CH 5

“What does an orphan means?”

For the first time, a curious tone of speech expressed fear.

“Why?”

Once.

“Why can’t I be brother to my sister?”

Twice.

At Noah’s question, Rogent and Poppini stiffened their expressions in unison.

These questions puzzled them.

Countless thoughts flashed through Popini’s mind like a flashlight.

What if.

Should I force Mack’s head to bow?

Should I go to a wizard now and ask for a spell to erase my memory?

But you can’t cast such a dangerous spell on a child!

She bit her lip at this situation, not knowing what to do, and just looked at Rogent anxiously.

Rosent raised his hand instead of speaking, as if answering Popini’s gaze.

And the first thing Rozent did was…….

“Oh!”

She stroked Noah’s head roughly.

Noah was surprised by Rosent’s sudden action and flinched, unable to react to her actions, and Rosent made eye contact with Noah and said:

“Who says such mean things?”

“But…….”

And that was the moment.

“Ouch!”

Rozent pinched the back of Noah’s nose very weakly, trying to repel with two fingers.

At the same time, she whispered.

“No matter what anyone says, Noah is my brother.”

“…….”

“You’re not ta kid without family nor you say mean things to hurt others.”

Rosent raised one hand and tapped Noah’s forehead.

“Noah, look at the color of your sister’s eyes.”

Noah did as Rosent said, carefully shifting his gaze to Rosent’s iris.

Red as a rose, but a mysterious color mixed with pink somewhere.

“The same red as Noah, right?”

“…….”

Instead of answering, Noah only nodded cautiously.

I wondered if it was the strange, dreamy color he had never seen before, but he just kept staring at it as if he was possessed.

At that, Rosent whispered sweetly once more.

“My brother, what’s your name?”

The tone is like cotton candy and is full of pastel colors.

And over a gentle voice, Noah replied as if possessed.

“Noah Agrinda.”

At the same time, upon hearing the answer, Rosent grinned and whispered:

“You know, after all, my brother is smart.”

A bright laugh erupted from the end of her words. Then a faint flush appeared on Noah’s cheeks.

However, Popini and the handmaidens beside him were stunned and opened their mouths.

As if the roses were in full bloom, a beautiful crimson.

Far from Noah’s dark scarlet iris, it was the symbol of the Duke of Agrinda alone.

Even if they were the same red color, they had a distinctly different essence.

Mack’s accusation that his adopted son could not be Prince Agrinda Agrinda.

After that, Noah’s name no, to be exact, Rosent’s actions restated his last name.

At the same time, Rosent’s statement that each other’s eyes are the same color means…

Criticizing Mack’s actions, which he mentioned as having a different essence.

‘Ugh.’

Popini’s back slumped, as if she felt faintly alive.

Had Rosent not been close friends with Popini, surely the Duke of Agenda would have reversed his friendliness with Count Maril over this.

She looked at Mack, desperately hoping that he would notice this warning.

But Mack, who couldn’t understand this warning, was only grumpy, and Popini pinched Mac’s cheek harshly. She wanted to cry on this spot.

And Rosent’s words, which continue to condemn Popini even more……

“I think of you as my brother, who wouldn’t dare to do that? Noah must be my brother.”

A gentle but firm warning to Count Maril.

Unable to withstand the flow, Mack said bluntly, grabbing the hem of Popini’s dress.

“I don’t understand.”

“Mack, please stop!”

Popini felt like crying, so he covered Mack’s mouth with his hand and apologized to Noah.

But the more he did, the more he burrowed into Rogent’s arms.

Of course, with a crying look on his face and sympathy.

In the end, Popini decided to end the situation by sending Mack away first.

But it wasn’t that easy either…

“I hate it! Why am I leaving? What did I do wrong!”

Mack had rebelled loudly.

He grabbed Popini’s ankles with a force as if he had gathered all the herd he had.

Popini said she would go with Mack to appease him, but Mack rebelled as he sat down.

“…… Take the guests to the guest room.”

Rosent let out a long sigh and finally had to order Mack to be taken to the guest room.

Popini apologized to Rosent with a pale face.

It was the first time her brother had shown such hostility to a peer, so she seemed embarrassed as well.

But there was someone who watched silently…

It was Noah.

“…….”

Noah hid behind Rozent and looked at Mack as he grew farther and farther away.

Then he followed Mack and stepped silently. There was no hesitation in the action.

After a while, Mack was ushered into the restroom by a handmaiden.

Mack’s eyes lit up at the scale of the mansion, which was different from the Count’s.

But even that was for a moment, and Mack quickly got tired and asked the maid.

“The room is stuffy, isn’t there a swordsmanship hall here?”

The young maid who served Mack was taken aback by Mack’s sudden remark, but replied calmly.

“I’m sorry, the young master of Maril. Our young lady ordered me to take you to the guest room…”

“You’re just a lowly servant! How dare you talk back to me.”

Mack growled, ignored the handmaiden’s words, and walked away.

It was somewhat contrary to the etiquette he had been taught from his tutor, but who would scold himself here?

After all, neither his mother, nor his father, nor his sister can handle it when he annoys everyone by yelling.

Even the smug Princess Agrinda only widened her eyes as if she was embarrassed by his words.

The maid fidgeted and rolled her feet. The more he did, the bolder Mack’s actions became.

Mack went to the swordsmanship hall at the Duke’s Quarters.

Flat floor with no dug.

The surrounding trees and the occasional smell of grass wafting through the nose.

After all, the Duke’s soldier Army was on a different level compared to the Count’s.

It felt spacious and organized. It was large enough for the Templars to live here.

He was rumored to be the richest duke in the Manon Empire.

Mack was excited by the scenery he didn’t normally see, so he hurriedly picked up the wooden sword placed inside the lotus hall.

The wooden swords had been prepared by Rogent for Noah in the future.

“Haha!”

Mac excitedly swung his wooden sword at the straw target in front of him. The practice field was quickly filled with a dull sound.

At that moment, I heard a voice that muffled the atmosphere.

“Hey.”

It was Noah.

“…… What is it?”

Mack was embarrassed to have been caught having fun. His posture slumped because of this, but Mack shot Noah fiercely.

But even that momentarily began to form a smile on Mac’s lips.

That smile wasn’t one of innocence.

“You’re not ashamed of what I said earlier, are you?”

Sure enough, Mack’s mouth soon poured out of disparage and reproach towards Noah again.

“Just go back to the orphanage. The princess protects you now, but it won’t be long when she abandons you.”

“…….”

“The more you grow up, the more she will lose interest in you.”

Just like if a person eats the same food every day, they will be bored.

Mac shrugged and threw his wooden sword at Noah. Noah then casually picked up the wooden sword.

“Hmph, why are you holding the that when you don’t even know swordsmanship?”

“…….”

Noah carefully grasped the handle of his wooden sword at Mack’s words.

And at that moment.

“I know.”

Hook―

The tip of the wooden sword twisted in an instant towards the vicinity of Mack’s neck.

At the same time, the reversed flow of air made Mack’s eyes widen and he stepped back a little. But Noah didn’t miss it.

“You don’t even know how to pick up a sword.”

It was a sword that he had been holding all his life.

Noah didn’t hide his sense of threat, with a smile on his face.

It wasn’t the usual cute little child’s appearance.

“…… What.”

Noah’s mood suddenly changed, and Mack couldn’t hide his puzzled expression. Noah then tapped Mack on the shoulder lightly with his wooden sword.

“I know because I’ve seen a lot of people like you. And I realized.”

“…….”

“You can’t just sit idly by and wait for the ending.”

Noah fixed his sword and pressed it close to Mack’s neck.

It was an obvious act of intimidation.

“You weren’t scared by the orphans, were you?”

Mack didn’t answer Noah’s question.

Mack was upset by the reversal of the situation, and at the same time he was terrified and frightened by the first daunting sensation he experienced.

“…….”

The child let out a trembling breath and just stared at Noah.

And that was the moment when the silence dispersed into the air and spread to life.

“Noah!”

In the distance, he heard a familiar voice searching for himself.

It was none other than Rosent’s voice.

“Oh dear.”

Noah expressed regret and hurriedly dropped his wooden sword to the floor.

It was only natural for Mac to slump to the floor.

Noah grinned and put his index finger to the corner of his mouth.

It meant not to say useless things, to be quiet.

Mack nodded hurriedly instead of answering, and Noah kicked his wooden sword with his tiptoe and pushed it to Mack’s fingertips.

“Pick it up.”

He whispered.

“I finally have a family with a caring sister, so I can’t be hated.”