Novel

“..so…” Ancilla tried to calm down.

However, her son’s eyes were swollen from crying so much that his emotions are not at her disposal.

Ancilla patted her chest in frustration and grabbed a fan to cool off her face.

“…My son. Cyan… … asked…a boy from the countryside for a duel and he lost?

“Yes.”

Hezar couldn’t raise his bowed head. He held his head up for nothing and didn’t want to get worse from that dirty black sheep.

“The little boy. Didn’t trainman, did he?”

“No, he didn’t…”

“No way.”

Ancilla’s reaction was the same as Cyan’s. She looked at her son with cold eyes.

Cyan was sniffing down his eyes.

“Come here.”

“…Mother…”

“Come here!” Ancilla couldn’t stand it anymore and screamed.

Cyan shuddered as he shuddered his shoulders. However, he approached Ancilla with faltering steps.

Ancilla jerked her hand out, collecting her sizzling breath.

“Argh!”

He has a strong grip on the stomach. The pain hasn’t subsided yet. Hezar glanced at Cyan with pity, and then he moved his head back.

“And you lost at one move too!”

“Oh, mother. It hurts…!”

“Stay still!”RE𝒂ad updated st𝒐ries at n/𝒐/vel/bin(.)com

The body of Cyan, who was walking backward, was stiff. Ancilla pressed her son’s name with an outspoken touch. Whenever she did that, Cyan held back his scream by clenching his teeth.

Ciel, sitting in the back, watched the scene with a sulky face. She wanted to say something, but the young Ciel knew well that there was nothing to gain by opening her mouth.

“Hezar, you swear that what you’ve seen with your eyes are correct, right?”

“…”

“I asked if you could swear. That kid. You sure he didn’t train Mana?”

“I can swear.”

Swear should not be easily spoken in any situation. But if he was silent now, it would be terrible in the future, and Hezar was sure of his judgment.

“The Son of Jehard, Eugene, didn’t train Mana. There wasn’t a handful of mana in his body.”

“Really?”

Ancilla went back to her memory, a name that doesn’t come straight to mind It is a name that is not worth remembering.

She means… definitely in the province of Gidol. It seems that the name of their side branch, which was stuck in the corner of the village, was Jehard.

They were a family that was separated from its main house hundreds of years ago and has never been so distinguished.

“My son.” Ancilla lifted Cyan’s clothes. Cyan shuddered and closed his eyes tightly.

“To a man who hasn’t even trained mana…You were beaten by him with a blow.”

His pear skin is heavily discolored.

The deep bruise made Ancilla burst into laughter. She was also a child of nothing. Count Kaines, who holds a position in the military, is her father.

“A Hit. That’s for sure. Ciel, how did your brother lose?”

“Oh, mother. It’s like…”

“I didn’t ask you.”

Ancilla glared at her son with her eyes wide open. His eyes are so fierce that it is unbelievable that he sees his 13-year-old son.

“…the moment the duel began. Eugene stabbed him with the spear.”

Ciel pouted her lips and said,

“My brother was surprised and tried to attack back, but Eugene’s spear was faster than him.”

“Was it due to the distance?”

“Brother was a little far away.”

“What was your brother doing at that moment?”

“He tried to lift the sword.”

It was only an hour ago. It wasn’t too old to recall. Whenever Ciel’s words continued, Cyan trembled with anxiety.

“This…”

Ancilla, who heard everything, uttered a trembling voice.

“A stupid thing!”

Slap! The head of Cyan turned sideways. Cyan, who had assumed that this would happen, held back his groans with his teeth clenched.

“No Mana. He had even never trained properly! You’re the same age as a kid…! You allowed him to attack first?! You can’t even avoid it! You let him narrow the distance! You were beaten just like that, and fell while vomiting everywhere?!”

Ancilla gave a sharp scream and slapped the cheek of a continuous fusion. Whenever that happens, Cyan’s head turns from side to side. It is not determined to hit. It was a slap without mana on it .

However, the punishment is extreme for a young son.

“In the presence of others… showing such vulgarity! You’re the first one to ask for a duel, and you’re defeated?! Do you want to see your mother hang herself in shame and die?”

“Sorry, I’m sorry. I’m sorry, Mom. “

Cyan held back the scream, but he couldn’t hold back the tears. Cyan sniffed and shed tears. However, Ancilla felt more angry than sorry for her son’s crying.

“What are you crying about?”

“Huh…”

“Why are you putting your mother in trouble by doing something that she shouldn’t? Your father will be back soon, but I don’t know what kind of face to greet him…! What kind of face should I show in front of Theonis?!”

Lionhart’s family home.

Guillard Lionhart had been away from his home for training for three years.

In that case, it should be Mrs. Theonis, who is the first wife of the Lord, who holds the power of the family. But now that the first wife was currently away, it was Ancilla, who took the helm of the main house.

It was for a simple reason. After giving birth to a child, Theonis body can no longer bear children. Guillard, who wanted to prepare well for the latter years, was not satisfied with only one son.

So he adopted a second wife, and Ancilla gave birth to twins.

‘Three children was enough.’

Guillard always said so, but Ancilla couldn’t agree with that. The reason why she came into the secret room that she could not stand despite receiving good marriage paths was that she coveted the value of the name Lionhart.

“She’s gonna laugh at me. I’m sure.”

Ancilla chewed her nails well and recalled Theonis’s face. Cyan, who was terrified by her mother’s nervous appearance, stuttered and spat out.

“I-I, I’ll fight again. So that you won’t suffer shame, once again…”

“Again?”

Ancilla’s voice rose sharply.

“What are you going to fight again when you’re already defeated?! Don’t do anything wrong, stay calm until the blood ceremony starts!”

“But…”

“Hezar!”

Ancilla couldn’t listen to her son until the end and screamed. Hezar’s shoulders flinched as he bowed his head.

“Yes.”

“I want to kill you.”

Ancilla’s fist trembled.

“But… I can’t. That’s not how it works. Your… His a favorite knight. I don’t think your teaching is wrong. Right?”

“…”

“I was right about your teaching, but … My son…! Couldn’t learn properly, and he was defeated by that hillbilly kid.”

“…I’m sorry.”

There is no positive or negative situation. In this case, it is better to pray for forgiveness than to keep your mouth shut.

“…take Cyan out.”

“Mother…”

“Go, train him. Don’t ever disgrace my face again.”

Hezar nodded back. While Cyan was in tears, Ancilla’s order was followed without resistance.

“Ciel, you stay for a while.”

“…yes.”

Ciel’s expression on her face crumpled as she tried to sneak out with her. She sat back in her seat, glancing at Ancilla’s face.

“…that little boy. You said his name was Eugene, right?”

“Yes.”

“Did you ask the little boy for a duel, too?”

“No, I didn’t ask.”

“How come?”

“Brother  lost with a blow. So I assumed I couldn’t have won a fight.”

Ciel answered in a murmur. She answered honestly for now, but she was afraid that her mother might be angrier with her answer.

“Good job.”

However, Ancilla did not burst into anger as she did before. She stared at her daughter with rather calm eyes.

“If you’ve been defeated… I would have hanged myself with shame.”

“Don’t say that, Mother.”

Ciel was in tears. Of course, she knows her mother was a person who will never take her own life in any circumstances. However, she had learned from a young age that being fluttered would make her mother feel better.

“…Eugene. How was he?”

“I’m not sure what you mean.”

“Looks and attitudes.”

“His face… um… He’s more handsome than other. But he is kinda strange…”

“Strange? Why?”

“He was so childish and mean when he was arguing with my brother, but he was like a grown-up when he talked to Hezar.”

The words put Ancilla in thought for a moment. Since he is 13, she understood that he was childish and mean. But talking like a grown up with Hezar?

“Just… what honor is all about. It is also said that showing mercy in a duel is an insult to others. When Eugene said that, Hezar apologized.”

“…Honor?”

“Yes, I heard he said something presumptuous.”

Ciel smiled unconsciously as she recalled the moment. She soon changed her expression when she realized she wasn’t supposed to laugh, but Ancilla did not point out Ciel’s laughter.

‘…what’s the subject…?’

She thought she’d have to call Hezar back and listen to the whole story. Ancilla thought with a slight nod.

“Are you angry that Eugene hit your brother?”

“…yes.”

It’s a lie. Ciel wasn’t, but she actually felt it was funny how her brother cried while pretending to be proud.

“Don’t try to avenge your brother for nothing.”

Ancilla knew what her daughter was up to. Since she was born as his brother’s twin, she has been with her brother since she was young, and she used to follow her brother around and play mischievous pranks. She is a child who puts her pleasure before his affection for his brother.

“…for the time being, your brother will be busy being coached by Hezar.”

“I’ll join him.”

“Of course you should. But don’t get too carried away, Eugene… Get acquainted with him.”

“Why?”

“The more friends you have, the better.”

Ancilla’s eyes cooled cold. The little boy defeated her son and put shame on herself. However, it is surprising to hear that someone who didn’t train mana defeated her son.

“…Eugene, he’s strong enough to beat your brother. So it’s better to be close with him.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes.”

Ancilla cooled her boiling feelings. She wanted to turn his body into a fool who can’t move for the rest of his life. But right now she can’t.

Hundreds of years ago, there was a state of mourning for the family of Lionhart. Although it was settled, it has been regarded as a taboo in the family since then.

In the first place, Guillade, the current owner of the house, said, “Three is enough,” because he was worried that the brothers would kill each other after increasing the successors of the main house for no reason.

Ancilla herself didn’t want to break the taboo that had come down for hundreds of years.

‘If I hurt him, I’m the most suspicious one.’

Although it is a tradition that the family has been persecuting each other since the blood ceremony in the first place. There is a “good” to keep him alive. It’s not too much to put up a lame servant, give him a separate house she doesn’t use, and pick on him for nothing.

But if she crosses the line…

The guardians of the family will intervene.

Just imagining makes her body tremble with the creeps. Ancilla did not want to be associated with Gahon’s guardians in this disgrace…

“Okay, mother.”

Ciel, who was contemplating for a while, smiled and nodded.

“I’ll be close to Eugene. That’s all, right?”

Ciel was curious about this unknown relative.