Chapter 44

"Lord Aizas, will this be enough for you to acknowledge it?"

There should be no room for complaint.

I fought head-on, deflected the weapon, and rendered the opponent unconscious.

Even if I were to be accused of something now, there would be nothing I could do.

"...Yes, that's right. It seems there was no foul play in this guild. Indeed... it appears you had the strength to defeat the Lord of Dreams."

Aizas finally spoke.

Having accused the guild and me so harshly, he must have found it difficult to retract his words.

Aizas, who has always had a high sense of pride, looked extremely pained.

He might have thought that if Maris had won, it would have been a better outcome, but it was clear as day that she was in no condition to fight.

In any case, it seemed he was willing to back down.

I had braced myself for the possibility that Aizas, unable to back down, might start another argument, but it turned out that such a worry was unnecessary.

Aizas had no real hostility toward me.

His purpose was to interrogate me because I had invoked the name of the noble family.

Unlike Maris, he had not been enthusiastic about the mock battle from the beginning.

Even though he had been humiliated in front of his son, whom he had disowned, and the guild staff, he did not seem to have any intention of making things worse by causing more trouble.

Aizas picked up Maris's sword and carried her, who was unconscious, on his back.

Then, Aizas glared at me with a tense expression.

He moved his mouth a few times as if he wanted to say something, clenched his jaw, and turned to leave.

"Father."

I called out to Aizas.

Aizas stopped and turned to look at me.

"...Thank you for raising me for fifteen years. I was in a state of shock that day and couldn't properly say goodbye. Please convey my thanks to Mother as well."

I bowed.

Aizas widened his eyes and stared at me intently.

After a few seconds of silence, he turned and started walking away again.

There was no response, but that was fine.

I hadn't expected one.

I just wanted to put things to rest in my own mind.

"Ah, wait, Lord Aizas!"

Luca called out.

I was surprised by Luca's voice.

Aizas is arrogant, cold, proud, and not patient.

Since he was leaving quietly, it would have been better not to call him back.

"Whatever happened in the past, I don't know... but please apologize to Elma! You accused her one-sidedly and imposed unreasonable demands... and now that you realize you were wrong, you're just going to leave without saying anything? Why can't you even say a simple 'I'm sorry'?"

Aizas's face darkened.

Aizas did not tolerate anyone, even family, who spoke back to him.

I, too, had been severely punished more than once for minor offenses.

And Aizas is not the kind of person who can let a commoner lecture him and get away with it.

He is strict about differences in status and position.

"Luca, it's okay. Don't..."

"But... Lord Aizas is Elma's real father, isn't he? No matter what... that's too cold... More than anything, it's sad. Watching you, Elma looks so pitiful..."

Luca's shoulders slumped, and she whispered these words in a barely audible voice.

Aizas was silent for a moment, then turned his back to Luca and headed for the guild's exit again.

"Hey, girl."

Aizas stopped with his hand on the door and spoke without turning to face us.

Luca's face turned pale, and she shuddered.

She seemed to realize she had gone too far with a noble.

I also braced myself, ready to protect Luca in case of any trouble.

"...Take care of Elma."

Aizas said this as if he were squeezing the words out.

I was surprised to hear Aizas say something considerate about me.

I was taken aback and stared at his back.

Perhaps he had chosen to convey this to Luca rather than to me directly because his position and pride would not allow it.

With those words, Aizas left the guild.