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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 23
Chapter Title: My Uncle is the Best
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Rosina chattered away, trying to shake off her foul mood.
Until Celly, standing beside her, nudged her in the ribs.
Having already had more than five glasses of champagne, she hadn't even noticed Marquis Leguire approaching.
*How much did he hear?*
A sudden chill washed over her, as if she'd been doused in ice water.
The alcoholic warmth that had just risen to the top of her head plummeted.
"Take the child and wait in the carriage."
At his voice, dripping with cold fury, a man who appeared to be an escort took the child away, and Cassel stepped in front of Rosina.
Though Cassel’s hands were empty, Rosina had the illusion that he was holding a cigar or some fine weapon.
The two young lords with Rosina and Celly trembled, their legs shaking.
*Tsk,* Rosina thought, annoyed.
*They're men too, so why are they trembling like that?*
Worse, the significant height difference made for a pathetic sight as they had to crane their necks to look up at Cassel.
She had thought them quite dashing and decent when they were drinking champagne together.
But facing Cassel up close, Rosina realized what a grave misjudgment that had been.
And the Cassel before her was, to anyone's eyes, furious.
‘What do I do? Surely he didn't hear everything, did he?’
Though frightened, Rosina thought she could smooth things over since she was acquainted with him, so she raised the corners of her lips into a smile.
*Couldn't I just shift the blame to these others who are too scared to speak and apologize myself? Wouldn't that be fine?*
Considering our acquaintance… Ah, he was smiling.
Facing the four of them, Cassel let out a short, incredulous laugh.
"Go on. Keep running your mouths."
The smile on Rosina’s face instantly shattered.
"Pardon?"
*What did I just hear?*
Rosina blinked.
"Where did those mouths that were flapping so merrily go? Why so quiet now?"
"H-How could you use such vulgar language…?"
Rosina covered her mouth, aghast.
She had never heard such words in her life.
She'd heard that Marquis Leguire was blunt, but she never imagined she would hear it firsthand.
"But it's fine for you to run your mouths about my kid?"
At the words "my kid," Rosina jumped in surprise, even knowing it wasn't true.
"No, I certainly didn't mean any harm. Why, why would I do anything to displease you, Marquis? I was just worried because the young lady is still so young… In fact, I was about to stop them…"
Rosina was so terrified she didn't even know what she was saying.
The man she had admired for so long was incredibly handsome up close.
No, "handsome" wasn't enough to describe him.
He was the man who had taught her what a truly captivating face looked like.
But his fierce aura was so intimidating that her heart didn't just pound—it felt like it would stop at any moment.
"Worried, you say."
"Yes, I was just worried…"
Marquis Leguire was perfect in every way.
Except for his fiery temper…
"Because you pity my kid? Or because you're worried about the kid I'm raising?"
"…"
"…"
They were all too busy exchanging nervous glances.
Even those gathered in small groups nearby held their breath and began to watch the scene.
"You'd better answer carefully."
At his unfiltered, menacing words, Rosina's face went from white as a sheet to utterly pale.
It seemed he wouldn't listen to anything she said.
This wasn't the same man who, despite seeming annoyed, would listen to whatever the child babbled on about.
Was that just a mirage?
"Th-There seems to be a misunderstanding. I absolutely did not mean it like that…"
"We're sorry. We really didn't mean it."
"If we have offended you, we apologize."
They all began to apologize one after another.
Cassel glared at them as they bowed their heads repeatedly, grinding his teeth.
He'd only caught the tail end, but he understood the conversation instantly.
*What did they say about my kid?*
His blood was already boiling, and Cassel was on the verge of losing it.
But seeing them look as if they might piss themselves at any moment, Cassel felt they weren't even worth speaking to.
*Pathetic dregs.*
His chin lifted crookedly.
It was an impossibly arrogant gesture, yet it suited him perfectly.
Cassel looked at the four trembling faces one by one, as if he were about to devour them.
Rosina Green, Celly Ritz, James Bolden, Tommy Dimito.
Cassel despised backstabbers, so he made a point of remembering people from families even remotely connected to his business.
The heads of the families, or their heirs.
Considering they were attending this banquet and their faces were at least somewhat familiar, it meant they weren't from some insignificant family tucked away in a rural corner of the empire.
*Ah, though I can't say the same for their future.*
"You'd best watch your finances from now on. You should at least salvage one dress before you go broke."
A smirk. His smiling face was like that of a grim reaper.
With those final words, Cassel turned and left without a shred of lingering hesitation.
"*Hic!*"
As the overwhelming presence vanished, Tommy even started to hiccup.
Rosina stared blankly at his striding figure before coming to her senses and hurrying after him.
"M-Marquis! W-What on earth did you mean by that…!"
But she didn't get far before she stopped dead in her tracks.
His rapidly disappearing back seemed to overlap with the memory of his voice.
They were just threatening words, but a chill ran down her spine.
"H-He seemed very angry… W-Will we be alright?"
Celly soon caught up to Rosina.
"It was just a small slip of the tongue. It's not like we made anything up. We'll be fine. The Marquis may have a fiery temper, but he wouldn't blow something like this out of proportion."
"I hope you're right, but…"
*Why do I feel so cold, as if I've been hit by a blast of frost?*
Rosina stood fidgeting with an anxious expression before turning away.
***
I followed Gerard out of the banquet hall first.
But I couldn't bring myself to go straight to the carriage and waited for Uncle in the corridor by the entrance.
*He wouldn't actually hit someone, would he?*
I'd never seen him do anything like that.
Still, Uncle's face was really scary just now.
I was only worried about Uncle being in danger; I never considered that he might be the one putting others in danger.
Oh, but isn't that even more dangerous?
But I don't think I could stop him right now.
My body shivered just thinking about the look on his face earlier.
Just then.
Uncle stormed past me like a blaze of fire, heading for the carriage.
I tried to follow, but his aura was so fierce that I hesitated without realizing it.
Uncle, who was quickly moving away on his long legs, suddenly spun around.
"Short stuff, are you coming or not?"
He even held out a hand, beckoning me over.
"I-I'm coming!"
I scurried over, afraid he might change his mind.
And I landed in his arms as if scoring a goal.
My view was suddenly lifted, and a laugh escaped me before I knew it.
The tension only melted away after Uncle called out to me.
*I guess he's not that mad at me.*
Gerard kept apologizing to Uncle on my behalf.
Even though I was the one who stopped Gerard.
"I told you to protect the kid. Tsk. You'd better be ready for some punishment."
"I will gladly accept any punishment."
"Peanut, what are you smiling about? When you hear stuff like that, you're supposed to stab them in the head with a fork or kick them."
…*Uncle, I'm not as violent as you are.*
But I had a feeling I'd get scolded if I said that.
"Hehe, because I like you, Uncle."
At that, Uncle stopped in his tracks and raised a skeptical eyebrow.
The fiery aura around him vanished in an instant.
"Just with words?"
I shook my head vigorously at his suspicious gaze.
"Nooo. With all my heart, too! I like you the best, Uncle."
But Uncle just gave me an indignant look and, instead of carrying me properly, tried to tuck me under his arm.
"Oof, ack, ack, A-i-ka, dy…ing…"
Tucked under his arm, I deliberately whined and exaggerated my discomfort.
To be honest, my side did hurt a little.
Then Uncle, who had started walking, stopped.
After all my fussing, I succeeded in being held properly in his arms again.
"And Uncle, I'm really okay."
"What do you mean, you're okay?"
"My mom used to say."
"…"
"People who insult others for no reason are people whose insides are a living hell."
"What?"
"She said they feel so much pain, like their insides are a burning hell, that they think they have to hurt others. Because their insides are noisy and twisted? Something like that. So let's forgive them!"
"Forgive them? What for?"
"Because we're the cooler ones!"
A sound like air escaping his lips came from Uncle.
"Yeah, yeah, you're so great."
"Uncle, do you like me a little more now?"
"Why the sudden question?"
"You just complimented me."
At that, Uncle stared at me with a bewildered expression.
*Why, why…*
*Why are you looking at me like that?*
