Chapter 39
* * *
The carriage carrying Seraphin raced for a long time before finally arriving at Ortejo Castle in the North.
The first to greet his carriage was Peter, the head butler and former assassin.
"You've arrived, Young Master-nim."
"Yeah! Surely lived wildly and brutally again today?"
"Yes."
"No problems in the family?"
"Only good things happened."
"......And, Father?"
"Duke Declan-nim stepped out briefly to check monster borders. But I informed him of Young Master Seraphin's schedule, so he'll return soon."
"Yeah, got it. Let's go inside quick!"
As expected, Father didn't come out to greet him.
He strode boldly into the castle as if no big deal, when.
Seraphin sensed something strange.
*'The North's atmosphere feels off.'*
His instincts as a powerful martial artist were ringing intense warning bells in his head.
Seraphin Ortejo.
At just thirteen, a child who had trained his body to possess iron-like fists.
Nothing could block his path.
But.
"Wh-what is this? What is this wild and arrogant thing blocking my path?!"
What unfolded before Seraphin's eyes was hellscape.
What had his childhood been like?
A youth raised as the great black flame dragon amid powerful darkness.
Thanks to that, respected by everyone at the Academy (except Professor Melern)—that was Seraphin's past.
But......
"Welcome! Would you like to try some of this delicious food?"
"Wh-what, what is this?"
"Heard Young Master Seraphin-nim was coming, so the head chef showed off his skills."
Unbelievable.
They had been endlessly fighting like funeral dirges.
How fun those fights had been!
Seraphin had lived joyfully listening to their fight sounds every minute, every second.
But why!
Why had such an utterly atrocious thing happened!
"Haha, what. Laundry done well?"
"Yeah, did it well."
Seeing people with soft, fluffy atmospheres, Seraphin let out a horrified groan.
"Th-this, this, this can't be!"
All servants' warm expressions turned toward him at his scream-like wail.
Seraphin looked around desperately and yelled.
"Stop......!"
"Pardon?"
He saw them laughing ha ha ho ho, mocking him.
And atop each of their heads too.
Utterly cute, lovable, squishy things that absolutely couldn't exist in the North......
"What are these sparkly knit hats?!"
"Ah, these?"
"Yeah!"
"Got them as gifts! Pretty, right?"
Despite Seraphin's wail, the servants' expressions remained bright and cheerful.
Seraphin plopped down on the floor.
This child unbound by etiquette could sit anywhere in the hallway.
He swallowed a groan and shook his head.
"The great discipline of our dark horse family, like darkness's darkness, has crumbled."
"Pardon? Dark horse...... what did you say?"
Look at this.
The family servants couldn't even understand Seraphin's words!
*'No, it's not just family discipline crumbling.'*
His age, glorious thirteen.
Academy physical arts class's powerful child, Seraphin Ortejo.
His world had crumbled.
"What on earth happened to our family-! It's so different from when I was at the Academy!"
"......Well, this is all thanks to Lady Iri, Young Master Seraphin's little sister. She gave us these hats too."
"......Iri?"
"Yes. Do you...... remember?"
He had heard he had a young sister.
Heard she was judged non-immune right after birth, mother passed, and sent South.
He had been curious about wriggly fingers, pink cheeks sometimes......
*'Not anymore. I'm super strong after all.'*
He asked curtly.
"Non-immune, right."
"Well, turns out she became immune recently!"
"Hm. So all these absurd things came from that kid's hand."
"Absurd things?"
"Yeah! Like family discipline crumbling like this!"
The servants thought simultaneously.
He's definitely thirteen.
Strangely old-man-like remark.
The boy Seraphin, oblivious to their exchanged odd glances.
True to a martial artist, he nodded solemnly.
"Can't do this. Have to go find that kid myself!"
Anyway, immune or whatever, no big relation to him.
Because surely weak.
The boy's scarlet eyes burned fiercely.
Literally, golden big bro's appearance.
And right now, Iri was sleeping soundly.
* * *
"Gasp, what's this?"
Iri bolted up in bed.
"Huh?"
"Got goosebumps all sudden, ears itchy!"
In the land of Eastern etiquette.
They say ears itch when someone talks about you.
But this feeling wasn't just someone calling her name.
Felt intense malice more than that.
Iri jumped up and opened the curtains.
"Gasp, atmosphere feels full of fog!"
"You, you felt it too?"
"Yeah."
Cookie glanced at serious-faced Iri and said.
"Let's go check outside."
And.
Right as she stepped into the outer hallway briefly.
*'People seem corrupted by magi!'*
Why on earth?
Why do they all look dark and gloomy?
They all looked bright and happy before!
Iri looking around frantically finally spotted the target.
The elder bro returning to this castle.
So her o...... big brother relation existence.
Seraphin Ortejo had arrived at the castle, spreading ominous aura everywhere!
Iri glared at him from afar.
Cookie fired excited telepathy.
[Looking at that guy's face, definitely has 2-star or higher magi!]
"Good, gotta get super super close."
Get close and nom nom lots of magi!
Iri clenched her fist and said to Cookie in her pocket.
"Cookie, gloves."
[Huh?]
"Gotta do surgery. Give me gloves!"
Yes.
Seraphin needed major surgery.
Cookie handed Iri gloves neatly.
Iri looked sternly at Seraphin running from far hallway and said.
"Doctor play, no, treatment starts! First, lock in room!"
* * *
"Hey, what are you? Why lock me in this room?"
Spiky weed-like black hair.
Always carrying evil scarlet eyes.
Even the one corner of mouth always smirking.
North Ortejo Grand Duke's son, Seraphin Ortejo was a 'villain' among peers.
True to nickname, he raised eyebrows wickedly.
"My name is Iri Ortejo-nimida."
Unusually cozy flower-pattern earplugs, warm-looking sweater.
Near-white fluffy silver hair, round purple eyes......
"Ah, and recently came from South, Young Master Seraphin-nim's little sister too-nimida."
......Yeah, first time seeing his little sister.
"You think I don't know who you are?"
Iri lightly ignored his question.
Then drew dark curtains and muttered ominously.
"Young Master Seraphin-nim is in great danger right now-nimida."
"What are you doing?"
"Soon critical crisis......!"
"......?"
Powerful child Seraphin, suddenly terminal patient.
"From now on, I will make Young Master Seraphin-nim super healthy-nimida."
"Hey, already figured you grilled all the old folks everywhere. Think I'll go along with your nonsense too?"
Seraphin's fierce gaze glared at Iri.
And well, turns out even head butler grandpa couldn't handle this kid!
"Lady Iri-nim gave me bean sprout juice, how cute those chubby cheeks. Ohohong~"
Ohohong, ohohong! How frail-sounding laugh!
But he, Seraphin Ortejo was different.
Super wicked, powerful.
Proud of his 'wicked strength,' as he tilted head crookedly that moment.
"What is 'go along'?"
A situation draining his motivation occurred.
