CH 88

“Hmm.” 

The Marquis cleared his throat as if embarrassed by the sharp tone.

Sitting with his arms folded and his legs crossed, Enoch glared at the Marquis fiercely.

“Why. Because the kid is Dos?”

“No way. He is my bloodline, isn’t he? It is right for me to reap.”

“Aha.”

Enoch’s chin tightened at the shameless answer.

He hates nobles like this. He can’t let go of his meaningless face even when he does something obvious. 

The man who used to ask him to kill his child for fear of gossip is now trying to take his child—.

‘I want to throw a punch, really.’

Enoch gently closed his eyes and swallowed the urge to rise.

“Well. Maybe you should listen to your child’s opinion. I don’t know if he wants to see his father, who locked him in a small room all day and beat and starved him.” 

“It never happened.”

“Haha, really…”

Enoch laughed and gnashed his teeth.

“I am grateful to you for taking care of my child. Anyway, I plan to submit a paternity certificate to the imperial family as soon as I find the child’s birth mother.”

The Marquis took out some documents he had brought and said.

“Even if the biological mother does not appear, it is not difficult to prove the relationship between me and the child, so it will only take a while, and the ownership of the child will be proven.”

“Ownership?” 

“…Custodial rights. The words came out wrong.”

Should he really beat him? Enoch clenched his fist and looked at the Marquis’ document.

“Oh. These are the testimonies of servants who were aware of the child’s existence. Does that mean that the criminals who participated in the abuse of the Marquis took part in sending the child back to hell for a few pennies?”

“Once again, that never happened.”

“Well, yes. All right. I’ll ask the kid. Does he really think that the Marquis, who has never acted as a father except for letting the world see the light of day, is really a father?”

“The kids will be happy too. I’m thinking of handing over the family name. It needs a certain position.”

Enoch nodded and stood up.

“It’s good to have a good rank. The child who was taken aback by being called an illegitimate child cleans up the deficit and becomes the successor.” 

“Can I take the child in advance?”

“No. The child’s opinion comes first. And make a petition or something, and come back when you have official authority.”

Enoch coldly looked down at the marquis and nodded.

“If you understand, then get out. It’s disgusting, and I don’t want to see you face to face anymore.”

* * *

“Dad, Dad, Dad!”

“Oh, princess!”

As soon as I got home, I rushed to find my Dad.

“I was just about to go find princess.”

“Eung? Why?”

“I thought I should ask the princess first.”

“…What is it?” 

Dad hesitantly took me to the office sofa and sat me down.

“Princess.” 

“Eung.” 

“Do you like Cheshire?”

“I like it, of course!”

“Yeah. Then, what if Cheshire becomes the princess’s brother?”

“…Eung?” 

“Actually, Marquis Onyx came to visit me a little while ago. Cheshire’s father.”

“I, I see…” 

This XX with no real conscience! He must have come to my house and tried to take Cheshire.

I said in a hurry.

“Why, why did he come? No way. Is he going to take Cheshire back?”

“That’s right.” 

“He hates Cheshire!” 

“Eung. Dad thinks so too. I’ll ask, but I don’t think Cheshire will be very happy with it either.” 

“Then what should we do?” 

“But when the Marquis tries to take Cheshire, Dad has no choice. So.” 

Dad showed me a piece of paper.

I immediately recognized what it was.

A registration agreement.

The time has come.

“I’m going to adopt Cheshire. Then even the Marquis can’t take Cheshire as he pleases.”

Registration documents that seem to have been prepared in advance.

‘As expected from Dad.’

Dad seemed to have expected everything the day Cheshire returned wearing a Dos badge.

That the Marquis would have the audacity to come and ask for Cheshire.

“But Dad has to ask the princess first. Because the princess suddenly has an older brother.”

“Eung. That’s true.”

It is proceeding according to the original story like water flowing.

I knew that one day, my Dad would adopt Cheshire, and he would become my brother.

But

‘Why am I hesitating? This is right?’

I couldn’t readily answer.

“Princess, what’s wrong with your expression? Perhaps, do you hate it?”

“No! It’s not that.”

“No?”

“No—”

When I saw my Dad tilt his head, I swallowed my saliva.

Enoch Rubinstein.

And, Cheshire Rubinstein.

The main characters who saved the world.

A father and son who had a stronger relationship than blood.

I, who was nothing more than the original villain, is, to be honest, a foreign object between the two.

I don’t know why my heart is so restless, but I shouldn’t act as I want.

There’s no other way than to adopt Cheshire.

“Eung.”

Eventually, I nodded.

“Okay. You can do it. I’m, I’m good—”

*****

“Cheshire.”

“Eung, why?”

Cheshire lifted the hem of his clothes and sat down next to me, wiping his sweat.

After returning from the training center, Cheshire devoted more than half of his day to sword training.

As I came to the training ground today, I was able to meet him right away.

“You know.”

“Eung.”

“You like me, right?”

“….”

Cheshire stared at me at the unexpected question.

Then he answered after a long time.

“Eung.”

“That’s right. I like you, too.”

I have to get to the point—.

Cheshire waited a very long time for me, wriggling his hands.

“You!”

“Eung.”

“Do you want to be my family?””

Cheshire’s eyes widened.

“H, how?”

“….”

Cheshire, who was facing me, turned his head. It must have been embarrassing to see that his ears were red.

“How…”

I tried to hurry him to answer, but Cheshire hesitated for a long time.

He was just pulling his hair, wiggling his collar as if it was hot, and biting his lips.

Then he spoke in an ant-sized voice.

“…do it. I want to.”

“Ah.”

At the answer, I was dazed and silently turned my head forward.

And I hugged my knees tightly.

“I see.”

When I asked before, Chesire, who said he didn’t need a family, seemed to accept both my Dad and me now.

‘Whoa.’

But I’m in trouble.

“Yeah. Cheshire. We…. Let’s make sure to be a family.”

“Eung.”

What should I do? Really.

*****

Axion Libre, vice-commander of the Dos Paladin, visited the Duke of Rubinstein with the documents to join the Imperial Army.

“Oh! Good morning, Your Excellency Duke Libre!”

“Long time no see!”

“Oh, yeah.”

Hearing that Cheshire was at the training ground, he came to visit, and the soldiers welcomed him.

It was a face that everyone knew because they interacted so often.

“What’s the matter?”

“I came to enlist Cheshire.”

The soldiers tilted their heads as he shook the papers.

“Isn’t that what our Duke should do?”

“Yeah, that’s right.”

After graduating from the training school, those with abilities from 1st to 3rd grade immediately enlisted as child soldiers.

At this time, it is a principle that the commander of each rank group directly visits the powerful people and helps them join.

The commander of the 1st-rank DOS army is Enoch Rubinstein.

But he—.

“I’m going to be busy for a while after the princess’s discharge, so you should deal with any child soldiers who join.”

He passed it on to his vice-commander, Axion. 

When asked why he was busy when his daughter was discharged, he replied that he had to play with her.

And he almost hit him hard. 

But what can he do?

He has no choice but to do so. 

Axion asked, shaking his clenched fists.

“Where is the child?”

“Oh! Cheshire is over there!”

He was sitting side by side with Lilith on one side of the training ground.

“Hehe. They look really good.”

“Princess is so cute….” 

The blushing soldiers looked at the two children happily talking.

Axion rolled up the documents he was holding and hit the soldiers on the head one by one.

“Your jaw is going to fall out. Shut up. Stop playing and do what you were doing again.”.

“Ey, it’s time to take a break.”

“It’s precious that the princess is coming to the training ground…I have to keep my eyes…” 

“She’s so cute. I want to have a daughter, too.” 

A muttering soldier clapped his hands and asked Axion.

“By the way, Your Excellency, are you not getting married? How about getting married soon and seeing a cute child like our princess?”

“I’m not doing it.”

“Why? You’re so handsome! You have a lot of money! You’re doing great!”

“I don’t like seeing that cute kid, so I’m not doing it.”

“Aah.” 

The soldiers understood and nodded their heads.

It is almost a given for high-ranking officials to pass on their class and military duty to their children.

So, some powerful people who had seen the horrors of war had similar thoughts to Axion. 

“I don’t want to desert with my daughter like anyone else.”

“Well, I understand that feeling.”

“But do you know? That the princess is octava?” 

Axion nodded his head.

It’s not even surprising.

“Yeah. I heard it.” 

“Phew, it’s such a relief. Uhm, look at the princess. Those tiny little limbs are moving quickly, but that, uh. Not much of a soldier.”

“Huh! Look over there! The Princess is waving her hand!”

“Whoaaa!” 

Lilith waved her hand from a distance, and the soldiers waved in response and roared like beasts. 

Axion, who let them go once in disgust, approached them.

“Uncleeee!” 

Lilith ran to him and gladly grabbed the hem of his trousers.

She clings to him like a cicada hanging from an old tree and smiles brightly. 

“Wahahaha. What are you doing?” 

Yeah, well. She looks a bit cute.

Even the plump, flushed cheeks.

And those small lips who mumble something. 

“I’m here to take over the job that your negligent father left.”

“Yes? What is that?” 

“Cheshire.” 

As Axion beckoned, Cheshire approached from behind. 

“Ah! Cheshire is joining now….” 

Lilith looked at the documents in Axion’s hand and murmured.

“Your magic meter. You’re going to keep holding the sword, right?”

“Yes.”

Axion scrawled a pen on the paper, roughly standing.

Lilith, who was watching, asked.

“Hmph. Go inside, sit down, and take your time.”

“No. It’s troublesome, and I don’t have time. I have to write it quickly and go to the Schmidt family. Again, this is your father’s job. He handed it over to me.” 

“Hmp.” 

Lilith scratched her cheek in embarrassment.

It was then.

“Excuse me… Your Excellency. Wait. Someone is looking for Cheshire.”

“What?” 

Axion turned around.

Two soldiers led someone this way.

He looked familiar.

The Marquis of Onyx.

‘Why is he here?’

While wondering, the Marquis passed Axion and approached Cheshire.

For some reason, both Cheshire and Lilith had hardened expressions.

‘What is this?’

Before long, the Marquis hugged Cheshire. 

“…My son.”  (t/n : YIKES)