Chapter 123

Chapter 123

TL: Zimming

The Duke's shaky eyes were fixed in one person. It was his eldest son, Hayton.

He was pale and he tightened his fist.

"No way you......!"

"......."

Hayton's silence was the perfect answer.

The Duke of Vallua approached him and shook his shoulders.

"What did Dubbled do to you? What did that girl do to you...?!"

Hayton slowly raised his head. He muttered without avoiding his father's gaze.

"You're the one who taught me this."

"......what?"

"You said we should hurry up and throw away what we don't need, also take what we need regardless of compassion. So I did what I learned."

"You, you, you... you ungrateful bastard!"

"It's just like how you treated mother. I didn't need you anymore so I threw you away."

"......!"

As the Duke of Vallua hardened, Hayton gritted his teeth and tightened his fist.

"I only did what I learned!"

Duke Vallua, who was betrayed by his son, looked at the monster he had made.

Leblaine smiled as she watched them.

***

A few hours ago, shortly after the investigators returned, I asked about the Duchess of Vallua's whereabout.

The relationship with her husband had fallen apart, and the Duchess's would need someone to rely on.

However, the person I sent secretly came back.

"Did the Duchess of Vallua send you back? That can't be true."

"No, I haven't seen the Duchess."

"Did the Duke do something to her?"

As I murmured, Curtis, Seria's childhood friend and assistant to hope mercenary guild*, also felt strange about this whole thing.

*TL notes: There was a mistranslation before, the top of hope should be translated as a mercenary guild called hope, I'm sorry for the mistake.

"Maybe, but....... I felt like something was strange.

"Strange?"

"The spy who was planted in Vallua said that the Duchess' luggage was not brought into the new mansion they recently moved to. It seems that even her child doesn't know where he is. The second son, Niel Vallua, is anxiously looking for his mother.

"Niel? What about Hayton?"

"The eldest son doesn't come out in his room."

At the moment, I felt goosebumps and an ominous foreboding.

Seria only nodded hearing him.

"He didn't even bring his wife's luggage. Maybe the Duke of Vallua had a divorce in mind."

"......no, that's not it."

"What?"

"Maybe the Duchess of Vallua....... Curtis, go back to the new Vallua mansion. This time meet Hayton in my name."

"What should I say?"

"......Ask him, 'Where is your mother?'"

"Is that it?"

I nodded, and Curtis left.

'Hayton's a smart kid. He'll understand what I mean.'

And if he came here, the ominous guess will be true.

I sat on the sofa and organized my thoughts.

Curtis returned at dusk with Hayton.

I stared at Hayton with a look of surprise. It seemed unexpected that he came even though he knew I was the one calling him.

"......Your mother was murdered."

"......."

"It must have been scary."

I stood up from the sofa and stared gently into the child's eyes who were shaking.

"I won't say that I'll protect you from the monster."

Hayton glanced at me.

"I know you called me because you wanted to get something from me. If you want me to help you, pay for it!"

"Don't you want to get something out of me too? You followed my man even though you're scared."

"......What am I supposed to do?"

"Let's make a proper deal."

I put the document down on the table

The contents of the document was that I would help Hayton Vallua by paying his monthly living expenses until he turned 18.

"You'll protect yourself. I will only give you money and opportunities."

"Money..."

Hayton Vallua gritted his teeth, I turned my head with my arms crossed.

"Think carefully. You know you can't live under the protection of your father like before. Didn't you follow my man because you were afraid you'd be the next target of a monster that even ate his wife?"

"......."

"Even if you can withstand it, your family will soon be ruined. Me and Dubbled will somehow make it that way. If you're smart, you know which side to choose."

"......."

"What will you do now? Vallua's debt is bigger than you think. Once the Duke of Vallua is taken away, his creditors will come in and take away everything he had. Can you imagine living in a shabby cabin?"

Hayton Vallua could not answer a single word. His eyes were moist and I spoke again clearly.

"So grab it when I give you a chance."

"......what do you want."

"The place where the devil was summoned."

"......!"

Hayton Vallua said in a small voice, "How could you......"

"Where is it?"

"......."

The child was troubled. But it didn't take long to reach a conclusion.

Since I even knew that the Duke of Vallua summoned the devil, he knew that he couldn't trick me.

"The study."

"The investigators and I went there, but there was nothing."

"......The button to open the bookshelf is not there."

"Is it portable? Where is the item?"

"I never said it was a thing."

Hayton quietly rolled his sleeves.

'Scars? ......No way!'

The scar on his forearm was clear.

It was a horrible and ugly scar, as if he had painted a picture recklessly with a knife.

Seria, who was dressed up as an old woman, saw the terrible scar and covered her mouth.

"The old button was my mom, now it's me."

That's why Hayton was able to watch the Duchess get killed.

This was the reason why the Duke could not abandon her even though she caused many incidents.

I carefully raised my hand to his forearm.

"It must be scary."

"......."

"It must have hurt a lot."

"......."

He turned his head as if he didn't want me to see his moist eyes.

"It's ugly and I hate to see it."

"My Lea also had one. The scar is a medal for overcoming the pain!"

"......."

"This scar is going to be a medal for being free from the monster."

When I smiled brightly, Hayton's eyes trembled.

After that, I opened the door of the bookshelf with Hayton, where I found evidence and revealed it to the Imperial Palace.

***

Hayton did a good job.

He told me that the Duke of Vallua was bringing a child to be a victim to his mansion today, and he contacted me in time.

There was already so much evidence that Vallua couldn't run away.

Everything was perfect.

"What have you done to my son......! I'm the 21st generation of the Vallua family, a contributor of the empire!

I kept my eyes on the Duke of Vallua, who was being dragged as he desperately cried.

After the imperial knight took the Duke of Vallua, his new mansion was like a post-war ruin.

The chairman approached me who was standing here in silence.

"His Excellency was also busy helping you."

"Helping me with the Duke of Vallua?"

"Yes, he seems to be rushing the trial so that he could never escape."

"Yes. Dad would do it thoroughly. Oh, and the child who was almost used as a sacrifice this time......"

"I'll take him to the mercenary guild. He could be a child who spent time with Seria in the house of hope."

"Yes......."

I stumbled when I answered.

I felt dizzy.

I had summoned the devil for a long time with the lack of divine power, but it was strange that I was tired only just now.

'I couldn't think. I have to go back and rest.'

While I was thinking so, someone supported me. It wasn't the chairman's hand. It's a boy's hand.

"Adrian."

It was Adrian who I chose to contact in the Imperial Palace.

There will be a lot of suspicion if I, as a child, give the evidence directly to the adults. And it's about the Valluas.

So, I asked Adrian, whom I was close to, among the princes who knew the head of the investigation team.

After the investigation team returned, I asked him to tell them that he found something suspicious during the final inspection.

'I'm really grateful to Adrian.'

Empress Yvonne had a grwat relationship with the Duke of Vallua, so despite the fact that the aftermath could be devastating to Adrian, this kid followed me without asking anything.

"Adrian, today......."

"I'll listen to it next time. Take a break today."

"Then later...... ah!"

Adrian carried me with both hands.

"I'm heavy!"

"Not at all."

"But...."

Adrian smiled slightly and spoke in a gentle voice.

"You'll fall down."

He mumbled as I put my arms in his neck.

'In fact, it must be difficult for him. Adrian is a delicate one.'

Let's just comfortably embrace him and go home!

"Aren't I really heavy?"

"No, not at all."

I felt a little strange. How did the small kid grow up so big that he can carry me?

As it turned out, his hands and muscles were similar to those of an adult.

He is as tall as Johann, and his hands are very long.

It seemed that his growth rate was markedly faster than his peers as the amount of divine power he had was large. Adrian and I were just about to get out of the messy parlor. But someone grabbed my wrist.

At that moment, I staggered with surprise.

'Oh, I almost fell down!'

I might have fallen if I hadn't quickly wrapped myself around Adrian's waist.

Hayton, who grabbed me by the wrist, stared at Adrian with a disapproving look.

"Where are you going? You have a story to share with me."

"I'm tired. Can't I do it tomorrow?"

"Do it now."

"No, I'll do it tomorrow......."

"Take responsibility."

When I opened my mouth in confusion, Adrian asked in a low voice.

"Responsibility?"

But Hayton didn't respond to his words and looked at me.

"If you keep me, take responsibility until the end."

What bullshit is he talking about now?

"Let go."

"I won't let go."

"I don't want to warn you twice."

And why is Adrian so angry?

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