Chapter 90

EP.90 Love's Dilemma - 1

Afterward, Leonardo calmly left the room. Everyone present was so stunned that they couldn't say a word, just staring blankly as Leonardo walked out.

If the current situation were to be compared, it would be like having painstakingly prepared a dish, spoon-fed it to someone, and had them spit it out without even chewing.

Everyone present was convinced that such a lack of awareness was almost bordering on madness.

"...Um... Aria..."

"...Lord, may I go to my room?"

Aria, her face ashen and almost gray, looked vacantly and emptily at the exit, the escape route used by the knight who had left without a care.

"...It's been a while since I've been there, but the furniture is still there and I've cleaned it up..."

"...Then I'll go."

Aria's mental state, reduced to ashes, was not in a position to care about such formalities and manners.

Creak... Bang...

Perhaps even her anger had turned to ash, as Aria weakly closed the door and walked out. Judging by her face, one could imagine that tonight, Aria would bury her head in her bed and pillow, sobbing.

"..."

"...Ha..."

"...Huh..."

Without a single word exchanged, an uneasy silence continued, reflecting a complicated atmosphere. Leonardo's reaction was not due to embarrassment in a crowded place.

His calm tone, skin that looked as if it had been painted with rouge, and a very healthy, steady heartbeat were not those of someone who was in love or trying to hide their feelings.

Even a professional assassin could not have pulled off such behavior.

"...Do you all know?"

Ain broke the silence. He didn't just want to be told to leave; he wanted to confirm that everyone present knew 'that obvious fact.'

Even without specifying the subject, everyone understood what Ain meant.

"...Having read over a hundred romance novels... it would be more strange if I didn't know..."

Lios sighed deeply, looking very disheartened. This moment was probably more disheartening for Lios than the tragic ending of his favorite romance novel, which had been cut off due to the author's mental breakdown.

"...During my time as a spy for the Dark Order, I became very skilled at reading people's hearts. But this... is really beyond me..."

Chris, as an execution knight skilled in infiltration and interrogation, naturally had the ability to read people's hearts. While his usual demeanor might have been questionable, his skill was undeniably convincing.

"...I also realized it late, so... I don't have much to say... but I didn't expect it to be this bad..."

"...Even if they were engaged or married... ultimately, they would have to realize it to make progress..."

The Reinhardt couple exchanged deep glances. Gladio, having been informed by Shrika, knew the general flow of events.

And Shrika, as a mother and a woman, had known about Aria's feelings for years.

"...Ha... I wish his head was damaged from his mercenary life. Sir, is that treatable?"

"...Ha ha... Indeed..."

It was a joke that made everyone feel as if they were choking to death.

In fact, everyone present was seriously considering whether Leonardo had a head injury or a mental disorder.

"...Sir Aria Spill... not at the temple... No, that's not it."

Lumine couldn't bring herself to say anything more and remained silent.

{I wouldn't have done such a thing either.}

Lumine thought to herself. After all, the notebook containing the strange confessions of a saint, as mentioned by the sage, was actually found under the roots of an ancient tree at the temple.

"Since you all seem to know, I'll speak freely."

For some reason, Ain, the youngest, was leading the conversation, but his calm and composed demeanor made no one notice the unnaturalness.

"From what I can see, Aria clearly has feelings for Father. What do you all think?"

"Those who agree with our nephew Ain, raise your hands..."

Swish, snap, thud

It was like a military drill. Everyone raised their hands in unison. There was no need to ask for opposing opinions since there were none.

"Those who think Father hasn't realized it, raise your hands..."

Again, everyone raised their hands, achieving a perfect consensus. Fortunately, the Reinhardt family's democracy was flowing in a very positive cycle.

"...It's really strange. Father is unmatched in strategy and reading people's hearts."

It was a question on par with "Why doesn't God help humans directly despite being omnipotent," so no one could provide an answer.

"Perhaps each of you can share your thoughts? Combining our information might lead to an answer."

Under Ain's lead,

the discussion shifted from a show of hands to a more detailed exchange of opinions. While Ain was closest to finding the answer, knowing the truth of the regression and some of the background, his sensitivity was not enough to understand the heart.

"...Hmm... Is there something wrong with his body? Maybe from his mercenary life or injuries."

Marken tried to suggest terms like 'asexual' or 'aromantic' to Ain, given that the cute child in the gray robe and hair was his great-granddaughter.

"Asexual or aromantic, Sir Marken."

But there was no need for Ain to beat around the bush. Everyone was a bit shocked to hear such words come so calmly from a child. Lios, however, maintained his composure.

"That's unlikely. Grandfather."

"As Lios said, when I absorbed Father's blood, I checked for any physical abnormalities."

The result was that Leonardo's body was in perfect health. Apart from numerous scars, there were no issues with his physical or sexual functions.

In fact, his basic genetic makeup was identical to that of an average man, and it was surprising how he had developed such a physique with such average genes.

"...By the way, a sudden question, but... Ain, you have Reinhardt blood, yet you don't have white hair and red eyes. Is there a reason?"

It was a sudden question, but Chris, suddenly curious, asked Ain.

The descendants of the first hero, Ruben Reinhardt, all had white hair and red eyes due to his influence, making Ain's exception noteworthy.

"That's because I artificially combined Father's genetic material with Aria's."

Normally, the traits would have been red eyes or red eyes, but due to the unusual combination, Ain ended up with violet eyes, as if the colors had mixed. The same principle applied to his hair.

"From this, we can see that Father's and Aria's genetic traits are compatible. I don't think there will be any risks in future reproductive issues, except for excessive positions."

"...Ah... Oh... Is that so...?"

The terms used were not vulgar, but Chris was still taken aback by the sexual words coming from a child without hesitation.

"Then... it's fortunate, but... it's best to be more careful with such expressions..."

"What expressions? I'll try to be more cautious or use euphemisms for related terms."

Chris's face was completely red, like a blacksmith's heated iron. Despite her outward confidence, she was an unmarried virgin with no experience.

In fact, due to her unusual behavior, her marriage prospects had been cut off, and she herself had no interest in marriage.

But it was also a shame for the Dark Order not to answer a pure child's straightforward question.

"...Be... careful with... sexual positions and related expressions."

"I understand. Specific fetishes, slang, and colloquial terms..."

"Come on, we'll handle that. Ain, be careful and speak freely."

Shrika mediated, and Ain nodded in agreement.

"I understand, Shrika. I'll avoid mentioning Father's self-comforting behavior and sexual orientation. Of course, in that aspect, Father is average, so there's no need to worry."

While they only understood half of it, they were grateful for the explanation.

Lios and Ameri,

if Ain had been less socially adept, he might have said something like, "Yes, in response to the request, I will avoid using sexual words and medical terms related to sex," and checked each word.

'...Still, my brother has been taking good care of things in my absence.'

Thanks to Leonardo's emotional and social education, Ain now seemed like a very intelligent child with a slight lack of social skills.

Lios saw this as part of the pure love.

"Then, Sir Leo, did he have a lover or someone he liked at the magic tower?"

At that moment, Lumine spoke lightly, and the atmosphere became heavy.

"...Oh... Does that mean he was playing with Aria like a toy?"

Suddenly, Marken cracked his knuckles.

"...Playing with my niece's heart and discarding her like a toy... That's grounds for a purge."

The Dark Order, hidden in the shadows, drew his dagger.

"Father, how about opening the Reinhardt armory?"

"Good idea. I'll help too."

The two heads of the family were already looking for ways to purge a non-existent crime in the armory.

"...Do you know that the most frustrating plot in romance novels is a love triangle or managing multiple lovers? Right, Lumine?"

Lios, with a murderous glint in his eyes, narrowed them.

"...I apologize, but this is normal in our family, Sir."

Shrika, almost enlightened by this attitude, poured warm tea into Lumine's trembling cup.

"...Is... that so? Just... a baseless... guess, so don't take it to heart."

The murderous intent subsided, and Lumine, feeling a sudden sympathy for Leonardo, drank the tea with difficulty.

"That's not it, Sir."

Thanks to the Reinhardt blood, Ain remained calm and countered.

"At the magic tower, countless love calls were made, including offers of professorships in exchange for the future position of the tower's master."

Everyone was shocked. They knew Leonardo was exceptional, but the position of the tower's master required a grand mage, a level beyond the 6th circle, which was almost unattainable even for noble families.

"And considering that he personally rejected all high-ranking mage and noble marriage proposals and love letters, it's hard to believe that's the reason."

The counterargument was so shocking that everyone was skeptical. If they knew that Leonardo had beaten up the daughter of the Blue Tower's master, who had been sending continuous love letters, they would probably faint.

"...It's best to ask him directly."

Ain, perhaps realizing the flaw in the discussion, suggested the most straightforward and direct solution.

"...Indeed, to catch a tiger, you have to go to the tiger's den."

Lios seemed to agree with Ain. Ultimately, it was important to know what he was thinking and feeling.

"...But how? No one would answer honestly if you suddenly asked about their ideal type or thoughts on love."

Marken had a point. Asking after four years of absence would be unnatural.

"...No, it might work subtly..."

Lios, perhaps inspired by the books he had read, thought for a moment. It might be a bit embarrassing, but not too unnatural.

"...What if we pretend to seek love advice?"

"Love advice? How can we... when Leonardo doesn't even realize what love is?"

"That's not it. We'll be the ones receiving the advice."

Lios's reverse thinking caught everyone's attention, and they began to listen carefully.

"Pretend to talk about your own love story or concerns, and subtly bring out Leonardo's thoughts. How do you feel about this kind of person... or what emotion would you have in this situation..."

While Lios's suggestion was unusual on the surface, it wasn't entirely out of place when thought about deeply.

After all, conversations and communication are smoother when the topics and common ground align.

"...But how do we do that?"

Gladio's question was not just about the method.

"...As you know..."

Lord Gladio, having married Shrika, found the idea of seeking love advice comical.

In that sense, Shrika and Marken were naturally excluded.

"Me?"

"You, who always sing love songs, suddenly seeking love advice from Leonardo isn't very convincing."

As Chris pointed out, Lios was more interested in love than Leonardo. Giving advice was one thing, but receiving it was unimaginable.

"...I'm a cleric, so..."

Lumine, while wanting to escape this difficult situation, was also unsuitable for receiving love advice.

"...Me?"

"No."

Ain was out of the question. There were issues before love.

"...By process of elimination..."

Everyone's gaze turned to one person. She was also the dark knight who protected the family's shadow.

"...Why are you looking at me?"

Chris (Tina) Reinhardt was the most suitable for this task.