The Sickly Youngest Member of the Villainous Family

[8. Cassilion Akada

 

Title: None

 

Causality: 13%]

 

Why does this kid have a 13% causality rate as soon as he shows up?

 

Disturbingly, the number also reminds me of Friday the 13th.

 

“Good…… ingredients?”

 

Cassilion, who was sniffing around me and humming, his purple eyes flashing.

 

For an eight-year-old to make such an expression, it sent shivers down my spine.

 

“I can feel it from you. Undoubtedly, good ingredients. If I experiment on you, as a Unni….”

 

“I’m not your Unni, and besides, you’re a boy!”

 

I said, pushing him away.

 

Cassilion winced at my horrified expression. His face was undoubtedly as beautiful as any young noble’s child.

 

Perhaps even a bit prettier than me.

 

“How did you know?”

 

“Because I knew it was a boy coming to foster care from Akada.”

 

Cassillion’s pupils flickered again at my firm response.

 

“You’re so smart, ingredient Unni!”

 

I exclaimed.

 

“You keep calling me Ingredient……  human experimentation is forbidden even in Akada!”

 

All human experimentation had been banned in the Empire since the Taylor’s Kaisa incident a hundred years ago.

 

“If only Unni could keep it a secret….”

 

“This is insane….”

 

I didn’t want to use harsh words with a child, but curses involuntarily slipped out of my mouth.

 

Of course, Cassilion still had the face of a blissful child. It seems like a scene from an opera.

 

“Anyway, I am not an ingredient but a person. Sasha Winchester, the youngest of the Winchester family! So, don’t say strange things!”

 

At my words, the joy slowly faded from Cassillion’s face.

 

It was replaced by a look of slight disbelief.

 

“As expected,… Am I weird?”

 

I blinked.

 

“Everyone calls me weird. Father says I’m annoying, and friends don’t play with me. I just feel happy by smelling good scents.”

 

Cassillion’s blond hair swayed in the breeze.

 

“Of course. If  you’ll continue to cross-dress, it might be unpleasant for others….”

 

“When I think about inventing something new with the fragrance of a smelling ingredient, my heart beats fast. It’s hard to endure the joy. Especially when a good scent like the Unni ingredient, how I…”

 

Cassilion’s face turned red as if he had become sullen at some point.

 

It’s worse than what I saw in the original, or in The Secret of the Blue Falcon.

 

If it’s this bad now, how much worse will it get…… I’m not looking forward to the future at all.

 

Still, he has to make the elixir, so I can’t make an enemy out of him.

 

“Miss.”

 

Maya called out to me after a moment of deliberation.

 

In her hands were some new toys from the Elle Toy Shop.

 

“Maya, what are you doing here!”

 

I scrambled away from Cassillion’s side and clung to the hem of Maya’s skirt.

 

“I missed you; we should go inside.”

 

Glancing at Cassillion’s expression, it seemed a bit hurt.

 

But I didn’t want to hear Cassillion’s ingredient talk anymore.

 

Maya smiled gently and nodded.

 

“Yes, Miss. But is she a friend…?”

 

I took Maya’s hand.

 

“I’ll take that as a no.”

***

 

“In the end, Permetis came.”

 

― Annoying, isn’t it? Should I secretly go and assassinate her?

 

“What? Still, assassination is a bit…”

 

― You’re too soft. Not very Winchester-like.

 

Othello said through Lune.

 

While we gathered, it felt like we were having a conversation as if through a speakerphone.

 

Not long after, Maya’s voice was heard.

 

“I brought your evening medicine, Miss.”

 

I said to Rune.

 

“Oh, Othello. I’m going to take my medicine.”

 

― But, you call Jin ‘brother’ and use honorifics, why not to me…?.

 

“Bye, I’ll talk to you later.”

 

A moment later, Maya put the medicine tray on the nightstand and gave me the cup of liquid.

 

It felt like it was protecting my life force from getting any lower.

 

There is an inertia to life force, the lower it drops, the lower it can go, so I need to stabilize my health in advance.

 

I heard that for this Jin acquired an entire pharmacy in Rosento…… What a great brother he is.

 

Although I always used medicine, I was drinking it without complaining.

 

“Ugh…….”

 

“You did well. But Miss.”

 

Maya smiled and handed me a Chaberry candy.

 

I put it in my mouth and savored the bittersweet taste turning into sweetness.

 

“Miss, you’ve grown taller. Shouldn’t we have a new dress made for you?”

 

Despite my frailty, my height was growing steadily.

 

“Yeah, I want something comfortable for activities.”

 

“I’ll call Madame Annette and the tailor soon.”

 

Anette’s salon in Rosento was the Elle Toy Shop of women’s wear.

 

It was the largest and most prestigious in the empire.

 

“It surely has the most beautiful dresses in the empire…”

 

“Just a moment.”

 

I stopped Maya in her tracks.

 

“Mmh?”

 

“Hush, let me check something.”

 

Something outside caught my eye. I got out of bed and turned to Maya.

 

“Maya, I need to step out for a moment.”

 

***

“Ugh, the smell of a barn.”

 

“It can’t be helped. With so many watchful eyes, this is the only place we can come to.”

 

Neville complained, and Balmont responded irritably.

 

They were children of Winchesters, children who had been educated at home along with Permetis.

 

Neville was eight, Barmont ten.

 

And in front of them sat Cassilion Akada, head bowed and slouched.

 

“I thought I was going to die from irritation during the lesson. All because of this annoying brat.”

 

Balmont kicked Cassillion’s chest with his foot.

 

“Balmont, be gentle. What if Akada complains?”

 

“Our father already investigated and informed us about this kid. He misbehaved even at Akada’s educational facility and got kicked out, didn’t he?”

 

“Oh, so that’s why he’s here for foster education?”

 

“He’ll probably be indifferent even if he dies here.”

 

Balmont chuckled, kicking Cassilion again, who groaned and clutched his stomach.

 

“But don’t kill him. No good can come from causing trouble.”

 

“We should give him proper education.”

 

Cassilion, smaller in stature compared to them, had no way to retaliate.

 

“A boy wearing a skirt.”

 

Neville frowned.

 

“Shouldn’t you be grateful when Permetis speaks to you, not pretend you didn’t hear her?”

 

Balmont added.

 

“I heard that this kid’s father is also half-mad. They say his elder sister died from illness, but he deluded himself into thinking she was still alive, experimenting with all sorts of medicines. In the end, she died. But he couldn’t admit her death, so he dressed this boy in girl’s clothes and—ugh!”

 

Cassilion, who had been crouching, suddenly lunged forward and bit Balmont’s ankle. In response, Balmont kicked Cassilion away with his other foot.

 

“Shut… up. Don’t talk like you know everything without understanding anything.”

 

A fierce emotion glinted in Cassillion’s violet eyes.

 

“What? Ha.”

 

Balmont’s eyes showed a savage glint.

 

“Worthless brat. I tried to give you a bit of education, but it seems impossible. Are you going to bite me like a dog?”

 

And when he stumbles over to Cassilion he tries to kick him again.

 

“Pulling out all your teeth…”

 

[Using skill ‘Black Domination (LV.5/SS).]

 

Balmont froze, with his raised leg and body immobile.

 

“……!”

 

Like a man frozen in place.

 

Neville stood dumbfounded at Bamont’s awkwardness, and then suddenly realized that the door was open.

 

“What…… what the……!”

 

“Aah!”

 

At that moment, Balmont, trying to lift his body while putting more force on his leg, also accidentally crushed his buttocks.

 

A loud noise echoed through the barn.

 

“W-who’s there!”

 

Feeling a suspicious presence, Nevil grabbed a stick and swung it through the air.

 

“Uh… who the hell…!”

 

[Using skill ‘Damage Reflection (LV.3/A).]

 

Then, the stick he was swinging suddenly struck his own head.

 

“Ugh!”

 

The dim, old magic stone lamp in the barn flickered, creating a creepy and frightening atmosphere.

 

Balmont, with a tense expression, got up from where he had fallen.

 

They looked around quickly, frozen in place.

 

“N-Neville.”

 

“Let’s go. Run away.”

 

Despite bringing Cassilion here boldly, both of them were afraid.

 

They didn’t know who was attacking them, but they instinctively realized that the attacker was stronger than them.

 

“Run!”

 

They took off running, leaving Cassilion behind.

 

“……Ugh.”

 

Cassilion, still recovering from the pain of Balmont’s kicks to his chest and stomach, remained curled up for a while before finally straightening his back.

 

The filthy barn floor was covered in dirt, and his clothes were stained.

 

His hands were covered in fresh bruises and blood. He stared at the open door, where a cold breeze leaked in.

 

He closed his eyes and sniffed the air.

 

He reopened his eyes after a brief pause, his cheeks flushed, and with a dazed expression, he whispered to himself.

 

“Ingredient Unni…….”