Translator: Nox

Chapter 60

Peek.

Bunny, who had stuck her head out from behind Kiriel, opened her mouth.

“Kalbad’s daddy raises him. If it’s with uncle, Kalbad becomes a little king. Poor Kalbad…….”

“Huh? What’s this Kalbad?! I’m Kalbad! And from the start, who…….”

“Kalbad envies Allen too.”

At Bunny’s interjection, Kalbad’s face flushed bright red.

Whether it was shame, embarrassment, or the shock of having his true feelings exposed, no one could tell.

“Bunny’s jealous too. Daddy doesn’t pat my head, he hits me. So I’m upset. Right? Luri said violence against babies is trash.”

“No, this is just sparring…….”

Still, his throat felt strangely tight.

It was as if someone were viciously squeezing his heart and stuffing his windpipe with a fist.

“What’s there to envy…….”

Kalbad muttered softly and dropped his head with a thud.

Drip.

The moment he lowered his head, dark stains spread across the carpet.

Drip, drip. Only after seeing the soundless falling droplets did he realize his cheeks were soaked.

“Ah…….”

Once he noticed, the tears poured out even more relentlessly, like a dam bursting, and Kalbad drew in a deep breath.

He slowly lifted his head to find his father staring at him, eyes wide as if he’d witnessed something he absolutely shouldn’t have.

“Daddy.”

“Yes, baby.”

“Can we raise Kalbad?”

Kalbad dropped his head again at the voice that came before he could even wipe away his tears.

Kiriel gazed down at Kalbad impassively, then leisurely turned his head to glance at Klein Yudia before smirking.

“Go ahead. If my daughter wants to raise him and he wants it too, that should be fine.”

Kiriel shifted his gaze lazily to Klein Yudia. The man, who always maintained an indifferent, stoic, expressionless face, wore an especially irritating smile today.

“Who’s the one who was really playing around?”

“Kalbad, stop going along with this pointless game and let’s go.”

Kalbad blankly lifted his head to look at Klein Yudia. Even with tears streaming down his face, his father didn’t blink.

He’d known it. That his father was a cold man.

His father despised anything weak or useless, and Kalbad had desperately poured in effort after effort to catch his eye.

He’d been happy when he summoned the Kirin.

But instead of praise, his father had muttered something bizarre about how wielding a divine beast beyond his level would kill those around him, then walked away.

It was the same even when he scored perfect marks on exams.

The same when he took first place in the House of Trials and held onto that position.

‘Father hates me.’

‘Father doesn’t want to acknowledge me.’

‘Why, why, why? Why does Father hate me? What am I lacking? I’m doing well enough. How much better do I have to be here? How much more…….’

Days upon days without recognition.

It had felt suffocating in between, and then a bastard child whose parents were unknown had boldly gained the direct line’s sponsorship. Sponsorship from his uncle, no less, the one hailed as a hero.

Just like his father, his uncle had shown not the slightest interest in Kalbad.

Whenever he tried even to speak, the man would pass by like a ghost with no expression, as if he hadn’t seen him.

And yet……

“Huh. Daddy! Bunny got 4 points this time!”

“Impressive. Hmm, at this rate, my daughter might enter the Academy early soon. Then you must have your scores too, Allen.”

“Ah, um. I… got quite a few wrong…….”

“94 points? That’s excellent. Weren’t you in the upper class? This means you’re doing well. No need to shrink back.”

“…Yes!”

Why……

Why were these kids, who were so much lesser than him, smiling like they were happier than anyone?

4 points? As if that could even count as a score.

94 points? When he himself had gotten perfect marks.

“Kalbad, don’t mind your dad and do what you want. You don’t have to go if you don’t want to.”

What? You weren’t the type to say such affectionate things.

“This kid……!”

How much had this little one changed things?

What the hell was this child?

All sorts of grievances flooded Kalbad’s mind.

And yet, instead of voicing those countless tangled thoughts, Kalbad gripped the small hand holding his own. With his other hand, he clutched tightly at the hem of Kiriel’s clothes.

“…My father hates me. So I’m not going.”

At the declaration from the tear-streaked boy, Klein Yudia’s eyes widened hugely.

That day, Klein Yudia ended up returning alone.

* * *

“Ahem.”

Bunny tensed her shoulders and clenched her fists tight.

Because today was the day for the release of the last exam results, plus her meeting with Grandpa.

‘Bunny… was last place in fighting the divine beast, but test scores went up to 30 points.’

And that was all thanks to Bunny studying hard and memorizing every single human letter.

That’s right.

Bunny had memorized every last human letter!

The corners of Bunny’s mouth wobbled upward. The 57 letters had tormented her terribly, but Bunny had emerged victorious in the end.

Now Bunny could read writing too.

And that wasn’t all.

She’d learned that the Black Flame Dragon wasn’t a Black Flame Dragon—it was a Phoenix.

Still a baby Phoenix for now, but it was certain to become a king-sized one someday.

Luri had said it was incredibly amazing, so it hadn’t been a lie.

‘Luri’s a genius too!’

Not a Black Flame Dragon, but a Phoenix would be super cool once it grew huge.

‘A huge Phoenix and a huge Great Demon King?’

A Great Demon King riding around on a magnificent fiery bird would definitely be cool.

Bunny nodded in satisfaction as she pattered down the hallway.

“You’ve arrived, Miss Bunny.”

“Yes. Hel……lo…….”

No, not ‘hell-lo’.

Surprisingly, after studying, she’d learned the proper pronunciation of the greeting wasn’t ‘annyeong’ but ‘annyeonghaseyo’!

“An…nyeonghaseyo!”

“……!”

As Bunny puffed up her shoulders and thrust her chest forward proudly, Pel’s eyes went wide.

The look on his face screamed, How about that? Impressive, right?

“ Goodness, you’ve grown even more mature. Excellent pronunciation.”

And Pel was a seasoned butler who would never betray his young lady’s expectations. The pleased curve of his lips was exceedingly gentle.

“Yes!”

Bunny replied, clenching her fists tight.

“His Grace the Duke is waiting inside.”

“Okay.”

Pel opened the door for her, and Bunny stepped in. The heavy-looking luxurious sofa table was laden with all sorts of cute treats.

“Wow…….”

Bunny gaped wide, then startled herself and shook her head side to side.

‘Bunny will never fail a test.’

With fierce determination in her eyes, Bunny clenched her fists and thought that. Then she bowed her head politely and opened her mouth confidently.

“Hello!”