couldn't show the child's poor condition due to physical abuse, the verification would be faster….

But, he wouldn't want to admit that, right?]

Should I consider this fortunate?

Anyway, I have two weeks left.

'Lilith, stay calm. Think of a way. A way to save Cheshire from the Duke.'

I bit my nails.

Is there any other way besides making Cheshire my father's foster son?

'No, there isn't.'

There really isn't.

Even if there is, will I think of it in two weeks?

So, for a week, I've been following Cheshire around, trying to persuade him.

Of course, Cheshire was a brick wall.

"Do your nails taste good?"

"Auntie!"

Watching Cheshire train, I was biting my nails when Axion approached.

"Is Cheshire done?"

"Not yet."

"Ugh."

Anxiously tapping my foot, Axion sat down next to me.

"You're really persistent. He said he won't be your father's foster son, so why don't you give up?"

"No way. They say a tree that doesn't fall after ten tries doesn't exist."

"Stop trying. It won't work. He said he's fine as long as it's not your father."

"Really?"

I was surprised. Why?

Axion shrugged.

"Didn't you know? The kid seems to be fed up with your father's harsh treatment."

"Ah!"

Is that it?

Axion smiled at my wide-open mouth.

"You didn't know. Your father's character is really bad."

"But, that's not true…."

"No, it is. Look, why do you think I'm here?"

"Hmm."

Axion has been coming to our house every day for a week.

It's a custom for the commander of each army to personally train the young soldiers for a certain period after they enlist….

'Sigh, why does Dad keep dumping his work on Uncle?'

That's right. This time, it was my dad's job to train the newly enlisted Cheshire and Gerard.

But for some reason, Axion has been doing it for a week, training Cheshire in our house's training ground.

"Sorry…."

"Your father's the one with the bad character, so why are you apologizing?"

"Hmm. Still, you've gotten close to Cheshire… Our Cheshire is so nice."

I rested my chin and watched Cheshire, who was swinging his sword without a break.

"Kind of, I guess?"

"Hehe."

After laughing for a while, I became gloomy again.

"Uncle, you know…"

"Hmm?"

"I don't want to be separated from Cheshire…. But more than that, I don't want Cheshire to go to the Duke's house…."

"......"

"Because, if he goes there, all the bad memories will come back. Cheshire was always beaten and heard insults there. It must have been hell for him…."

I stretched my finger to prevent my eyes from tearing up.

"Why are you crying now?"

"Sniff."

Axion wiped away my teary eyes with his finger.

It was a surprisingly gentle touch. Then, he suddenly paused.

'......?'

Looking to the side, Axion was staring at Cheshire with a stiff face.

No, not at Cheshire.

"Ugh, he's here again!"

What the heck? The Onyx Duke, who hadn't died, was looking for Cheshire again.

I jumped up.

But I hesitated.

I couldn't approach them.

The Duke must have brought the right to meet and negotiate.

So, even if I went to talk to them now, I couldn't separate them.

"What to do…."

The Duke and Cheshire stood there and talked for a while.

I couldn't hear what they were saying, but a considerable amount of time passed.

I was just tapping my foot.

Suddenly, the Duke grabbed Cheshire's arm forcefully.

"What the—!"

Cheshire pushed him away.

But the Duke took out a piece of paper from his pocket and held it in front of Cheshire's face.

'Ugh, that bad guy!'

It must be the right to meet and negotiate.

Cheshire's head turned weakly toward me.

Our eyes met from a distance.

After a while, Cheshire, as if discarding the sword he was holding, slowly followed the Duke.

"No, no! Wait!"

The right to meet and negotiate probably only allows a few hours of meeting at a time.

But even that was too much.

I ran toward Cheshire.

"Cheshire!"

At that moment,

Axion, with heavy steps, quickly passed me.

'......?'

He shouted as he approached them.

"Where are you going now?"

The Duke and Cheshire turned around.

"Ah, Duke Libra. I'm sorry, but I'm in the middle of training…."

The Duke, who had been about to show the right to meet and negotiate, hesitated.

Axion, putting his arm around Cheshire's shoulder—

"Where are you going?"

smiled and added in a friendly tone.

"Son."

......?

I, Cheshire, and even the Duke.

All our eyes widened.