Prejudice

“What the hell.”

Could this be a double trap? Acting all friendly on the outside while secretly poisoning this chocolate?

The thought crossed my mind but was quickly dismissed.

Even if that were the case, a ten-year-old kid poisoning chocolates? It’s not some morning soap opera drama.

I tore open the packaging and grabbed one chocolate in my hand.

Mary’s claim of making them herself was true, but the appearance was quite unattractive.

It seemed like she wanted to make cute bear-shaped chocolates, but the finished product looked like a twisted bear from a nightmare.

Some of them even had cracks, probably due to mishandling during transportation.

It was a trace of her inexperienced skills.

But still, she made them. And with those cute little hands, she did a good job.

I popped one chocolate into my mouth.

Crunch. The sweet smell filled my mouth as I chewed.

Luckily, the taste didn’t reflect the ugly appearance. It was a chocolate true to its essence.

As I was about to grab another chocolate after finishing one…

“!”

I locked eyes with someone who was hiding behind the corner.

Mary peeked out, only showing her face, watching me sneakily.

“Is she watching to see if I eat it or not?”

As our eyes met, Mary’s eyes widened in surprise.

What’s with that expression, desperately trying to prove that she surprised me? I even felt like an exclamation mark popped up above her head.

Her surprise didn’t last long. She quickly hid behind the wall, like a long-haired cat meeting a human for the first time.

“…She’s too embarrassed to eat it.”

Mary peeked out again, half of her face looking at me.

And every time our eyes met, she would be surprised, then hide again. If caught, she would run away.

After the fourth repetition, I got tired and decided to ignore her.

-Hehe!

With each bite, a small chuckle could be heard from Mary’s direction.

I glanced at her from the corner of my eye.

Even though only half of her face was visible in the silhouette, her crescent-shaped eyes were captured vividly.

Was I too prejudiced against a noble daughter? If you only look at her pure appearance, she’s just a young child.

After I put the last chocolate in my mouth, Mary finally revealed herself.

Hesitantly, she walked towards me.

“Oh, oppa.”

With an awkward smile, I almost thought she was chewing on chocolate.

She bowed deeply and said hesitantly.

“I-It was delicious…?”

If I hadn’t focused, I might have missed her faint and hesitant voice.

Hmm. My heart feels warm for no reason.

Anyway, since it was a gift prepared for me, I should be grateful.

I casually scratched my ear and replied.

“Yeah. It was delicious. Can I sell them?”

“Y-Yes! I worked really hard on them! I even made them thinking of you! So, don’t forget this favor!”

Was that twisted nightmare bear me?

I’m sure she should never pursue art.

“Umm, oppa.”

Did she read my mind? She suddenly became passive after being so lively.

Mary, who had been hesitating, cautiously spoke up.

“I-I can make cookies for you every day if you stay at our house….”

“….”

“I mean, if you just stay here, you can have them all the time….”

“Can’t you see I’m clueless?”

Did Evan find something terrifying in this innocent girl’s eyes that made him fear her like a demon?

Am I not? Am I a fool? Upon careful consideration, it seems so.

I followed Evan, who was hanging out with those useless girls, believing in their common sense. I must be the strange one for trusting in such nonsense.

“Eung? Oppa….”

Mary blinked her eyes almost as if she was about to cry when my response was delayed.

Judging by the way she sniffled, she would probably burst into tears in a few seconds.

Not having the confidence to handle such a disaster, I quickly spoke up.

“Yeah. We’ll stay here for a while.”

“How long…?”

“Probably for quite a while. I don’t have anywhere else to go anyway.”

Mary’s tearful expression brightened in an instant.

Her arms wide open and jumping around was a very childish way of expressing emotions.

I feel even more sorry for her because she likes me so much. Honestly, I don’t plan on staying here for long.

“Oppa is not a goldfish! I’ll consider you a special silkfish!”

Did she take the comparison to a goldfish that seriously?

I didn’t say anything, but the fact that she felt the need to correct it is telling.

But aren’t both goldfish and silkfish just fish? They’re pretty much the same.

“That’s right! Mom wanted to see you too! That’s why I told her you were here, right? She’s so happy about it!”

“…Is that so?”

“Yeah yeah! Mom is having tea outside, let’s go together!”

Mary took my hand and led the way.

I walked along, being led by her weak hand.

‘She can’t be his real mother.’

As far as I know, Evan’s birth mother has passed away.

So, the mother Mary is talking about is, in Evan’s eyes, a stepmother.

The wickedness of a stepmother has already been proven through Cinderella, so I couldn’t accept it positively.

‘I wonder if they have a good relationship.’

The person Evan dislikes the most after his father is his stepmother.

And the stepmother probably doesn’t think highly of Evan either.

That’s right. Why would she be nice to a child who is not her own and who ran away, abandoning the family?

Judging by Evan’s actions alone, it’s not just dislike, it’s probably hatred.

“Oh! Mom!”

A woman drinking tea outside the annex.

She looks young for a child’s mother, but her black hair and cynical eyes are just like Mary’s.

“I brought oppa! Now you’ll believe me, right!?”

Her hand, which was about to raise the teacup, stopped.

Then she slowly turned her head in our direction.

‘This woman is worse than Mary.’

Her gaze could kill a person.

With her already fierce face and furrowed brow, she resembled a wild beast.

“…Evan?”

She could come running towards me and start a fight, and it wouldn’t be strange at all.

I waited, expecting her to start swearing at me.

“Ah….”

But tears welled up in her eyes, unexpectedly tender.

What’s this? I was taken aback by the gentle tears. And that strange phenomenon didn’t end there.

“Huk… Huh… It’s really Evan….”

I thought she would spew cheap insults, but she maintained a polite tone.

“Hueeeng..! Evan! I’m so relieved that you’re back…! How happy this mother is…. Huhuh!”

She approached me and hugged me, crying softly.

I looked at her for a moment, puzzled.

‘…Evan, this guy is really messed up.’

I need to reflect on myself as well.

I shouldn’t judge people based solely on their appearance.

#

Elaine, from the noble lineage of knights.

The bloodline descended from the ancestral head Wilhelm Elaine has reached the present day.

As the bloodline proves, Elaine’s children are all gifted with innate talents.

But there’s always an exception. That was the eldest son, Evan Elaine.

Elaine Ga’s family members are expected to awaken their magic by the age of ten and should be able to utilize it by the age of twelve at the latest.

It is considered a fundamental rule within the family, yet Evan only awakened his mana at the age of fourteen.

But that’s not all.

His very nature was far from that of a knight.

What kind of knight would hesitate to wield a sword? Evan’s kindness, unable to even kill a single bug, was of no use on the battlefield.

Certainly not a suitable demeanor for a knight of the family. Naturally, Evan Elaine was treated as a sore thumb within the family.

However, this fragile personality was not the only issue plaguing Evan.

“…Evan has returned?”

“Yes, my lord.”

“Seems like he’s finally tired of his childish games. Pathetic.”

The eldest son of the knight family being swayed by common women.

How severe must it be for one to forsake their own family and choose common women?

And this was not only an act of disrespect towards the family but also towards the knights who followed.

A knight should proudly bear the name of our family and protect the kingdom. Yet, being blinded by the charms of common women and letting go of Elaine’s sword, those involved with the family could not help but feel ashamed.

Especially the anger of Lord Zait Elaine was the greatest.

“If he brought those peasant girls along, kick them out immediately. I can’t stand the sight of them.”

Zait had no intention of welcoming Evan’s return.

Rather, he wished he would just disappear.

Thinking of Evan for a moment, he shook off his thoughts by wielding his sword once again.

It was not his place to be concerned when the lord had declared hostility.

Thus, the knights around him remained silent, only brandishing their swords, and Evan’s name was being tossed around by others.

“Evan? Who was Evan again?”

“Oh, that guy. The fool who got beaten up by Rebecca and wet himself.”

“Ah~ Hahaha. I remember. That idiot has returned?”

The children of the Laurentz family, who were listening from afar.

The eldest son, Damian, who turned 17 this year, and his younger sister, Erika.

They reminisced about the past, sharing a deep laughter.

“Why bother coming back if you’re just going to keep getting beaten up by the village girls.”

“Mary must be happy. She must miss him~ She must miss him~ It’s touching to see the two fools reunite, isn’t it, Father?”

“Not at all. It’s pathetic that he crawled back home claiming it was too hard. But why did he come back? Is he going to pretend to be a noble now?”

The Elaine and Laurentz families, who often interacted with each other.

They regarded each other as rivals, expressing their caution in somewhat cruel ways.

The competition between the children who were not yet mature intensified.

Evan’s younger sister, Mary, has a slightly sharp edge like her father.

Evan, on the other hand, is a born fool who laughs even when insulted.

Is that why?

The Laurentz children did not treat Evan kindly.

Not only physical violence but also mental torment that gnawed at his self-esteem.

They treated Evan like a plaything, as shown above.

“Even a fool has his limits. Why did Rebecca have to come when he returned? Does he want to get slapped and wet himself like back then?”

“Ahaha. Is he going to smear blood and feces this time? Rebecca, you’ve become quite terrifying.”

Among those who played a major role in tormenting him was Rebecca Laurentz.

She often harassed Evan and even had a record of beating him up under the pretext of training.

This was just five years ago, two days before the disappearance of fifteen-year-old Evan.

Perhaps his departure from the family was greatly influenced by this incident.

However, Rebecca, who was the main character of the incident, did not feel any guilt.

As five years have passed, she can’t even remember what happened back then.

“Sis! Sis! Are you listening to our conversation?”

Eureka, who was giggling, spoke towards Rebecca, who was sweating while practicing swordsmanship.

She was so focused that she didn’t react to any sounds around her.

Feeling offended, Eureka pursed her lips in annoyance.

“Tsk. She’s ignoring us again.”

“Leave her be. Don’t disturb her for no reason. Anyway, Evan has returned home, right?”

Luckily, the training was getting boring. Evan stood up from his spot with a grin on his face.

It was like the laughter of a young child receiving a new toy.

“I guess I should go say hello after a long time. Is he still the same?”

“Are you going? Then I’ll come with you!”

Putting down the sword he was holding, Damian headed somewhere.

With a innocent smile on her face, Eureka followed behind Damian with bouncy steps.