Ch. 16

In the world inside this novel, the warriors prevented the Dragon from destroying the Kalixt Empire. And the swords they used were the ones that caused my dad to die of overworking!

You bastard. sᴇaʀᴄh thᴇ ɴøvᴇlFɪre.ɴet website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of nøvels early and in the highest quality.

Anyway, the legend did not bother me too much since I already knew the facts. 

[What's important is not that old tale but the fact that your family is the Guardian of the Dragon. Now I understand why a kid like you can hear my voice! You probably have the talent to be a swordmaster-]

At that moment, the maid of the Ferdinand family spoke to me. 

"Is the dessert to your liking?"

I answered without hesitation. 

"Yes!! It's very delicious!"

[Don't cut me off, brat!]

Smiling brightly, I ate the cookies that the maid had served me. 

The cookie with buttercream frosting instantly melted on my tongue. I could eat a hundred cookies a day if they were this good. 

"Huhu, how adorable. Please do not hesitate to tell me if you want more!"

The maid smiled warmly before leaving the room with an empty tray. 

I used a fork to cut a small piece of cake with strawberries on top while my gaze strayed around the reception room where I was. 

As soon as I arrived here, I was separated from my dad and led to this reception room. 

I heard it was the place used by the Ferdinand family to welcome their guests. It was the largest and most luxurious room I had ever seen. 

The ceiling was as tall as the temple, and there wasn't any cheap-looking wallpaper or decorations. Everything looked incredibly expensive. 

How much does that cost? It must be expensive, right?

I sat alone in a large and luxurious reception room while munching a bunch of cookies. 

And it wasn't until I had emptied half of the cookies that I recalled those who brought me here. 

'When will Dad come...and the Duke?"

They left me in the reception room with a bunch of desserts, saying that they had something to discuss. 

Thanks to that, I got to be alone and eat dessert until my stomach exploded. 

But there was something strange. I whispered to Ex as quietly as possible. 

"You know, Ex."

[Say it, I'm listening.]

"Don't you feel it?"

[Feel what?]

"I feel like someone has been watching me since earlier."

I wasn't kidding. 

I had constantly felt that way since I came to Ferdinand Mansion.

"I can't fathom how shameless you are for coming to the capital, but I'll listen to you first."

Nial was muttering under his breath. Theobold Ferdinand could hardly restrain his rage at Nial, who was always acting in a way that irritated him.

No matter how annoyed he was, Nial was his 'granddaughter's' father. He couldn't treat Nial carelessly as long as his granddaughter stayed in this mansion. 

"Just as I was stressed because I wasn't getting any work these days, I received a commission worth a lot of money. But I was required to stay in the capital and make a sword, so I had no choice."

"...You weren't getting any work?"

Theobold said in a sharp voice. Nial, who was startled, nodded. 

"Yes? Yes."

"Does that mean that you didn't have enough living expenses?"

"Yes, that's right."

"...Did you starve Eve?"

"Pardon?"

Nial shook his head and waved his hand in surprise. 

"No! Even if I starve, I will not let Eve starve. On days when I couldn't buy food because I didn't have money, I would ask the villagers for a favor and sell my sword at a cheap price so Eve could get a proper meal."

Theobold finally toned down his murderous gaze after listening to Nial.

Nial felt the hair that stood on end all over his body just now slowly subsiding. 

'Is it because it's been a long time...I really can't get used to it.'

What Nial felt just now was Theobold's *murderous intent. 

(T/N : It is not simply a figure of speech. It is an actual power that is similar to an aura.)

He was the only swordmaster in the empire at this point. He could've cut open someone like Nial if he wanted to. 

Such a powerful person like Theobold just emanated his murderous intent on Nial. 

Of course, it was a polished murderous intent, but even that was very terrifying for Nial Royce. 

Nial was relieved that he had raised Eve as best he could without starving her. 

If he replied that he had starved Eve even for a moment, Theobold would have sent his neck flying and taken custody of Eve. 

Upon realizing that his anger had subsided a little, Nial opened his mouth. 

"As you already know, I am staying at the prince's castle right now with Eve."

"......"

"I don't think my job will be finished so soon, so I'll have to stay longer in the capital. If you want to see Eve, you can do that anytime."

That was a very fearless thing to say for Nial. 

Because when Nial and Astrid ran away, Theobold vowed to never see their faces again in the name of the Dragon. 

And what he meant by 'they' didn't only apply to Nial and Astrid but also Eve, who was in Astrid's belly at the time. 

Because of this, Nial didn't intend to send Eve to the Ferdinand Duchy even after Astrid's passing, but he worked his hardest to raise her alone.

Eve would have been treated far better than she was now if he had sent her to the duke's residence, but he couldn't ignore Theobold, who had vowed never to see the faces of his daughter and granddaughter again. 

Moreover, he didn't want to send Eve. 

She was his and Astrid's daughter. 

The only one on his side. 

His beloved daughter. 

It was clear that Nial couldn't send Eve to the duchy because of his own greed. 

Moreover, he thought that Theobold wouldn't want Eve. 

After all, wasn't he the one who never replied to all the letters he sent about how much Eve had grown?

But Theobold Ferdinand broke his own vow and brought Eve to the Ferdinand castle. 

'It's quite strange.'

He asked if he could pat her on the head, asked if the carriage was uncomfortable, and even ordered the maids to prepare a lot of delicious desserts. 

That wasn't the action of a grandfather who hated his 'granddaughter' at all. 

Moreover. 

"And, on that street..."

Nial once again gathered his courage and spoke. He hesitated a little before looking Theobold directly in the eye and said. 

"You bumped into Eve on purpose, didn't you?"

"Bumped into Eve on purpose?"

Theobold asked again with eyes filled with murder intention. Nial briefly realized that Theobold had misunderstood his words, but Nial didn't stop talking.

"If you were really bumped into a random little girl, the Ferdinand's Blue Dragon Squadron would have blocked her before she could bump into the Duke."

Nial had a point. 

Ferdinand Duchy had the 'Blue Dragon Squadron', which were the duke's private knights. 

They were private knights trained under the Ferdinand Duchy without the intervention of the Imperial Palace, and they were far more capable than the Imperial Knights. 

Many people even said as a joke that the best knight order in the Kalixt Empire was the Blue Dragon Squadron, not the Imperial Knights. 

And the Blue Dragon Squadron would do anything for their master. 

But how could the elite knights couldn't stop a 'little girl' from bumping into Theobold Ferdinand?

No matter how far away the knights were on standby for escorting purposes, it simply didn't make sense. 

Besides, even without the knights, wasn't Theobold Ferdinand himself the only one swordmaster in the Kalixt Empire right now?