I’m the Youngest Daughter of the Serpent Family
Chapter 30
* * *
We stepped back into the banquet hall.
Shouldn't Kaid be back by now?
After parting ways with Seiji, I was heading back to where I had been sitting when a voice brimming with rage drifted over from right beside me.
“Putting on airs just because their family is doing well! What's so hard about opening up a single road?! Demanding fifty gold coins for toll?!”
“Calm down, Retra-ssi. Granting access to a border path is a sensitive matter. Nothing good will come from letting your emotions take over.”
“That's right. How about bringing it up again next time?”
If it was Retra, that was the person who had come to speak with Kaid earlier.
I glanced at him as I passed by. Retra was huffing and puffing, his face flushed bright red.
“Isn't fifty gold coins a reasonable price? I heard they offered it on the condition that the Black Mamba clan would escort you along the path.”
“Isn't that an easy task for them? They are merely plotting to use a weak family like ours to rake in money!”
Given the heavy atmosphere, I walked as carefully as possible.
I don't like this. It's scary.
Teary-eyed and on the verge of crying, I tried to hurry back to Kaid, but my eyes met Retra's.
Looking surprised, as if he hadn't realized I was listening, he smirked.
“Well, aren't Black Mambas inherently cruel and greedy creatures by nature? The Astrophel Head of the family is their leader, so of course he is no different.”
At those words, my mind went completely blank.
Retra wore an expression that suggested he expected me to get scared or run away crying.
Belatedly noticing my presence after his extreme remark, the other people gasped in shock.
“W-Why is a child here...?”
That's not true.
“...Not true.”
Kaid and the people here aren't bad people.
“It's not true!!”
I shouted at the top of my lungs. The banquet hall fell abruptly silent. I could feel the people around us freezing and turning their eyes toward me.
Perhaps not expecting me to yell, Retra's face flushed with fluster.
“W-Where does a mere child get off yelling?”
“Kaid is nice! Kaid is cool every, every single day! You don't know anyting!”
Rosaria takes care of me all the time, and the other people always smile whenever they see me!
Arvan acts like he doesn't care, but he listens to me well, too. ...I haven't gotten close to Seth yet, but he doesn't seem that bad either!
I squeezed out every last bit of my strength.
“He's my daddy!!! Aileen knows best!”
The murmurs among the crowd grew louder. Retra flinched, then reached his hand out to cover my mouth.
As the large hand approached, I squeezed my eyes shut.
“That's far enough.”
“...!”
“Do not lay a hand on the young lady.”
A man with dark blue hair tied high in a long ponytail blocked the way. Startled, I looked at him.
As I stared blankly at the broad back shielding me, a familiar, melodious voice sounded from behind.
“Yes, I heard you loud and clear, Irene.”
“...Daddy...”
“Come here.”
“Waaaah.”
As if they had just been waiting, the gathered tears poured down in buckets.
The moment I threw myself into his embrace, Kaid caught me in his arms and gently patted my back.
“Even I haven't made my daughter cry yet.”
With that single sentence, the atmosphere turned chillingly cold.
“Who made the daughter I raised so delicately cry?”
Every time Kaid's gaze brushed over someone, they averted their eyes.
Seth, who had followed close behind, soon spoke up.
“Hush now, Irene. You don't have to say a word. We can just wipe them all out. One of them is bound to be the culprit.”
At that, Arvan retorted impassively with an uncharacteristically cold face.
“No. That kid has a weak stomach. It's better to deal with it out of sight.”
Sniffling, I wiped my tears away.
No. I don't want it to go that far.
Sensing that a major disaster might unfold at this rate, I quickly decided to point out the culprit.
“Dat mister did it.”
Three pairs of crimson eyes turned toward Retra.
“Ah, do you mean that rat?”
The corners of Kaid's lips twisted into a smile.
“I was preparing to beat you to a pulp one day anyway, but thank you for setting the stage yourself, Retra.”
I realized that this man named Retra was the protagonist of the phrase, ‘These bastards make a fuss asking for help for nothing. I should beat them to a pulp.’
As the situation took a grave turn, Retra jumped in panic.
“No, it's not that! Don't young children cry easily? I am not the one who made her cry!”
However, Kaid seemed to have no intention of listening.
“You hurt my daughter's feelings, so you must pay the price.”
Retra's complexion drained of color. Kaid looked utterly furious.
Did this blow up bigger than expected?
I worried for a brief second, but remembering what Retra had said earlier made me angry all over again.
I whispered into Kaid's ear.
“Dat mister said Daddy is a bad person. Aileen heard it all.”
“Is that why you felt upset?”
“Yeah. Dat's why Aileen was sad.”
He's my daddy.
My lower lip pouted downward naturally. Hmph. Feeling wronged all over again, I buried my face in his shoulder, and Kaid asked in a soothing tone.
“How should I punish him?”
For some reason, his voice was clearly laced with amusement. Put on the spot by Kaid's sudden question, I fell into deep thought.
How to punish him?
I haven't thought that far. I shook my head, having no clue.
“Daddy do it. Aileen doesn't know.”
“I see.”
Kaid chuckled softly. Soon, a chilling voice was directed at Retra.
“Consider our clan's agreement to form an alliance null and void, Retra.”
“What do you mean by that...?! Breaking an alliance so unilaterally? This is not something to decide over a mere child's words! Are you not going to hear my side of the story?!”
“I see no need for that.”
“Children of that age lie frequently! Naturally, you should listen to what I have to say...!”
“Retra.”
Kaid cut off the agitated Retra. I clenched my fists tight in frustration.
I'm not a liar...
“You didn't think I wouldn't know what kind of talk you've been spreading throughout my territory, did you?”
“T-That is...”
“I turned a blind eye all this time, and you finally crossed the line. Why did you have to do that?”
Though his tone was quiet and gently persuasive, it somehow sent chills down my spine.
“You should have acted with some tact. If you had known your place, none of this would have happened. Wouldn't you agree?”
“Head of the family! No matter what, this treatment is too harsh!”
What happens if an alliance is broken?
Judging by the expressions of the people gathered around, it seemed to be a rather shocking declaration.
Retra was trying desperately to smooth over the situation somehow, and everyone around was watching with immense intrigue.
Kaid calmly declared the end of their relationship.
“I hope I will not have to see anyone from the Letra family in my lands from now on.”
“Our family has engaged in exchanges with the South for a very long time! We maintained good relations with successive Astrophel Heads of the family!”
“How unfortunate. I, the current Head of the family, have no such intention.”
Retra seemed not to have realized that Kaid cherished me this much.
In truth, I was also greatly surprised by this outcome. I hadn't dreamed in my wildest imagination that Kaid would react this way.
I thought he just found me somewhat cute.
Feeling that I was truly treasured made me feel all ticklish and awkward.
I fidgeted with my fingers for no reason.
Kaid called out to Baon, who was standing beside him.
“Baon.”
“Yes, Head of the family.”
“Announce that from this moment forth, anyone from the Letra clan caught in my lands may be hunted down.”
“I will carry it out.”
It was a total severance of the alliance. The murmurs from the surroundings swelled again. From now on, not a single trace of the Letra clan would remain in the South.
Because Kaid would not tolerate it.
Everyone held their breath at Kaid's order.
“If it were up to me, I'd like to hang that neck up on display...”
His vivid red gaze rested briefly on Retra's neck before pulling away.
“...but since that wouldn't be good for a child's upbringing, I'll let it slide.”
Kaid beamed.
Retra could only open and close his mouth, unable to say a word. Over the course of a single day, he had been banned from ever stepping foot into the southern lands again.
That carried immense weight.
“N-No. Head of the family, please, just a moment...!”
“Ahem. Perhaps we should reconsider our planned exchanges with the Letra family.”
“We shall deliberate on it as well.”
The families that placed importance on their relationship with the South were going to turn their backs on Retra.
Amidst the heavy atmosphere, I looked up at Kaid.
He definitely seemed angry, yet his mood had felt strangely buoyant for a while now.
“Daddy, are you in a good mood?”
“No.”
“Den why are you smiling?”
I looked at Seth, Arvan, and Baon standing side by side next to him in turn.
Though their faces were equally blank, they subtly seemed to be enjoying this situation.
Why?
I became a little confused.
“Karma.”
“Yes.”
Kaid called the man with the dark blue hair.
“Write a statement of reflection and bring it to me.”
“I apologize.”
“The same goes for the others.”
“Understood.”
I stared in wonder at Karma, who had appeared out of thin air.
Since when had he been watching?
Judging from the mention of ‘the others,’ it seemed several more people were hidden besides Karma.