Chapter 7

By: xImpulse

<Ciel (1)>

“…So you’re saying…”

Anisilla tried to keep calm, however she couldn’t seem to control her emotions when her son cried so much his eyes got swollen. As Anisilla beat her chest in frustration, she fanned herself to relieve the warmth from her cheeks.

“…My son, Cian. He requested to duel with… a kid from a collateral family… and lost?”

“Yes.”

Hezar could not lift his head. He didn’t want to receive any more punishment from the foul-tempered tigress by lifting his head.

“Moreover, that child didn’t use mana?”

“Yes…”

“That’s impossible.”

Anisilla had the same reaction as Cian. She looked at her son with eyes full of disbelief. Cian lowered his eyes as he sniffled.

“Come hither.”

“…Mother…”

“I said come hither!”

Anisilla shouted, unable to bear it any longer. Cian cowered and shook. Nonetheless, he still walked towards Anisilla with faltering steps.

Anisilla let out a chilling breath as she held out her hand.

“Ack!”

Her touch was too rough on his abdomen. The pain had not yet subsided… Hezar glanced sympathetically at Cian and quickly lowered his head again.

“And in a single blow?”

“M-mother, it hurts…!”

“Stay still!”

Cian tried to take a step back, but stood up straight. Anisilla steadily poked her son’s abdomen. With each poke, Cian bit his lip and held back his screams.

Behind them, Ciel had been watching them with a sullen expression. She yearned to say something, but even she knew well that it would be foolish to open her mouth now.

“Hezar, can you swear that your judgement was accurate?”

“…”

“I asked if you can swear to it. That child, are you sure he wasn’t using mana?”

“I swear to it.”

In any situation, “to swear by something” should never be easily done. However, if he stayed silent, it was clear that the events to come would be horrible, and he was sure of his fate.

“Master Zehad’s son, Eugene, did not use mana. There was not even a trace of mana within his body.”

“Is that so?”

Zehad.

Anisilla searched her memories, but the name didn’t ring a bell. That means the family is insignificant. So… he’s obviously from the Kidol region. It seems like the name of the head of that stupid title-less family living in that run of the mill countryside is Zehad. His family has never made one appearance after splitting from the main family hundreds of years ago.

“My son.”

Anisilla pulled at Cian’s collar. Cian squinted his eyes as he shook.

“You lost in a single move… to a bastard that didn’t even use mana.”

The skin on his abdomen started to grow discolored. Anisilla scoffed at the sight of the dark bruise. She was also the child of a swordsman. Her father, Count Caines, holds a position in the military.

“A single blow. There’s no doubt about it. Ciel, how was your brother defeated?”

“M-mother, that’s…”

“I did not ask you.”

Anisilla widened her eyes as she glared at her son. Her glare was so terrifying that it was almost inconceivable that it was meant for her 13 year-old son.

“…As soon as the duel began, Eugene thrusted his spear.”

Ciel spoke with her lips pouted.

“Brother was shocked, so he tried to step back, but Eugene’s spear was faster.”

“How far was he?”

“A bit far.”

“And what was your brother doing at that moment?”

“He was trying to raise his sword.”

This happened only an hour ago, so it wasn’t difficult to remember. With Ciel’s every word, Cian shook with anxiety.

“You…”

Anisilla, having heard everything, spat out a trembling voice.

“Foolish child!”

— Slap! Cian’s head rotated to the side. Cian, who had seen it coming, bit his lip to stop himself from screaming.

“He wasn’t even using mana! That child is the same as you…! And you! You allowed him to advance on you?! You couldn’t even dodge it! You just let him shorten the distance! You let yourself get beat up, and you collapsed after throwing up everywhere?!”

Anisilla let out piercing screams as she slapped Cian’s cheek one time after another. And every time, Cian’s head swung left and right. She didn’t plan to slap him, much less slap him using mana. It was too harsh a punishment for a young child.

“You… in front of those lowly servants! How dare you lose a duel you requested?! Do you want to see me hang myself out of embarrasement?!”

“I’m… I’m sorry… I’m sorry, Mother…”

He was able to stop himself from screaming, but he couldn’t stop his tears. Cian sniffled as tears streamed down his face. However, Anisilla did not feel sympathy when seeing her son’s tears. Rather, she felt furious.

“Why in the world are you crying?”

“Hic…”

“Why did you have to put me in such a troublesome position?! Your father will be coming back soon for the blood ceremony. I don’t even know how I’ll be able to face him…! Theonis – how am I supposed to face that bitch?!”

The head of the Lionhart main family. Gileade Lionhart left the main family three years ago in order to train.

In cases like this, control of the family was given to the first wife, Theonis. However, with the head of the family gone, Anisilla received control of the family, and not the first wife.

The reason was simple. After Theonis gave birth to Iode, she became barren. Gileade, who wanted to prepare enough children, was not satisfied with one son. So he prepared a second wife, and Anisilla gave birth to twins.

‘Three is enough.’

While Gileade has always said that, Anisilla could not simply agree. The Caines Countess had ignored numerous high quality marriage proposals to become a concubine – even if she couldn’t have a title – because she wanted the Lionhart name.

“They’ll… They’ll mock me. Without a doubt.”

Anisilla bit at her fingernails as she thought of Theonis’s face. Cian, frightened by his mother’s furious demeanor, stuttered as he spoke.

“I-I’ll duel him again. So that Mother will not be embarrassed. Again, once more–”

“Again?”

Anisilla shrieked.

“You’re not possibly serious about dueling him again when you’ve already lost?! Don’t do anything stupid, and just stay still until the blood ceremony!”

“But–”

“Hezar!”

Anisilla screamed, cutting off her son. Hezar, who remained still with his head bowed down until now, flinched.

“Yes.”

“I want to kill you.”

Anisilla’s fists trembled.

“But… I cannot do that. It can’t be done…! Since you… are my husband’s beloved knight. It was not you that led my children astray. Right?”

“…”

“While your teachings were always flawless, my… son…! He wasn’t taught properly, so he lost to that country bumpkin.”

“…I apologize.”

He could neither affirm nor deny it. In situations like this, it was better to ask for forgiveness than remaining still.

“…Take Cian away.”

“Mother…”

“Go and train him. So that he will never humiliate me again.”

Hezar nodded his head and stepped away. Although Cian was about to cry, he could not go against Anisilla’s orders.

“Ciel, you stay here for a moment.”

“…Yes, ma’am.”

Ciel wrinkled her face as she was about to discreetly take her leave. She sat back down and waited patiently as she glanced at Anisilla.

“…That child. His name is Eugene, yes?”

“Yes.”

“Did you request to duel him as well?”

“No, I did not request it.”

“Why?”

“Brother lost in a single blow. I could not possibly win even if I fought him.”

Ciel replied so softly it sounded as though she was mumbling. Although she was honest in her reply, she was also secretly afraid that her reply would infuriate her mother even more.

“You did well.”

However, Anisilla’s voice was not as shrill as it was earlier. Rather, she stared at her daughter with calm eyes.

“If you were to have lost as well… Then I would have seriously hung myself.”

“Mother, please don’t say such things.”

Ciel looked as though she was about to cry. Of course, she knew that her mother was someone that would never end her own life in any situation. However, she knew from a young age that she had to act like a good child to soothe her mother’s mood.

“His face… Hmm… He’s more handsome than Cian, but something felt strange about him…”

“Strange? In what way?”

“When he was arguing with Cian, his words were quite prude and childish. But when he was talking to Hezar, he sounded like an adult.”

Anisilla pondered for a moment. She understood how he could be childish and prude since he was 13-years-old. However, he seemed like an adult when he was talking to Hezar?

“He… He talked about honor and said that showing mercy was an insult to the opposing party during a duel. When Eugene said all those things, Hezar apologized.”

“…Apologized?”

“Yes, for being presumptuous.”

Ciel smirked – without realizing – as she remembered that moment. When she realized that this was not a place or time for her to be smiling, she quickly changed her expression. However, Anisilla did not point out Ciel’s behaviour.

“…For being presumptuous…?”

Anisilla lifted her head a little, as she asked. I should call for Hezar later and ask him what happened.

“…Yes.”

That was a lie. While she didn’t hate her brother, she thought it was funny that he cried like a baby after acting so haughty.

“I ask that you do not act recklessly and avenge your brother.”

Anisilla understood her daughter’s nature. They were born as twins, so they’ve been together since they were young. She was a child who followed her brother around and played pranks. She was a child that prioritized her own amusement before her love for her brother.

“…Your brother will be busy learning from Hezar for a while.”

“I’ll train too.”

“Of course you should. However, do not be too zealous, and try… try to get along with that child, Eugene.”

“Why?”

“It will be good for you to have many friends.”

Anisilla’s eyes grew cold. That child defeated her son and humiliated her. However, she was surprised by the fact that he defeated her son without using mana.

“…Eugene. That child is so strong that he defeated your brother. Therefore, it will be beneficial if you become closer with him.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes.”

Anisilla’s raging heart had simmered down. In all honesty, she wanted to turn Eugene into a crippled lunatic. However, she couldn’t.

A couple hundred years ago, all hell broke loose when the head of the Lionhart family left his position. While the chaos had eventually settled down, the family agreed to never fight with each other ever again. It was for this reason that Gileade had settled with the idea that ‘three children is enough’ in the first place – he didn’t want to have too many children if they would pointlessly feud with each other.

Anisilla, as well, did not want to violate that agreement since it’s been passed down for a couple hundred years.

‘If that boy gets hurt, everyone’s suspicion will be directed at me.’

Although it was a tradition for the main family to persecute the collateral families before the blood ceremony, there exists a ‘line’ that must be preserved. It wouldn’t be crossing the ‘line’ if she were to assign him clumsy servants, house him in an unused annex, and bother him with trivial things.

However, if she crossed the line.

The Protectors of the Family Law would intervene.

She shuddered with terror from just the thought of it. Anisilla did not want to be associated with the Protectors of the Family Law in such a manner…

“I understand, Mother.”

Ciel, who had been thinking about it for a bit, smiled as she nodded.

“I’ll get along with Eugene. That’s it, right?”

She didn’t have the slightest shred of hatred towards the idea.

Ciel was curious about the relative that no one could figure out.

<Ciel (1)> End