episode_0430

– Master!

“What, how did you come here?”

– That guy came here with me.

“That guy? Viscount Hutton?”

– Yes. He’s inside the shop right now, peeking around.

“???”

Daemon suddenly appeared and told me that the Viscount was watching over our shop, so I hurriedly went out.

I wondered what this guy was up to by coming here, but as I quietly observed his actions, he was no different from any other man peeking at Negi.

“Looks like he can’t let go of his obsession.”

Seeing him looking perfectly normal but acting so sneakily, I felt the urge to take a picture and show it to Negi, wanting her to see how pathetic he looked.

The fact that Viscount Hutton, who seemed fine, was peeking at her while working at the general store, seemed to be indulging in all sorts of messy fantasies.

‘His expression is disgusting.’

The sight of him pretending to be interested in Negi at first to show off, was now reappearing.

Without a doubt, my appearance must have greatly offended Viscount Hutton’s pride.

‘He wouldn’t have shown up without doing his homework…’

I left it to the information merchant to change the information in a way that could lead to misunderstandings between Franc and Negi, so Viscount Hutton probably saw it.

‘Did he get scared after seeing that?’

If he did, he would have gotten rid of his obsession, so I don’t understand why he’s acting so tacky.

While it’s his freedom to imagine, I didn’t like that the target of his imagination was Negi.

He knows that messing with me would cause him big problems, so he probably won’t attack me like last time, but just lurking around nearby made me wonder if he was underestimating me.

‘With the name value of the Hwang Princess, he’s only this afraid?’

It slightly hurt my pride that he couldn’t resist the charm of the Hwang Princess just by her name value alone.

Still, if I just closed my eyes and ignored his actions now, it seemed like we would never meet again in our lives and things would be settled.

Since he can’t let go of his obsession, maybe he just came to see my face for the last time?

But…

‘His behavior itself is annoying.’

Should I just endure seeing him like that?

I didn’t want to.

“What are you doing here right now, Viscount Hutton?”

“Eek!”

Viscount Hutton, who didn’t notice me approaching, was startled and let out a scream, stumbling and falling awkwardly without properly hitting the wall.

It’s the first time I’ve seen someone so clumsy despite being an awakened.

“I thought that conversation was over, but it seems it wasn’t.”

“Ugh….”

Blushing with embarrassment, Viscount Hutton quickly got up from the floor.

He glared at me as if he wanted to kill me, knowing how embarrassingly he fell.

“I, I was just passing by and happened to come…”

“….”

As if asking him to say it again, I crossed my arms and looked at him, and feeling embarrassed, Viscount Hutton didn’t finish his sentence and closed his mouth.

“I, I…! I’ll be honest. I need to meet Negi!”

“I can’t allow that.”

The things he wants to say after meeting are obvious, so why bother meeting them?

“That woman was originally mine. Don’t you know it’s impolite for nobles to infringe on each other’s property? We haven’t known each other for long, so I hope you’ll give her to me. If you do, I can introduce you to a woman you can play with. She’s much younger and childless.”

It seems like he thought that offer would be very tempting to me.

“Looks won’t be the only thing that matters. She may be fine now, but isn’t she a commoner? When I was young, I wouldn’t have let her go if I didn’t have any memories. If you see a withered flower, your emotions will surely wither too. Instead of throwing her away like that, give her to me, and it would be better for you to meet a woman who suits you better, wouldn’t it?”

His proposal seemed quite reasonable, as he spoke with a very rational mindset.

My insides were twisting as I listened to that.

“I heard how you think of Miss Nae. You seem to think it’s a rational choice, but it’s a proposal that lacks any sense of normalcy.”

No matter what you see with your eyes, even if you fake a connection, I never thought you would do something so vulgar.

“Are you mocking me?”

“I am feeling a bit mocking now. What do you think of people and connections? It seems that not meeting you and Miss Nae was the right choice.”

“Nae and I still have things to discuss! I couldn’t have a proper conversation with her because I was busy with my daughter!”

I don’t know what this guy wants to say, but it’s probably nonsense like what he just said to me.

Instead of dirtying my ears with such words, it would have been better to cleanly resolve the situation.

“Is there anything else besides locking up Miss Nae?”

“I explained that it was an unavoidable choice to protect Nae!! And since earlier, it seems like your words lack respect, even though I have high status and age.”

“Just not using informal language in this situation is enough to show respect. It’s regrettable, but I don’t feel like being more respectful here.”

“W-what?”

“What is informal language.”

I watched the Marquis of Hutton clench his fists tightly.

I wonder what he wants to do with those fists.

But disappointingly, the Marquis of Hutton just stood there bravely, not directly using his fists.

“Did you forget that there is a child between Nae and me? For you, it’s over when you break up, but we are not in that kind of relationship.”

The Marquis of Hutton said triumphantly.

It was a declaration that as long as there was a bond named Fran, he would not give up on Nae.

“Thank you for letting me know what you were trying to do. I will pass on your words to Miss Nae.”

“I was talking about your actions, not mine!!”

“I have never thought of doing that.”

“Your words just now were informal, right?!”

Seeing his reddened face, I feel a bit relieved.

Of course, remembering how he looked at Miss Nae with malicious eyes makes my blood boil again.

“I never did anything in the past, but blood ties are inevitable. That’s family!”

Is he shamelessly trying to create a gap using blood ties?

“I never thought of you as family.”

“!!”

But perhaps that was just the Marquis of Hutton’s misconception.

“Fran? How long have you been there?”

Fran appeared and glared at the Marquis of Hutton with a cold expression.

I was worried about how much she had heard.

How many times did shocking conversations come up that Fran hadn’t heard?

“Sorry.”

“No, you have the right to listen as you are involved.”

Today was the last day of my vacation, so I visited the store to see Miss Nae, but it seems like I overheard our conversation while we were talking.

“Do not use the word ‘father.’ Did I not express my intentions properly that day?”

“Proper intentions? You just poured them out and left!”

“Then let me say it again. Please do not come to me like this. Especially not to my mother. She is already happily settled in a new place.”

“Happily? Does she look like a happy person to you?”

Viscount Hutton pointed to where Nekisi was working.

I couldn’t understand what was wrong with that sight.

“Yes. She is very satisfied right now.”

Indeed, Nekisi has been living happily day by day since reuniting with Fran.

But Viscount Hutton seemed to have a different opinion.

“How does that look happy? She’s working like a slave!”

“Like a slave? She’s just working.”

“If I were protecting her, those delicate hands wouldn’t get dirty. Don’t make her suffer like this! Wouldn’t it be better for you too if your mother was safely protected?”

Nekisi was gently coaxing Fran, and Fran was gently coaxing Nekisi as an excuse.

Their actions were endlessly wicked.

“You contacted me because you missed your father, didn’t you? Why are you refusing my help? Could it be that this man is threatening you?”

He was skilled at turning a quiet person into a bastard.

“I don’t know what this man promised you, but everything he can do, I can do. If you’re being threatened, speak up now. I can protect you.”

“Please don’t curse, sir. You’re not a bad person enough to deserve curses from the Viscount.”

“Yeah, it might be hard to believe because of the misunderstanding about me. But still, you should trust a father with blood ties rather than someone unrelated, right?”

Fran wasn’t not believing Viscount Hutton’s words, but rather not believing her own words. She was talking nonsense.

“This is not about who to believe or not. The problem is that the Viscount cursed you.”

Fran looked shocked, as if she didn’t know she could take my side.

I found her baseless confidence absurd.

What exactly is she believing in that she’s shocked by those words?

“Please leave now before my mother finds out.”

“…Fine, if you say so, there’s nothing I can do. I’ll leave now. Just one last thing for your sake, I sincerely hope your mother is not in danger. I came here today with worries. If this man can’t protect her, it will be too late for regrets.”