Dark Fantasy Normalized

15 – Beating the b*stard Child (4)

Pat. Pat.

I gently patted Loera’s back.

I intended to do so until Loera calmed down.

Loera’s breath, which had been shaking with emotion, soon regained stability.

Loera’s back, touching my arm, repeatedly rose and fell in a regular pattern.

Sniffle. Sniffle.

The sniffling, which could be called the final stage of calming down, was also nearing its end-

Only the sound of our breathing remained between us.

Soon, Loera would move away from me.

“…”

“…”

Not yet.

I resumed patting.

After about 30 pats, I thought Loera would move away from me.

“…”

“…”

Still not yet.

I resumed patting again.

After about 60 pats, I thought Loera would surely move away from me.

“…”

“…”

Pat.

Tap.

Tap.

Tap.

*

An eternity has passed since the first tap began.

The b*stard’s arm, which seemed to sing the tap forever, turned to dust and scattered, while the noble family’s lady, peacefully breathing, kept asking, “When are you coming out?”

At this point, I’m genuinely starting to worry.

Hey, isn’t there a problem?

“Roella?”

Thankfully, she wasn’t dead standing up. When I called her, Roella flinched and her body trembled.

“What.”

“How are you, have you calmed down a bit?”

“…What.”

“…! Could it be a decline in language ability due to shock!? Roella, can you please use words with more than two syllables to reassure your brother?”

“…Ah, come on!”

Roella pushed me away irritably.

As if shaking off a tick.

“You’re suffocating me, get away!”

“How perplexing.”

Get away because I’m suffocating you?

Was I the kitten clinging to the other person, receiving endless taps?

Memories mixed up. Identity collapsing. Dumbfounded.

I was shocked.

It seemed my sister’s true identity was a progenitor.

Such powerful mental interference.

“I’m sorry. My sister. Was your brother a bit clingy?”

I was now talking to the back of Roella’s head.

Because Roella, who had pushed me away, immediately turned her body.

“Ah, come on! What are you saying so disgustingly!”

Fortunately, communication wasn’t greatly hindered.

Just by hearing the voice, it felt like I could see the expression.

That expression where annoyance, displeasure, and disgust were in perfect balance.

“What do you mean by disgusting? Oppa, I’m starting to get hurt.”

“Can you stop calling me oppa so much!?”

“Just now, Roera said it. No matter what anyone says, you’re my oppa. So, no matter what Roera says now, this oppa is your oppa.”

“Ugh- Crazy, crazy- I must be crazy…!!!”

Clap clap clap!

Roera shuddered and repeatedly slapped her own cheeks.

Finally, Roera turned back to face me.

“F-forget it!”

Roera’s face turned red.

As expected of a swordsmanship genius.

Her face flushed like a beet just from slapping her cheeks a bit.

Isn’t that enough to cause an orbital fracture?

“Forget it? What?”

“Everything! Everything that just happened, all of it!”

“No matter how good ‘Oppa who is Roera’s oppa no matter what anyone says’ is at forgetting things, it might be hard to forget that. It was a moment of confirming our heartfelt sincerity as loving siblings. Oppa will never forget that moment. Even if I forget everything else, I must not forget you, absolutely not.”

I recall the emotion of that moment, quoting Roera’s words.

Roera, too, seemed to be moved, as her eyes gradually became moist.

“R-really…? You will never forget it? Okay. Then there’s no choice.”

-Sreung

It was a chilling sound that didn’t fit the warm moment.

“Let’s just die. You die, and I’ll die too. No matter how I think about it, that’s the right thing to do.”

A trembling voice. A trembling sword tip.

Beet-red Roera made up her mind.

“W-wait, Roera…! Even if it’s anyone else, you shouldn’t do this to me!!!”

“Ahhh!!! Shut up, shut up!!!”

I had to calm Roera down once again.

This time, instead of patting her, I had to dodge the incoming sword strikes.

The second phase of calming Roera fortunately ended without any casualties.

Now, Roera and I were sitting on a bench along the garden path of the mansion.

Roera, who had just sat next to me, suddenly took off her shoes and threw them away.

Then she put her legs on my thighs and sprawled out on the bench.

Looking to the left, I could see Roera’s white feet wriggling freely.

Looking to the right, I could see Roera with her blonde hair flowing down, staring blankly at the sky.

“Roera, are you okay?”

“What?”

“Your clothes. Won’t they get wrinkled? And dusty.”

“I don’t care.”

“Your hair might get a bit messy too.”

“I just tied it up roughly.”

“Is it the confidence of a stylish person who looks good even when dressed casually?”

“Goodness. What are you talking about?”

Roera scoffed sharply.

On the other side, her white feet were bouncing happily.

I wished our Roera could be as honest and cheerful as those feet.

I couldn’t help but envy the brother of those feet.

“So-“

At that moment, Roera lifted her legs and adjusted her posture.

Just when I thought she was finally sitting properly – she sprawled out again.

This time, she laid her head on my thighs.

Roera looked up at me from right below.

“So what now? What are you going to do from now on?”

Roera tapped the backpack placed under the chair with her foot.

It was placed on the seat next to her, but she had thrown it away, saying it was in the way.

“Are you really going to move? To the main building?”

Ah. Come to think of it, Roera thinks I’m in the process of moving my stuff to the main building.

Before correcting Roera’s misunderstanding, I said,

“Just curious, but if I move to the main building, is there a problem? Is it a teenage territorial thing? You don’t want to use the same building as your brother?”

“What did he say?”

Thud.

Roera lifted her head and then slammed it down on my thigh.

Her whole body was a weapon, befitting a promising knight.

“I’m just annoyed, that’s all.”

“Is it because your brother’s life is getting better?”

“I told you not to call me brother.”

“…Is it because your male sibling’s life is getting better?”

“Sigh. Forget it. Not you. That person.”

That person.

Roera would refer to the head of the family like that in front of me.

It felt more like she was speaking her true feelings in front of me rather than being cautious.

For some reason, Roera loathed the head of the family.

More intensely than a rebellious teenage daughter.

“That person. Sending you to the annex as punishment, and now sending you to the main house as a reward. What is that? What- What-“

Roera glanced at me and then clicked her tongue.

Thud.

She hit my thigh with her head once more.

“And you accept that happily? Don’t you have any pride?”

“Then what does my female sibling want me to do-“

“Don’t say that. I’ve warned you.”

“What does Roera want me to do?”

“…”

Roera averted her gaze.

Tap. Tap. She kicked the innocent bench for a moment.

“I’m annoying, right?”

She spoke in an unusually subdued voice.

“Since long ago, I’ve been telling you not to do this, not to do that, that’s pathetic, picking on every little thing, meddling in everything, but never offering a proper alternative.”

“…”

“It’s the same this time. What. What do you want me to do? If I have no pride, then what? Should I stay in the annex and not come to the main house? Damn it. It’s not her problem, so she doesn’t care.”

Thud. Thud.

The force of the foot tapping on the bench grew stronger.

I quietly waited for Roera to speak next.

“…What did you talk about with that person?”

“First of all, they said if this arranged marriage goes well, they would give me a proper reward.”

“…Ah. Right.”

Roera suddenly sprang up as if she had remembered a forgotten summer vacation homework.

“So- what did you say? You didn’t accept it happily, did you?”

“Is there a problem if I go through with an arranged marriage?”

Roera frowned and flicked my knee.

“You- you- you- idiot. Of course, there’s a problem. Are you going to let that person choose your marriage partner too?”

“Arranged marriages are common among nobles, aren’t they?”

“That’s true, but… Ah! You’re not a noble, are you!?”

“What’s with that face like you just had a great idea?”

“…Well. So what. Did I say something wrong?”

“Well. It’s not wrong. Actually, I’m quite skeptical about the concept of arranged marriages myself.”

To modern people, arranged marriages were stories from another world, something you only encountered in dramas or movies.

If I were to have an arranged marriage, it wouldn’t feel real, but if my siblings or children were to have one?

It would be very uncomfortable.

“Really!?”

For some reason, Roera suddenly got excited.

“Why, what’s the matter? Were you planning to impress that person by saying, ‘Oh~ I love arranged marriages~ I can’t wait to see my bride~ I need to get her pregnant quickly to show the master his grandchild~’ Is that what you thought?”

“What kind of person am I in your head?”

“Then-“

Gestures and murmurs. Roera thought deeply for a while, then spoke to me with an excited face.

“Hey. Can you do what I tell you?”

“What are you planning to make me do?”

“Anything. Dintal girl. Do anything that would make her lose interest in you.”

“Dintal girl? Are you not on good terms with Pien?”

“…Pien?”

Roera suddenly scoffed with a displeased face.

“Wow. So, you two have confirmed each other’s feelings already? Well, if a girl who fell from the sky like a baby bird clings to you, what can you do? Men can’t help but be all smiles~ and say they like it~.”

“That’s not exactly it. Let’s just hear it out. What don’t you like about Pien? Is it just that you don’t want to lose me-“

“What, what are you talking about!!! Are you going to keep spouting nonsense!? Do you think that girl looks normal to you!? Acting like her head is in a flower field? Doesn’t she give you an uneasy feeling?”

I was secretly impressed by Roera’s barrage of excuses.

How did she know? That Pien isn’t normal.

“Just stop! I’m the fool for worrying about you!”

Roera turned away from me irritably.

We meet often today, don’t we? Roera’s back of the head.

“Alright. Let’s assume Pien has lost interest in me. Then what, what are you going to do?”

“…Actually. I talked about this with that person. I said I would marry Dintal instead of you.”

“Why?”

“Why? Because there’s a guy named Kalon there who is my ideal-“

Roera spoke in a mechanical tone, then glanced at me to gauge my reaction.

“…Just because.”

“Just because?”

“Just because! I didn’t want to see that person controlling you, and I didn’t want to see you living according to that person’s will again. Why. Does it bother you!? Do you feel like I took your chance away?”

“…So, you were going to sacrifice yourself for me?”

“Damn it- what are you talking about, it’s annoying.”

“What do you mean, I’m touched.”

“…”

“As expected, the only one who cares about me is Roera.”

“…”

Roera, still turned away, lay back down.

Using my thigh as a pillow again, Roera grumbled.

“If you know, then do well? Listen to your sister from now on?”

“Of course.”

“You! You definitely said it!? That you would listen to me!?”

“But, will Roera be okay? Living as a married woman with your personality.”

“Do you think I’m like you? I’m a direct descendant of Vendel. Huh? A precious lady treated like jade and gold. Dintal? If I marry into Dintal, they won’t even dare to breathe because of me. It’s a world of difference from you, who would be suffocating from trying to read the room.”

With his characteristic defiant attitude, he spoke with utmost arrogance, truly embodying Roera. But why?

I felt that his demeanor seemed somewhat contrived.

I barely resisted the urge to pat his head.

“So, you get it, right? From now on, just do as I say.”

Not. A. Word. More.

Roera struck my thigh with the back of his head in rhythm.

Honestly, I was touched.

Despite his words and actions, it seemed like Roera was genuinely doing his best to improve my situation.

Thud.

I unconsciously moved my foot and nudged the backpack on the floor.

Originally, I had no intention of telling Roera anything.

I didn’t want to involve him in troublesome matters, didn’t want to make him worry, and I didn’t think he would care about me in the first place.

But now-

I made up my mind and opened my mouth.

“Roera. I appreciate the sentiment, but you don’t have to.”

“Yeah. Shut up.”

“What I mean is, since I won’t be entering into an arranged marriage, you don’t have to endure a marriage you don’t want either.”

“… What are you talking about?”

I told Roera about everything I had gone through and what I planned to do.

In other words, I shared my plan to run away.

“…!”

As soon as I finished talking, Roera sprang up from his seat.

“What are you doing here right now?”

“I ran into someone I was happy to see on the way.”

“… Ah, forget it!”

Thud, thud.

Roera picked up the backpack and dusted it off.

Then, he slung it over his shoulder.

“What is this? Is this the ‘Don’t go, brother!’ development?”

Roera poked my side with his elbow.

With a playful smile, not his usual cynical one.

“Let’s go.”

“Excuse me, but where are we going?”

Poke. Poke poke.

Instead of speaking, Roera repeatedly jabbed my side with her elbow.

She hurried my steps.

With an excited face.

*

Damn. That’s right.

Idor. That guy could never be as cool as I expected.

“Rishir.”

Urged by Roera, I was about to leave the Vendel mansion.

Soon, as I reached the main gate.

A man stood in my way.

“There was an order from the master. If Rishir attempts to go out, you are to stop him.”

He was not a trainee standing guard outside the gate, but inside.

With a polite smile that suited him well, he was Sir Gerhen, a knight of Vendel.

Gerhen was not a mere trainee knight but a full-fledged knight.

What does this mean?

“…If I must insist on going out due to urgent business, what will you do?”

“I will have no choice but to use force.”

It meant he possessed a level of power that I could never handle at my current level.

In fact, even a trainee knight would be the same.

The reason I could win against a trainee knight like Humpton was entirely because he underestimated me.

Thanks to that, I could exploit his gap with magic.

But now, everyone in Vendel knows I can use magic.

Humpton had said.

If we duel again, he won’t lose.

It’s not a bluff.

A trainee knight who goes all out while restraining my magic. I had almost no confidence in winning a duel against them.

But what about the official knight in front of me?

Gerhen was skilled enough to take on and subdue three apprentice knights like Humpton at the same time.

Such a Gerhen declared that he would stop me, even using force.

In this case, what is the best response a b*stard child can take?

“Gerhen. Move.”

Damn. I don’t want to choose [1. Hide behind my younger sister].

As if my will didn’t matter, Roera stepped forward and faced Gerhen.

“Miss…?”

Gerhen was visibly flustered when his opponent changed from a b*stard to a lady.

“I have business outside.”

“Lady Rishir-“

“I’m taking him with me.”

“…”

“Didn’t you hear? I have business outside. Move.”

Hoo.

Gerhen sighed.

“I don’t know what wind is blowing to make Lady Rishir protect you, but it’s not allowed.”

“Oh?”

“It’s the master’s order. Please, miss. I hope I don’t have to be rude to you.”

“Sounds like you could be rude if you wanted to?”

Smirk.

Roera lifted one corner of her mouth in her characteristic sneer.

It was a sneer full of competitive spirit.

“…”

Gerhen’s eyes trembled.

Although he served Vendel, Gerhen was also a noble in name.

No one could treat the family’s vassal carelessly, except for the master.

“Miss. Let me be clear. I am not like the apprentice knight Rowen, whom you defeated.”

“You’re telling me to know my place and not act out, right?”

“I remember your duel with Rowen. It was a fierce and splendid match where neither of you took a step back.”

Noble-style indirect speech.

In other words, it means this:

You. You barely defeated the apprentice knight Rowen.

And you think you can take me on?

“Not a chance.”

Roera scoffed as she drew her sword.

“Understood. Since it is Lady Roera’s wish – I, Gerhen, will seek instruction from Sir Roera Vendel.”

Gerhen, not backing down, also drew his sword.

The duel that was not a duel between the two knights began.

*

“…!”

It was the first move.

A deep look of bewilderment appeared on Gerhen’s face as he clashed swords with Roera.

It had only been a year.

A year ago, Roera had fought an even match against the apprentice knight Rowen and won by a narrow margin.

But now, a year later.

Roera, who did not yield to Gerhen’s sword, who had already been a formal knight a year ago, stood there.

They both pushed their swords away simultaneously.

After creating some distance, another move.

Several times their swords clashed, and a rough metallic sound erupted.

After a series of exchanges came to an end.

Gerhen, who had distanced himself from Roera, spoke with an incredulous look on his face.

“I understand now why the lord favors you so much, my lady.”

“Thank you. So, you’re saying you’ll step aside?”

“To achieve this level of accomplishment without even being interested in the Vendel style. To grow at this rate. The day you formally inherit Vendel is something to be feared.”

“So, you’re saying you’ll step aside soon?”

“…”

Gerhen readjusted his stance.

A different stance from before. The energy swirling around his sword began to ripple.

“Really, are you serious?”

Roera’s expression hardened.

Gerhen unfolded the Vendelieu.

“Miss Roera. I trust you will understand my position.”

“Why are you doing this! The human you despised so much is willing to leave the family on their own!”

Gerhen was appalled.

He thought Roera would back down after all this.

But instead, Roera kicked off the ground with full force and charged at Gerhen.

There was no choice but to see this through to the end.

‘Miss must not get hurt…!’

It was inevitable to avoid minimal damage, but it must not lead to serious injury.

Gerhen gathered his strength.

He intended to incapacitate Roera in one blow.

If he left any room for error, it was more likely that she would get hurt.

“…!”

At that moment, Gerhen’s gaze fixed on Rishir behind Roera.

‘That b*stard-‘

The heightened senses of the knight detected the illegitimate child secretly gathering mana.

Gerhen was not flustered.

He had also observed Rishir’s sparring with Humton.

He knew what abilities Rishir was hiding, and how insignificant that power was by his own standards.

The mana of the seasoned knight was both a sword and armor in itself.

The mana barrier surrounding Gerhen’s body was something the b*stard’s petty tricks couldn’t even scratch.

Therefore, Gerhen immediately dismissed Rishir from his attention.

‘The orb is hidden in the left hand.’

He only left enough vigilance to recognize the annoying fly buzzing around.

It was a very reasonable judgment.

…It was a very reasonable judgment, which ultimately turned out to be a wrong one.

“What?”

“!?”

“!?”

The three of them sensed something strange almost simultaneously.

Lysir, who had been drawing up mana, was in an unusual state.

What? How much mana is gathering?

“No- Why is this happening again!? Ah, I don’t know!”

Lysir extended his right hand instead of the left hand that had been holding the orb.

A mass of mana, gathered haphazardly yet infinitely precise and intricate, took shape and will, and was shot at Gerhen.

It was an unexpected ploy and a sudden attack, even for himself.

But from another’s perspective, how much more shocking would it be?

Could a human’s mana suddenly, and so drastically, increase?

It was only possible when consuming a rare elixir that even the head of the Vendel family had seldom tasted.

“Unbelievable…!!!”

Indeed, a knight of Vendel.

Gerhen managed to react to Lysir’s sudden attack, albeit a beat late.

He anticipated the trajectory and swung his sword to deflect the mana sphere.

However, the mana sphere’s trajectory shifted midway.

“…!”

All these circumstances intertwined, and in the end, the b*stard’s magic reached the knight.

Gerhen’s pupils slightly rolled upward as he was struck on the chin by the mana sphere.

Before those pupils could return to their place, Roera’s fist followed.

“How did you do that!?”

Roera spoke the words that the unconscious Gerhen would have said.

And so, the b*stard and the lady left the mansion.