episode_0260

Episode 260: The Arden Family (5)

I lick the lollipop in my hand. The taste of each candy follows the rainbow colors on the tip of my tongue. Red is strawberry, orange is orange, yellow is lemon, etc. I could taste each flavor according to its color.

Sweetness follows the fruit flavors. The sweetness makes my mind feel good. I can see why people get addicted to it like drugs.

Of course, it’s so delicious because of Grandpa Geppetto’s outstanding skills. If an ordinary candy craftsman had made it, they wouldn’t have been able to produce this taste.

I turned my head to the side and asked.

“It’s delicious, right?”

“It’s delicious.”

“It’s Geppetto Grandpa’s candy. Tell me if you want more. I bought a lot.”

I practically swept the candies from the store, so it was enough. What I gave you now isn’t even 1% of the total, so it’s more than enough. Vail nodded slightly at my words.

Well, this situation wasn’t very pleasant. The biggest problem was that it wasn’t great that two men were sitting side by side, sucking on lollipops. I can let it go because he’s my brother. If it were another man, I would have gotten up and left right away. This also applies to Evan.

Still, seeing Vail’s expression gradually softening, I thought it was good that I came.

“Are you done crying now?”

“…I didn’t cry.”

“There are traces left, so don’t lie. At least do something about your swollen eyes before you talk.”

The tear marks were gone, but as I said, his eyes were swollen and red. Anyone could tell that he had been crying.

More than anything, I saw it when Vail opened the room. The color of both sleeves was different because they were wet. Besides, the area around his eyes was much redder than it is now.

At my words, Vail glared at me, and soon turned his head with a sulky face. Then he muttered quietly.

“…Sometimes, you’re so clueless, brother.”

“Clueless? I’m doing this on purpose to tease you.”

When I said that, this time he turned his body completely. He didn’t budge, as if he wouldn’t face me.

“Tsk, you cute thing.”

Is it because he’s my brother who’s three years younger? That kind of appearance just looks cute. If there was a difference of two years or more, I might have loved him even more.

I ruffled Vail’s hair wildly. Then my brother wiggled his butt and moved away.

“Don’t touch me. My hair will get messed up. Because of the succession ceremony….”

“Why are you stopping mid-sentence?”

“…It’s nothing.”

“Unlike what you told your sister, you’ve made preparations?”

“…….”

Vail shut his mouth tightly as if he had lost his words.

Crunch, I shattered the candy, which had shrunk to half the size of my palm, with my teeth. The finely fragmented candy granules rapidly decreased in size. I threw the remaining stick away and asked Vail.

“What are you so dissatisfied with?”

“…Everything, I’m not happy with everything. I still hate you, and I also don’t like that I’m becoming the head of the family….”

As soon as he started talking about it, Vail became depressed. I took out a jawbreaker from the subspace and put it in Vail’s open mouth. My brother mumbled and tasted the candy.

“This tastes weird.”

“It’s mint flavored.”

“Why this flavor….”

Vail frowned and complained to me. But he couldn’t bring himself to spit out the candy his brother gave him, so he ate it silently. I put a candy in my mouth as well, and then said.

“I can’t help the former. Once an image is imprinted, it doesn’t change easily.”

“They don’t look at you like that in Tianis.”

“That’s because they’re close.”

The Tianis students are the ones who watched me from right in front of them. From a scoundrel, to the process of change and effort, and finally the result I reached. Because that happened, the way the students looked at me had no choice but to change.

In fact, when the image of me as a scoundrel almost disappeared in Tianis, there were still many people outside who thought of me as a scoundrel.

“And you fought with Mom as soon as you came. Even in a place where you invited guests.”

“That’s… it wasn’t your fault. Mom came at you first….”

“No, the result is wrong.”

I cut off Vail’s words. I was angry for a moment at the fact that she touched Lana, so I came at my mother, but it was never a good choice. Of course, even if I went back to that time, I would have acted the same way.

“Shall we stop talking about this and move on to the head of the family?”

“…I don’t want to talk about it. I’m not going to become the head of the family.”

“Can’t you accept it that much? You becoming the head of the family.”

“……Yes.”

After a long silence, Vail answered.

“I don’t have the popularity you have.”

“That’s not true. You have as much popularity as Ariel.”

Even Evan would give in to Vail’s popularity. Unlike others, he had a good impression, was polite, and even had a good personality, so you couldn’t help but like him. On top of that, like Ariel, he didn’t show off his background, so people liked him even more.

“And you’re mistaken. It’s not that I have a lot of popularity. It’s because of the title of saint that I seem that way.”

To be honest, popularity was a word that had nothing to do with me. You can tell just by looking at my behavior. Vail knows how to take care of those around him, while I only care about those around me. In fact, they’re the most important to me.

“I… I lack the ability to become the head of the family. I don’t know how to handle people like you, and I don’t know how to lead. I have less experience than you. In fact, I couldn’t do anything in the Holy Kingdom either.”

“The Holy Kingdom was a special situation. And do you think I was good at it from the beginning? Originally, dealing with others is the hardest thing. I can’t even handle myself, so how about other people? Of course, there are people who are born with it, but usually you develop it through experience. This kind of ability.”

“…But.”

Vail still seemed to have a lot to say.

“I, I… I’m weaker than you. My realm, my skill, my talent, everything is different. So I don’t deserve to be the head of the family….”

“Do you really think so?”

“Yes….”

An answer that felt sincere. I finished eating the candy and got up from my seat.

“Get up, Vail.”

“Yes? What are you going to do….”

“What else? If you’re suspicious, you have to check it yourself.”

Whether he’s really weaker than me or not.

***

The place the brothers arrived at was a mountain outside the castle. It was commonly called the back mountain, and it was the place where the two brothers often played when they were young.

“Why did you come here, brother.”

“I told you. I came to check. Don’t say anything else and stand like you’re going to spar.”

Vail followed Kyle’s words. He had faith that his older brother wouldn’t do anything strange. When they were at an appropriate distance, Kyle said.

“Vail. You said you were weak, right?”

“…Yes.”

“You also said that my talent is better.”

“…That’s right.”

Vail answered calmly to his brother’s question. And he added the following words.

“No matter what anyone says, it’s an undeniable fact. I’m still an Expert, while you’re a Master. There’s a big wall between you and me in terms of skill and talent.”

“Do you really think so?”

Kyle didn’t think that at all.

“I’m almost 20 years old. There are many people in Arden’s history who reached Master at the age of 20.”

Arden’s bloodline is a lineage that is born with the talent to become a Master. No matter how bad they are, they reach Master before the age of 30.

But even among them, people with outstanding talent always appeared, and there were people who reached Master at the age of 20. There were 5 people in Arden’s history. Now it could be said that there were 6.

Besides, the fact that he was able to reach Master was possible because of the power of the Elixir.

“But there was only one person who reached Master at your age. Kylon Arden. Only the first head of the family.”

To be exact, the only Arden who became a Master before the age of 20 was the first head of the family.

“I’m not… a Master yet.”

“You don’t have much left. Until Master. Less than half a year left? No, you might even reach it before this winter.”

Vail was a little uncomfortable with Kyle’s words. How could he say it as if he saw through everything? Vail hated his brother as much as he did today.

“Isn’t it contradictory to talk about talent and skill while saying that?”

“What I’m talking about is the present. That’s still an undecided future story.”

“We’re deciding on a successor including that future.”

Kyle took out his sword and continued.

“So let’s check. Who has better talent and skill.”

“Are you saying we should fight?”

“Yeah, that’s right. Under the same conditions, with the same skills, you and I will compete for the position of head of the family.”

“…That’s unfair. Saying that the conditions are the same means that you’re matching yourself to me.”

Then Kyle retorted with an indifferent expression.

“So what. If I don’t do this, it’s obvious you’ll lose.”

“I want to be fair…!”

“Shut up. And even if I match you, it’s still me who’s advantageous.”

Even if he matched his physical abilities, Vail was still behind. Kyle is a Master, Vail is an Expert. There was a difference in enlightenment depending on the realm.

“So shut up and come at me.”

Seeing his brother pointing his sword at him, Vail had no choice but to draw his sword. Then he examined Kyle. An aura that felt similar. Currently, his brother had been downgraded from Master to Expert.

Kyle, judging that he was ready, said quietly.

“Then I’m going.”

Immediately after, Kyle disappeared from his sight. Too fast. Vail quickly expanded his sensory perception to find Kyle.

Swish, swish, Kyle’s position changes from moment to moment. Vail admired inwardly. Even though he lowered himself to Expert, such movements. As expected, his brother was no ordinary person.

At that time, he felt the twisting flow of the wind and killing intent. Vail turned his head in the direction of the attack, and dozens of flashing lights came into his eyes.

Vail sensed it. He can’t block this.

Each of those attacks was threatening and perfect. Even if he blocked one, another attack would follow and fill the gap, a sword that was organically connected.

Of course, if he could deflect all the swords or crush them all at once, he could break through the attack. But unfortunately, Vail didn’t have the power to do that.

But he didn’t give up either. Vail straightened his breathing. His whole body was full of power. At the same time, Vail’s eyes shone as if piercing through something, and he thrust his sword towards one point.

Clang-!

The two swords clashed. Sparks flew around, and soon stopped in mid-air.

“…….”

Vail silently looked at the results of what he had done. Kyle said to his brother.

“Did you see it?”

“…Yes. I saw it.”

It started with a small premonition, and he saw it when he looked closely at Kyle’s sword. The only attack that shone black in the dazzling light. It was the first time he had received such an attack, but Vail trusted his two senses and swung his sword. And the current result came out.

“Do you know how much effort I put into that just now?”

It was a whopping 50 years. It was a swordsmanship that he had completed with great difficulty after struggling, spitting blood, and experiencing dozens of near-death crises. The enlightenment contained in this was enough to kill even a Master.

But he didn’t particularly hold back. Kyle swung his sword with the sincere intention of killing his brother.

“But you blocked it after seeing it just once. Do you know what this means?”

“…….”

Vail couldn’t say anything. He just called out to his brother, Kyle.

“Brother….”

“The next attack is coming. Take it well.”

Kyle ignored him and moved his body. Swordsmanship in which the sword and body became one poured down on Vail. Vail’s body reacted on its own, and gradually something started to change one by one.

And.

Clang!!

Once again, the two brothers’ swords clashed.