8 - Not Your Son, But Your Father
Chapter 8
I went into the hall, sandwiched between my mother and father.
Most of the nobles, except for the imperial family, had already arrived.
Gilbert, who was sitting on a table in a corner, glared at me as if he wanted to tear me to pieces. He seemed to be seething inside, realizing that there was a clear difference in the order of entry.
You can try to compare yourself to Elaine or Morgoz, but not yet to Morgana. This is the family I protected.
"Maybia!"
As I separated from my parents and took a glass of champagne, Monica Elaine greeted me.
"Do you know that none of the imperial family has arrived yet? It's unbelievable, really. I wonder if they still think they actually rule the empire."
The imperial authority was currently at rock bottom. Even if they didn't openly slander them like Monica, other nobles also resented the imperial family. They complained that the people who should have been there first were absent.
In the novel, the current Emperor didn't last long either.
It was an incompetent imperial family that existed to be destroyed from the start.
I took a light sip of champagne. My mouth felt bitter.
"The wine is delicious."
Ah, I want chocolate milk.
Monica agreed with my lie.
"You seem to have spent some money, unusually."
I had already drunk the victory toast, so it was time to move.
I put down the glass and picked up a wine bottle. With a pop, the cork was pulled out.
As I walked lightly, Monica followed.
"Maybia? Where are you going?"
"I need a glass to pour the wine."
Of course, Monica didn't understand.
Without explaining further, I crossed the hall and stood in front of Gilbert Calakis.
Gilbert was still sitting with his buttocks on the low table, so our eye level was roughly the same. His eyes were dark, as if he had stayed up all night as much as I had.
Hey, don't act like you've suffered so much with that much heartache. I was just steaming my face all night yesterday.
"Oh my, what I was looking for was here."
I gave him a refreshing smile and poured the wine over Gilbert's head.
With a gurgling, cool sound, the red wine fell like blood.
It soaked Gilbert's head, stained his nose, and flowed down, making his clothes a mess.
Of course, I adjusted the angle so that not a single drop splashed on me.
If Sera were here, she wouldn't have spared praise for my skills, which is a bit of a shame.
Monica, who was following me, was shocked.
"Ma, Maybia?! What on earth are you doing?"
It was a secluded place, but Monica's scream was quite loud, so attention was immediately focused.
Breaking the silence of a few seconds, my regretful murmur echoed through the hall.
"This dish is defective. It can't even hold wine properly."
Callen pushed through the crowd and rushed over.
"What is the meaning of this!"
Callen was furious instead of Gilbert, who was stiffened by the sudden situation. He looked in the direction of my parents, as if telling them to resolve the situation quickly.
But my father and mother were chatting without even looking this way. They didn't seem to have any intention of scolding me or stopping me.
And it was the same for everyone else.
Starting with Charles Morgoz, who snorted and turned his head, everyone pretended not to see Gilbert.
Callen couldn't help but lament.
"Huh..."
"Lo, Lord. Let me wipe it off for you."
Only Monica Elaine took out a handkerchief. However, Gilbert pushed her hand away and stood up.
As he tried to walk past me, I grabbed him with a voice full of laughter.
"Are you running away?"
The sight of red droplets dripping from Gilbert's collar was quite a sight.
"Oh my, what a disappointment."
"Lady Maybia."
Callen gritted his teeth.
I smiled with my eyes.
"You should act wisely, Baron. It won't do you any good to insult me here by mentioning my family."
At the mention of 'my family,' my parents gestured as if they would come over immediately.
Callen was quick to notice. He realized that my parents had no intention of scolding me at all.
"...Let's go."
Monica glanced at me and followed the two.
It would be troublesome if you thought it was over already.
"Lady Maybia."
I turned my head at the call from behind. I saw the imperial Insignia embroidered on a neat uniform.
An aide who closely assisted the Emperor bowed politely.
"His Majesty requests a private audience."
I had no business with the Emperor at all. The Emperor would probably feel the same.
He continued.
"He has been waiting all along."
It probably wasn't because of Gilbert.
Then there was only one reason.
"Lead the way."
I obediently followed the Emperor's aide out of the hall. As I left the building altogether, a cooler breeze swept through my hair.
"...Are you very upset?"
Suddenly, Monica's voice was heard.
In the dark shadows behind the building. Just a little walk away.
"Maybia is usually like that. I don't know if she hurt her head badly when she was young, but she does a lot of strange things. Actually, I don't really like Maybia either? I wish she wasn't doing as well as me, and I've even wished for her to be unhappy."
...Should I ignore her?
In the novel, Monica Elaine had an affair with Gilbert Calakis. On the other hand, the two were not in an adulterous relationship like they were back then, at least not now.
Maybe they'll live happily ever after in the sun like a pair of lovebirds.
'Monica Elaine and Gilbert Calakis lived happily ever after.' Maybe they'll have an ending like that...
Is that really the case?
"But Maybia isn't the worst person to deserve such an insult from you. No matter how much I hate Maybia, I know I'm not a crazy bitch who picks fights and harasses innocent people for no reason. So please take back what you just said."
Monica defended me, saying things that even a passing dog wouldn't believe. It was really clumsy and awkward.
What did Gilbert say to make Monica like that?
No, it's not that I can't guess.
With a light sigh, I stopped walking.
The fact that she defended me was quite touching, but the situation was not good now.
Gilbert wasn't smart enough to pick and choose who to get angry at.
"Just a moment."
"Yes?"
I stopped the aide and removed the smile I had been putting on like a habit.
With a sulky face, I strode towards Monica.
Monica, who had been distracted by Gilbert, belatedly felt my presence and widened her eyes.
"Ma..., Maybia?"
"I'll give you one piece of advice, Monica, for the first and last time. Stay away from that bastard. It would be even better if you never meet again."
I gestured with my chin towards Gilbert Calakis.
He chewed his words with a chilling anger in his voice.
"You shouldn't have come out."
It was an immense murderous intent. Even though it wasn't directed at her, Monica immediately collapsed. Her complexion was pale as if she was about to faint.
As I stood in front of Monica, Gilbert sneered.
"You should have stayed quietly hidden inside the fence."
"Why should I be scared when there's nothing but trash here?"
In the moment I answered in a gentle tone, Callen, who had foreseen the tragedy that would soon unfold, turned his head sharply.
Gilbert lost his reason and rushed at me like a beast.
His outstretched hand was not far away. I watched the scene without even blinking an eye.
However, Gilbert would not be able to reach me.
A jet-black curtain fell from the sky. Dark, deep, and dangerous as if to cover the whole world, it aimed precisely at Gilbert's back.
Gilbert collapsed unsightly from the sudden attack. Gilbert desperately resisted, but the foot that pressed down on his back did not move at all.
"Kuk... Who is it!"
It was a man all in black. But his eyes shone ice-blue like an iceberg.
The man clicked his tongue lowly.
"You should have kept it moderate. Moderate."
The surrounding temperature seemed to drop sharply in an instant. The man pressed down on Gilbert's head, who was trying to get up.
Then, in a seemingly affectionate voice that did not match his violent behavior.
"It's time to go home, son."
* * *
How should I describe him?
In the novel, Maybia met Edith Calakis only once.
The conversation didn't last long. Maybia was so intimidated by the pressure emanating from Edith that she ran away.
The villain in the novel was Gilbert, but there were many more people who were afraid of Edith.
Anyway, Maybia was a supporting character, but Edith Calakis, who had the grand nickname of Star Lord of the North, also had very little importance.
No, in the first place, she didn't even think about coming out of her room.
It was only when Rigen was about to have his arm cut off and was poisoned and hovering between life and death that she slowly crawled out. She openly showed that she was annoyed that he was hurt and bothering her.
But at that time, Rigen was so moved that he even shed tears.
It couldn't be a more revealing scene of how lazy Edith was.
Edith was a person who found even breathing annoying. Also, no one understood, but she was somehow weak to Rigen.
As a result, I was also deeply moved. Because I know how hard he worked to get here. Putting aside the annoyance, Rigen, who was a brother-fool, would have interfered.
Rigen liked Gilbert just because he was a blood relative, even though Gilbert was a piece of human trash. When Gilbert left the North, he firmly believed that he would return home as a hero in glory.
With that pure and innocent belief alone, he strongly opposed Edith from going up to the capital even occasionally to prevent Gilbert from being disturbed.
So, unlike now, Edith in the novel completely lost interest in the affairs of the capital.
Thanks to that, or should I say, Edith was late in realizing the existence of Maybia, who was imprisoned... But I couldn't blame a child who was only eight years old.
Rigen later felt so sorry for Maybia that he cried a lot.
"...Ah, Father?"
Gilbert's face turned white. The fear in his eyes was visible.
