A Famous Traitor and Treacherous Genius

35 – Children of the Canyon (5)

‘My father has a handsome face, but his personality is dirty.’

Crimson Margrave of Gibraltar, that is to say, his father’s personality is not good.

You might be wondering what I’m saying again, but it’s really bad.

‘Noir, where did Letard’s personality come from?’

It is said that not only his father, but all generations of Gibraltar had a bad personality, but his father was one of the worst.

– A man whose sword is faster than his words.

If he did not like something, he was a person who would rather stab with his sword than strike with words.

It has been like that since I was a student at the academy, and those who work at the mansion are well aware of it.

That’s why I try not to go against my intentions as much as possible.

Unless you are some crazy person.

“It looks like you want to die.”

The father glares at Ethan.

Sunlight brightly illuminates the living room beyond the window, but the atmosphere is so bloody that it sends a chill down the spine.

The father looks down at Ethan indifferently, and Ethan looks straight ahead with his back turned.

The other orphanage riders are standing at attention, unable to move, and I am sitting in a special seat called a sofa, leisurely watching.

How did this happen?

Ah, yes.

The last rider of the orphanage officially entered and came to say his first greeting to his father.

‘Because the father is more sure of confirming a knight’s talent.’

Every time, my father visually checked the children entering the daycare center.

Is there magic flowing through my body, or has I already awakened to magic?

The father was able to confirm the child’s talent not only through magical power, but also through physique, skeleton, and posture.

The reason I participated this time was not just because of Ethan, but because I had something to talk about as soon as the greetings were over.

-If there is no income until the last term, the orphanage budget will be cut.

The father, who brought the children in with a threat in advance, confirmed their talents with his own eyes.

And now, the last time.

His gaze rested on Ethan.

“Grandson of General Cesar. Yes, I saw it and heard it.”

When the final recommendation list for the last rider at the orphanage came out, I discussed Ethan with my father.

“Gray said that since you are the son of a soldier, you must have some skills.”

That was true.

Without any information about the future, I simply revealed all the facts as they are at the present time.

“If I accept you, I will be going directly against the power of the royal family? Well, that’s fine.”

Others don’t know.

Since his father had decided to rebel, he had no great objection to the idea of raising Cesar’s descendants.

“Ethan Cesar. What did you answer to my question about what you want to be here?”

The air sinks.

Place your right hand on the handle of the sword worn at your waist.

“Answer.”

“I want to become Lady Lettar’s escort.”

Ethan opened his mouth.

Unlike the emotional appearance in front of me last night, I answered calmly, suppressing my emotions as much as possible.

Is this courage or arrogance?

The results vary depending on the father’s choice.

‘An ordinary father could never forgive a man who touches his daughter.’

A father who has a daughter does not forgive a man who approaches his daughter.

It is not for nothing that the term ‘Muskate Marriage’ was created in the Empire.

If a father lets his daughter approach him, or lets her daughter date another man.

‘That’s if she’s not your biological daughter.’

A father is like that.

All the fathers I met while serving as Margrave were like that.

Anyone who touched my daughter exploded emotionally, so I took advantage of that and ruined several families.

‘I want to be a host.’

There is no need to talk about him in detail now.

Because when I think about such things-

“Insolent bastard.”

Phu-wook.

“……!”

Because I have to focus on my father’s sword aimed at Ethan’s chest.

“You say anything with your open mouth. How dare you say that in front of me.”

The father flows mana into the sword and sends it to Ethan’s heart.

“Do you want to die?”

“……!”

The sword digs deeper.

“Wouldn’t it be better if you said you would rather be a knight for Noir? How dare you say in front of me that you want to be my daughter’s guard knight?”

The white shirt turns red as the blade cuts through the skin and enters.

“Yes.”

Ethan did not back down.

“It will definitely happen.”

Lethar’s guard knight.

She stands still with her eyes tightly closed, as if this is the last thing left in her life.

“Hmm.”

The tip of the sword was probably almost touching the heart.

‘It’s going to hurt.’

Grumble.

It must have been so painful as to die from the moment the blood started flowing out, but Ethan is holding on by clenching his teeth.

‘Even if you really kill him, there’s nothing strange about it.’

If.

What if his father just kills Ethan, regardless of his talent?

‘If you die, you die.’

Heroes are everywhere.

And most heroes do not die easily in places like this –

“……!”

My father’s eyebrows twitch.

‘The Taejo of Nostrum said that. ‘A hero recognizes a hero.’

A master’s talent is innate from birth.

“Write….”

There is no way my father wouldn’t know that.

The weak mana flowing through Ethan’s body.

The width of the passage through which the mana flows, and the size of the vessel containing the mana.

‘It was worth putting the somnus flower into my body yesterday.’

Ethan showed his father his talent.

And the father was not like a father with a daughter-

“You. Participate in knight training under Noir starting today.”

I took the sword away from this arrogant kid who wanted to become my daughter’s bodyguard.

“…!!”

Ethan is surprised.

There were drops of blood on the tip of my father’s sword, but there was not a single drop of blood on the sword body.

‘Do they know how advanced a technique it is to create sword energy with only the tip of the sword and stab it?’

I know everything, and the only person who knows is Sir Robert, who is behind me.

‘Isn’t it? Does he have any sense?’

Ethan’s eyes are fixed on the tip of his father’s sword.

As if somehow possessed, the guy just stares blankly at the sword, seemingly forgetting the blood flowing from his chest.

“Malcolm.”

“Yes, Count.”

“Put it away. And Gray.”

My father immediately headed out of the living room.

“Follow me to the study.”

In a moment.

There was a brief commotion as Ethan passed out and Malcolm administered first aid, but I quietly got up and followed my father.

* * *

“You won. 100 People. How dare you find the master.”

“Are you sure?”

“Didn’t you know and bring him here?”

“No way.”

As soon as he entered the study, my father slumped down in his office chair.

“Are you tired?”

“……Grey.”

For a moment, my father looks at the desk with a blank expression on his face.

“The war with the empire is still going on, right?”

“Yes.”

“Then where should I go to get imperial fruits?”

“You have to secretly cross the border and then secretly buy it for a premium in a village on the border.”

“…….”

My father closes his eyes for a moment.

“Until just 10 years ago, there was some level of interaction with the empire. That was when you were about 3 years old.”

Even though there was a war, it did not mean that there was no exchange at all.

“We fought, then stopped for a while, traded, and traded repeatedly.”

“Then, all imports of imperial products were blocked.”

“Yes. Saint Geo is…Ha.”

Are you an incompetent king again?

Aren’t you tired of it?

“They imported large quantities of the highest quality imperial liquor and did not pay for it.”

“…….”

“When I drunkenly cut off the head of a diplomat who came to criticize me, a 30,000-strong army gathered in front of the canyon and I couldn’t even stay with your mother for a month.”

“That’s what happened.”

St. Geo has shaken off all kinds of evil deeds to the extent that such a sound can be heard.

I know.

“I understand that he was eventually compensated by the Archduchy of Morgania.”

“Yes. Since then, trade with the empire has almost ceased. Except for those who smuggle through the sea… hahahaha.”

“Thank you for your hard work.”

My father is a man who would do anything for his mother.

Especially if you are pregnant.

“But father.”

“Why?”

“She looked tired more often when she wasn’t pregnant than when she was pregnant.”

“…There is such a thing.”

My father is just tired today, but his stamina is probably so full that he is flying around these days.

Why?

Until my mother was five months pregnant, I regularly had late-night secret training five times a week.

“If we expand the nursery, we will try growing imperial fruits and agricultural products there. We can’t go over the canyon every time.”

“Are you providing enough budget?”

“…Okay.”

My father pushed the parchment on his desk with his hand.

“The orphanage is entirely up to you. However, the trainees for Noir are managed by the Knights.”

“Would you mind? Thank you.”

If you catch even one person, it is a success.

Fate gifted Ethan to Gibraltar, and thanks to Ethan, I was able to maintain the orphanage budget.

“Grey.”

“Yes, father.”

“What did you think when that guy volunteered to be Lettar’s bodyguard?”

“Can I ask your father’s impressions first?”

“…….”

My father was silent for a moment.

“Then can I guess?”

“Okay. If you guess correctly, I’ll give you a nice gift.”

“You must have been reminded of me swearing a knight’s oath to my mother.”

One. The father projected himself in Ethan.

“Letharg is as beautiful as her mother’s daughter, so it’s no wonder that a boy under the age of ten is so enamored with her that he would risk his life for her.”

Two. It is quite common for children to say that they will give their lives to Letharg.

“The Cesar family once suffered a crushing defeat at sea, so they were a prestigious family on the West Coast. They had legitimacy.”

Three. The surname ‘Cesar’ given to Ethan is a much better surname than he thought.

“Receiving the heir of a family that was tried by military law and stripped of its title? It’s the perfect subject to antagonize the royal family. It won’t be a problem for my current father.”

“Hmm.”

Four. It can stimulate the royal family.

“And this is the last time….”

“Is there anything else?”

“…Didn’t you want to raise a dog that would sacrifice its life for Lettar?”

“What?”

My father narrowed his eyes and looked at me.

“Lettar’s dog?”

“Yes. You wanted to raise him to be someone who would sacrifice his life for Lethar, right?”

“…….”

“Was this not in your plan?”

“No. It’s okay. I’m not that kind of person, and if Lethar happens to fall in love with that guy…”

“It would be like raising a son-in-law from a young age. If he becomes a master, the cause will be appropriate.”

Although he is not here, congratulations to Ethan.

It seems that he was recognized as a son-in-law by his father based on his talent alone.

With this, you won’t have to worry about Ethan for a while.

‘Having a hard time under Noir is something you have to deal with on your own.’

There are already many competitors seeking the position of Lettar escort driver.

The task given to Ethan right now is to surpass them all.

There is no need for me to help you with that.

Is it okay for a man who is destined to become a master to be unable to defeat other men who are targeting the woman he falls in love with?

Love is something to achieve.

This is my father’s theory.

“Was there another reason?”

“…When I spoke like Ethan, your maternal grandfather did the same to me.”

My father pointed to his left chest.

“If you want to take your daughter, you should rather duel with her and take her away. Let’s fight for life or death.”

“Did you kill him?”

“He is alive and well. Although he has never been to Gibraltar.”

“Did you stab me?”

“If you bleed from being stabbed by the rapier of an old man who is not a knight, you are not a master. Mana protected her body on its own.”

I see.

You projected yourself in Ethan’s appearance.

That was the biggest reason.

‘After all, he is my father.’

Rather than being the father of a child, I still have a stronger feeling that the father is his mother’s husband.

“The thing about your maternal grandfather….”

“Since my mother disowned me, there is no reason to contact me.”

I clearly drew a line against my maternal grandfather, Baron Balzac Lembourg Gunther.

“Isn’t he still trying to get her mother to become King Saint Geo’s second wife?”

“…….”

“My mother didn’t like it either, so it’s been 13 years now, no, more than that. She disowned me even before I was born and left me to my father.”

“Your maternal grandfather….”

“A lot of greed, but no ability. He has the most beautiful daughter in the world, and he is a career-oriented person who tries to use that to raise his status.”

It can be said to be the average of the kingdom’s nobility.

“A crazy person who sees her daughter as a tool, and who would point a sword at the Sword Master’s chest for her own lust for power.”

“It’s not wrong.”

“There is nothing to see. When you die, it is difficult to go to the funeral as soon as you die.”

“…….”

My father closed his eyes again.

He probably doesn’t want to even think about that.

“Your father is a very romantic person. He is truly soft on lovers like you.”

“What nonsense.”

I say this out of shame.

“Anyway, don’t worry Ethan. His parents won’t do the same thing as his grandfather. They know the subject.”

There is no problem with Ethan.

“What I’m worried about are the children at the orphanage.”

“Hmm.”

Ethan.

* * *

“Are you out of your mind?”

Ethan opened his eyes.

A bed that is more cozy than home.

The spicy scent of medicinal herbs.

“I am….”

“You shed a little too much blood.”

“Deacon, old Malcolm.”

Malcolm, the owner of the house, was a man who looked somewhat tired, but his eyes sparkled.

“Did you remember that? Or did you hear it from Lady Myrddin?”

“Yes, I heard.”

“I see. Then I don’t think I need to tell you the details…”

Malcolm looked at the knife mark on Ethan’s chest and scratched his head for a moment.

“…There is no need to worry about the children at the orphanage, but since you are Cesar’s blood, I will tell you. Be careful.”

“Yes.”

“This is not the story of the owners.”

“Yes?”

Malcolm pointed out the window.

“The thing you have to worry about the most is the orphanage children who will be staying with you.”

“…….”

“Master… No, Master Gray sent you to the orphanage, not the mansion. Not here.”

“What is that….”

“If you get kicked out of the orphanage, you will be kicked out, let alone the escort knight you talked about.”

Malcolm clicked his tongue as he placed a white bandage over his scar.

“Then why has the young one already made dozens of enemies?”

“…Isn’t it okay to win?”

“Ha, look at this bold guy?”

Malcolm looked at Ethan and smiled.

“Yes. If you happen to become Lady Lettar’s escort in the future, protect her at the risk of your life. Don’t let her get kidnapped and stabbed like anyone else.”

“…Something like that will never happen.”

“What. Risking your life?”

“Oh, no!”

Ethan shouted, making her blush.

“I will risk my life to protect you. And if they get in my way when I get there…”

Ethan bit her lip as she looked down at her knight candidates circling the training grounds outside her window.

“I will chew it all up.”

* * *

Not yet.

The conversation is not over.

“Then, shall we talk about another lover?”

My father turns his head to the side.

It’s a topic I obviously don’t want to bring up, but in fact, this is the main topic of the day.

“Isn’t this my first visit in three years?”

“…….”

“Father, don’t turn away. The reason you called me to the study today isn’t because of the daycare problem. Isn’t this the problem?”

“It’s a daycare problem.”

“Only one of the many items on the agenda is an orphanage. A ‘big hand’ who donated a huge amount to the orphanage.”

I took out the parchment wrapped in gold silk on the outside of my father’s study and unfolded it.

“It has the seal of the Grand Duchy of Morgania.”

“…….”

“It just so happened that ‘she’ also decided to come here officially.”

“Are you talking about Lord Mente? I feel sorry for you in many ways for holding me captive in Morgania for three years-”

“Dear father, you talk a lot.”

I smiled brighter than ever at my father.

“Please prepare to welcome the queen.”

Canyon redevelopment project.

Understanding the operation status of Gibraltar orphanages.

And regarding various other issues.

“This time, my father himself.”

Queen Carmen, personally inspecting.

“If the father does not greet the grateful person who donated the most to the orphanage, who will?”