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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 14
Chapter Title: Chapter 4 Behitz's Decision (2)
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Sei-an, who had always harbored jealousy towards his older brother and an inferiority complex about his own inadequacies compared to him, never liked appearing at such gatherings.
He couldn't stand the admiring looks people gave his brother, nor the pitying glances directed at him.
Furthermore, being faint-hearted, he was the kind of child who would flee at the sight of adults who pressured him.
‘And to think, *that* child came in with Behitz-nim.’
But that Sei-an had walked in with Behitz.
Outwardly, he was merely a frail-looking old man, but the aura he exuded was certainly not that of an ordinary elder.
Though a benevolent smile graced his lips, the sheer weight of his experience and presence kept the many nobles who had been waiting for him from even approaching. It was obvious just by looking.
‘How on earth...?’
Yet, seeing Sei-an conversing amiably with him, standing there in the hall, Count Shurayton couldn't hide his surprise and bewilderment.
“Ahem! Behitz-nim, it’s my first time greeting you.”
“...?”
Just then, someone cautiously approached Sei-an's party and spoke: it was Viscount Chiikan.
He was always confident, but even he seemed to shrink before Behitz, and everyone around could feel the immense tension in his voice.
“Who are you?”
“My name is Chiikan.”
“Chiikan?”
“Yes, Behitz-nim.”
“Hmm, I’ve never heard of it. Was there even a family with that surname?”
“...!”
Viscount Chiikan, who had been speaking to Behitz with a forced smile, found his expression freezing mid-greeting as Behitz completely ignored him and replied with utter indifference.
Despite all the influence he had painstakingly built, his pride utterly crumbled at Behitz's words, implying he didn't even know his name.
“You haven't paid attention to politics in a long time; it seems you're quite out of touch with the world.”
Feeling indignant, Viscount Chiikan spoke sarcastically to Behitz, forcing a smile back onto his face as if to mock him.
“There are far too many fools showing off, you see. It's sickening, and now that I’m old, I simply don’t wish to involve myself anymore.”
“...!”
But Viscount Chiikan's bravado had no effect on Behitz whatsoever.
As if his vast experience made it impossible otherwise, Behitz merely chuckled, easily brushing off Viscount Chiikan's sarcasm.
And among those gathered, there was no one who failed to understand precisely whom he was referring to when he spoke of ‘fools showing off’.
“Aren't you being too rude!”
“Rude?”
“Fu-Furis!”
Unable to bear seeing Viscount Chiikan thus ignored, someone interrupted: it was his son, Furis.
He couldn't help but be enraged to see his father being disrespected by a mere old man who had already retired from politics.
Viscount Chiikan tried to hastily restrain his son, but it was already too late.
“Did you just call me rude?”
“Yes, I...!”
“How dare... how dare a mere viscount's son lecture me on rudeness?”
“...!”
“Gasp!”
“Ugh!”
The surrounding air changed in an instant.
The old man, who had been smiling like a benevolent grandfather from next door, was no longer present in that spot.
The one who had earned the title of the continent's first and youngest Swordmaster! The one who had earned the trust of successive emperors of the Empire, and successfully cultivated the Parhin Ducal family, renowned as the greatest, making it even more prosperous – only *that* man stood before their eyes now.
“Guh...!”
People could barely breathe from the aura he exuded, and Furis, the very person who had to directly bear the brunt of that aura from the closest proximity, groaned and collapsed to the floor.
*Tsk-tsk...*
“...?”
“...!”
But just as that suffocatingly quiet atmosphere continued, there was a quiet movement that broke it.
“...What are you doing?”
“Before you start lecturing on rudeness, can't you try to look a bit tidier?”
“What?”
“There's hair all over...”
“...?”
“I was clearly the one sitting on the grass just now, so why do *you* have bits of grass stuck to you, old man? Tsk!”
Sei-an had walked up and started picking off strands of hair and tiny bits of grass, like dust, stuck all over Behitz's clothes.
His biggest quirk, an extreme fastidiousness, which he'd had ever since he lived as Kai, had flared up again.
He couldn't stand anything messy, and if he saw something stuck to his clothes, he absolutely had to remove it to feel at ease. It was also the thing Jushia used to tease him about the most, calling him petty, unlike how he'd been before.
“Ahem! It's not good for a person to be *too* perfect, you know. You need a little flaw, even a small one like this, for people to gather around you.”
“...Are you perhaps mistaking dirtiness for familiarity?”
“What! This brat!”
“You're not seriously going to hit me, are you?”
“Why, am I not allowed to hit you?”
“If you're going to hit me, at least wash your hands first.”
“...”
The tense atmosphere vanished instantly.
People couldn't help but look dumbfounded at Behitz, who was looking around as if searching for water, seemingly serious about washing his hands before hitting Sei-an.
“Fu-Furis!”
Meanwhile, as the atmosphere eased, Viscount Chiikan was the first to move.
Even though Behitz's aura had disappeared, Furis was still trembling, collapsed on the floor.
Viscount Chiikan rushed to his son's side, trying to help him up.
But Furis's legs had given out, and the well-built young man couldn't properly control his body; it was too much for the Viscount to help him up alone.
Thus, despite his urgency, he only ended up repeatedly sinking back to the floor with his son.
“Let me help you.”
Lucian, who couldn't stand to watch any longer, approached them and helped Furis to his feet in one swift motion.
“That's enough!”
At that, Viscount Chiikan's face contorted sharply. He brushed off Lucian's hand and, half-dragging his son, quickly departed the spot.
But not before casting a furious glare at Behitz and Sei-an.
“Did that fellow just glare at me before leaving?”
“You really are getting old, aren't you? You saw it, didn't you? He didn't just glare; he glared with murderous intent!”
“You looked like you glared back, too.”
“...You must have seen wrong. I didn't do anything.”
“You're the one who's getting old, you young whippersnapper...”
“Please don't equate me with an old man whose hobby is needlessly making enemies.”
Of course, the real problem was that neither Behitz nor Sei-an were the type to be intimidated by Chiikan's furious glare.
“Sei-an seems to have changed a lot.”
Meanwhile, Count Ashulo, who had been observing the two conversing, approached Count Shurayton and spoke quietly.
Because the Sei-an he knew was not someone who conversed so amiably with adults.
He couldn't hide his surprise at seeing Sei-an conversing with such a relaxed demeanor, even with Behitz by his side.
“...I'm surprised myself.”
Count Shurayton also nodded at Count Ashulo's words, admitting that he had been surprised by Sei-an multiple times today.
“...”
On the other hand, Lucian breathed a sigh of relief as he watched Sei-an conversing with Behitz, his expression indifferent and showing no particular change.
‘What a relief.’
Because he had always seen Sei-an get hurt and flee from such large gatherings of people.
That's why, when he heard Sei-an, who had lost his memories in an accident, say he would attend this gathering, his expression had stiffened, worried that Sei-an might be even more deeply wounded than before.
But seeing Sei-an standing so comfortably now, Lucian only then showed a faint smile.
“How have you been, Behitz-nim?”
“I don't know if you remember me.”
“I truly wanted to meet you.”
After that small commotion ended, people, as if they had been waiting, began to flock around Behitz in the now relaxed atmosphere.
With bloodshot eyes, people eager to make themselves and their children known to him ceaselessly spouted flattery at Behitz, pushing their offspring to get even a single step closer to him.
“Aren't you tired?”
“No, I'm fine.”
Meanwhile, Lucian approached Sei-an, who had stepped back from the complicated situation, and cautiously spoke, checking his complexion.
It hadn't been long since Sei-an had recovered, and Lucian wondered if he was overexerting himself by being at the gathering.
“...”
Watching Sei-an standing beside him, quietly drinking water instead of wine, Lucian offered a gentle smile.
‘I feel sorry for you, but I'm a little grateful that you lost your memories.’
Lucian had never once conversed with Sei-an in such a comfortable atmosphere, and he was even grateful for the fact that Sei-an had lost his memories.
Because Sei-an was the precious younger brother his mother had left him as her last legacy, Lucian had wanted to be with him since childhood, but the more he tried, the more Sei-an drifted away.
At first, he'd dismissed it as a child's simple tantrum, but as time went on, the colder gazes and hatred directed at him forced Lucian to keep his distance from Sei-an.
He couldn't bring himself to approach Sei-an anymore, seeing how much Sei-an struggled the closer he got.
And so, seeing Sei-an standing by his side now, Lucian found himself rejoicing to a degree that surprised even himself.
“Lucian-nim.”
“Long time no see.”
“Nice to meet you.”
Just then, a group of women approached the two, or more accurately, approached Lucian.
They were young ladies from noble families who hadn't been able to take their eyes off Lucian since he'd first entered the hall.
“...”
At their appearance, Sei-an, who had been standing beside Lucian, subtly took a step back, trying to distance himself from them.
He absolutely refused to get caught among talkative women and accumulate mental fatigue.
“...!”
But Sei-an's movement was halted by Lucian, who swiftly grabbed his hand.
“Where are you going?”
Lucian found himself grabbing Sei-an, who was moving away from him. It was an instinctive action, born from the fear that Sei-an was distancing himself again, just like in the past.
“I thought it was okay to return to my quarters now.”
People's attention was already on Behitz and Lucian, so it didn't seem like it would be a problem if he quietly slipped away.
That was why Sei-an had planned to return to his quarters.
“...”
At the mention of returning to his quarters, Lucian's expression subtly stiffened. He wondered if Sei-an was trying to escape from him and the people again, just like before.
“Then, if you'll excuse me...”
Sei-an couldn't read Lucian's thoughts, so he gently pulled his hand free and began walking quickly towards the hall entrance.
“...”
Lucian couldn't bring himself to stop Sei-an anymore. Memories of Sei-an trembling and fleeing even harder the closer Lucian got resurfaced.
He was afraid Sei-an would shake off his hand again and leave with a cold gaze, just like before.
“...?”
But then, Sei-an, who had been heading towards the hall entrance, could be seen striding back towards him.
“Excuse me, Brother.”
“...!”
Sei-an approached Lucian, who was once again enveloped by the women, gently took his hand, and, with an awkward expression, continued.
“I forgot.”
“Forgot what?”
“...that I don't know the way back.”
