Ch.145EP.36 – The Knight Hates Love Triangles (4)

The Duke, or rather Blake, had never in his over 50 years of life been spoken to so rudely by anyone.

This was understandable, as he was the legitimate son of the previous king—who, except for the Knight King who founded Pendragon, was considered the greatest conquering monarch, current king, and war god.

Moreover, he was born with countless talents as if blessed by dragons, and no tutor could teach him for more than two weeks.

After two weeks, his knowledge would typically surpass even that of his tutors.

Later, when he was chosen by the magic sword and lost his right to succession, it was said that the war god showed despair for the first time—indicating what an exceptional ruler he could have been.

However, even though he couldn’t become king, he still excelled as the “Lord of Galahad.”

As if demonstrating what perfection meant, he achieved the remarkable feat of expanding the Galahad family nearly thirtyfold.

Politics? He mastered it.

Swordsmanship? He excelled at it.

Commerce? He dominated it.

There was nothing he didn’t excel at, and now Galahad was synonymous with Blake, becoming a power in the kingdom that no one could ignore.

Perhaps even the king couldn’t speak casually to Duke Blake.

That’s how extraordinary Blake’s presence and abilities were, to the point where no one dared to raise their head before him.

…Therefore.

“Surely a royal couldn’t be senile, so why are you acting like this?”

“…”

…Blake was surprised to hear such “outrageous words” from a knight he had invited, but rather than anger, he felt a refreshing novelty at the audacity.

If anything, he was curious.

“…Why are you angry with me?”

He simply wanted to know why this knight was suddenly angry with him.

The knight…

“I’m not angry. I’m just telling you to come to your senses. Stop with the delusions.”

He sounded somewhat like he was nagging.

“This isn’t something I’m saying to ‘Your Grace the Duke,’ but rather advice from an educator who teaches your child.”

“…Advice? You dare give me advice?”

“I can do that. Especially to someone who’s failing as a father.”

“…”

“Oh, that’s not it? Let me correct myself. You’re not just a failure right now. You’re disqualified as a parent. From what I’ve seen, even if you had a wife and child, you wouldn’t have been a good father. Because you wouldn’t have trusted your child.”

“…You are clearly crossing a line now.”

He couldn’t just listen quietly once his deceased wife was mentioned.

He was sufficiently angry, with rage welling up inside him, and he would be justified in executing the knight right then—

“Then why are you suspecting not only that Judia person or whatever, but also Irene Windler without proper investigation?”

“…”

…Blake’s hand twitched.

For the first time, Blake showed bewilderment, and he was at a loss for words.

The knight continued.

“I’ve noticed you’ve been calling your adopted daughter ‘Irene Windler’ since earlier. Like someone who wants to become a complete stranger to her. You’re not just suspecting the redhead, but your adopted daughter as well, aren’t you? Am I wrong?”

“…What’s wrong with that?”

He didn’t deny it.

As the knight said, he even suspected Irene.

He wondered if the child who was identical to the woman he had loved might actually be something created by the temple, like Judia.

From that moment, the Duke had been suspicious of his adopted daughter as well.

“It’s a suspicion I must have logically.”

“That’s what we call bullshit logic.”

“…”

…A rebuttal without an inch of retreat.

“Is it because she doesn’t have silver hair? Or because she’s a magician? You said that’s all explained by her fairy lineage. And the method to verify bloodlines? I know that royalty has ways to confirm such things. So why haven’t you verified it thoroughly? Ah, could it be because there’s a possibility that Irene Windler might be a clone of your wife? Hmm, that could be possible. But I’m really curious about something…”

– If you’re so suspicious, why do you keep her by your side?

“…”

…This time, he couldn’t answer.

He, who had never been at a loss for words in any situation, was speechless.

“You don’t know why you keep her close? That’s why I say you’re disqualified as a parent. It’s a failing grade to pretend not to know when you already know the answer.”

“…I know the answer?”

“Stop pretending. I’m starting to get angry because you keep pretending not to know when you clearly do.”

“…I truly don’t know. What am I missing?”

At this moment, Blake felt like a fool for the first time in his life.

That’s how confused he was, and his heart raced with each word the knight spoke.

It felt as if he was about to learn something fundamental that he had been missing all along, and Blake urged the knight to continue.

As if demanding an immediate answer.

To his urgent question:

“Are you keeping her by your side simply because she resembles your wife? Or are you keeping her close because ‘your heart tells you to’? From what I see, it seems like the latter.”

“——-.”

…The answer was extremely simple, but Blake felt a throbbing pain at the back of his head from that simple response.

As if making him look back on his foolish past days when he had been denying… no, pretending not to know what he actually knew.

“Your Grace, you know this too. Sometimes people live by instinct and impulse rather than by their heads. So I ask you, what does your instinct—no, your heart—think of that child?”

“…”

“If you still claim not to know after I’ve explained it like this, I’ll be disappointed in you. Disappointed that the person who made me feel defeated was such a pathetic man.”

“…Heh heh.”

…At this moment.

Blake seemed to understand.

Why the knight was angry and why he spoke so boldly.

After all:

‘…I’ve been lying even to myself.’

The knight found his self-deception pathetic.

Blake hadn’t been honest even with himself.

He had endlessly doubted, denying even the pull of his own heart.

…Because he had convinced himself that his emotions were merely illusions born of longing.

“Shall I tell you one more thing? If you truly suspected that child, you wouldn’t have drugged her to sleep. You would have spoken to her directly. But the reason you drugged her is simple.”

“…”

“‘You didn’t want to be hated’—that’s the psychology behind putting her to sleep. Because the person in question would have been hurt if she heard your suspicions.”

“…”

“Of course, I can’t be certain whether you’re her biological father or not. But I know one thing: all fathers instinctively hate being disliked by their children. And the fact that you don’t want to be hated shows that you already cherish that child.”

“…I—”

“If you don’t want to regret losing something precious too late, don’t act like this. …Though people tend to regret only after they’ve lost something.”

“…I think it would have been better if you hadn’t added that last part.”

…Somehow, Blake felt as if this knight was older than himself.

His advice, and also…

‘The way he loses steam at the end reminds me exactly of my late brother.’

If a mere knight reminded him of his much older, now deceased brother, then…

Could this man be special?

* * *

…Wow, I’ve done it now.

That was Ihan’s first thought, followed by the consequences of his reckless actions.

Zing-zing-!

A wave of killing intent poured toward him.

‘A weak-hearted person wouldn’t last even a second against this.’

It was the intense aura mixed with murderous intent from the Duke’s servants, who seemed ready to kill him at a moment’s notice if the Duke gave the order.

It was a dangerous situation, evidence that Ihan had voluntarily walked a perilous path.

However.

‘Still, it feels good to get that off my chest.’

He had no regrets.

Not because he was confident he could escape if all these people attacked him.

Simply because…

‘If I hadn’t said it, I would have gotten sick from holding it in.’

If he hadn’t spoken his mind to that man, his anger wouldn’t have subsided.

So he decided not to hold his tongue.

He could regret it later if needed.

It was absurd.

Was it because the Duke was too intelligent?

Or was it because no one had ever told him these things?

‘Why doesn’t he understand something so obvious?’

There was actually one more thing he hadn’t mentioned.

Or rather, anyone with good observation skills or the ability to read “energy” would immediately notice…

‘They look exactly alike!’

The day before, he couldn’t see clearly because they were communicating through an artifact, but now he could see it.

The energy, the wavelength that Blake emitted?

The overall “color” that made up the man.

That color must be unique to each person, because…

‘Everyone’s color is completely different.’

Especially those with abundant life force, like knights or magicians, appeared more vividly, and Ihan could see that Duke Blake’s vivid color was similar to the little magician’s.

It was a color that seemed to prove their DNA matched, clearly indicating they were father and daughter.

…Yet that man stubbornly denied it.

Honestly, he didn’t particularly care about handing over the redhead, but the Duke’s manner of speaking and acting was as frustrating as eating dozens of sweet potatoes.

‘Is this the curse of romance fantasy?’

They clearly look identical, yet the father can’t recognize his own daughter—a curse.

It’s an all too common cliché.

And what’s even more frustrating is:

“I see, I already cherish that child. Yet I was still suspicious. It wasn’t important whether she was my biological daughter; what mattered was that I cherished her. I didn’t understand something so basic…”

“…”

…This is maddening.

‘He’s instinctively drawn to her, and despite such obvious signs, he still won’t acknowledge she’s his daughter?’

This must be why people say the middle and later parts of romance fantasy are like makjang dramas.

It seems like it’s about to be resolved, but it never is.

‘…Fine, I’ve done all I can.’

But he decided not to interfere further.

He had already overstepped his bounds and said things that could have gotten his head cut off. If he opened his mouth again, this time that man might really slit his throat.

“Then I’ll be taking my leave now.”

“…You’re leaving after saying all those rude things?”

“People only understand when you speak harshly and rudely.”

“Haha! I hate to admit it, but I must—the back of my head is still stinging.”

“…I won’t apologize.”

“Ahahaha!”

The Duke laughed cheerfully again, while in contrast, the servants cast even more murderous glances at Ihan, who met their gazes with confident eyes.

“Are you angry because you think I insulted your lord?”

[[…]]

“Then you’ve got the wrong address. You should blame yourselves instead.”

[[??]]

…For a moment, they looked confused by this shameless man’s words.

Understandably, it seemed like the one who farted was getting angry, but Ihan was sincere.

He truly believed they were also at fault.

After all:

“A loyal servant is one who risks their life to give advice and harsh words when their lord is about to walk the wrong path. But you didn’t stop your lord from going out of control. Rather, you should be ashamed that such words had to come from the mouth of someone who has nothing to do with this, you pathetic lot.”

[[………]]

“What good are hundreds of you if, despite having eyes and ears, you can’t discern what’s right?”

That’s worse than having none at all.

That was Ihan’s final factual rebuke.

* * *

“…”

The Duke watched the knight’s retreating back.

Though he was already far away and growing smaller, somehow his back still appeared as solid and reliable as a great mountain.

Even from a distance, he seemed as firm as a mountain.

“He has grown. And quite significantly…”

He had grown.

Not just in strength, but in everything that made him who he was.

He must have achieved such remarkable growth by clashing with all his pride and beliefs, risking his life.

And having grown so much as a person, the knight had become bold enough to “nag” him, unlike when they had met the day before.

It was certainly a humiliating situation, but:

“…Strangely, I don’t dislike him.”

Despite hearing such harsh words, the Duke felt no displeasure; rather, he was amused.

It was the same when they first met.

A hero who concealed his achievements.

That made him feel favorable toward the knight, thinking he was quite decent, and now:

“…I understand how Count Jeminia felt.”

Wasn’t it said to keep close those who don’t spare harsh words, and to be wary of those who speak with honeyed words?

It was perfectly understandable why Marquis Tristan wanted to keep him close.

[[…]]

Just seeing the servants still silent, reflecting on their actions, showed that he was definitely a great stimulus and demonstrated what righteousness truly was.

A knight walking the royal path.

‘Not only is he strong, but he knows how to observe his beliefs and has an eye for his surroundings. What a remarkable person.’

In an age when knights dabble in politics and seek wealth, could such a knight still exist?

He was tempting.

As a ruler, there was no one as reliable and interesting as him.

Then suddenly:

“Hmm, …should I adopt another son?”

-It might be fun to have him around?

The Duke thought it might be nice to have an adopted son as well.

If Irene Windler had heard this, she would have been horrified…

After Tristan, now Galahad’s love call.

In a sense.

It seemed like a ‘love triangle’ between ‘high nobles’ over ‘one knight.’

“What’s this? Why do I suddenly feel so disgusted?”

…If the person in question knew, it would be beyond creepy and horrifying.