028
Even though they scattered after being scolded, how could the gossiping servants be silenced about such an intriguing matter?
Gathered in a corner, they lowered their voices and chatted among themselves.
“They say the eldest young master killed a bird when he was six?”
“No, it was a deer.”
“What deer? There are no deer in Pashayen. They say he killed a turtle without batting an eye.”
Rumors are always exaggerated.
Yet, some rumors do contain a kernel of truth.
Those who knew the truth kept their lips sealed, while the gossiping ones were newer members of the household.
“By the way, wasn’t that turtle one the madam kept?”
“They say he was annoyed by the way it looked at him, so he twisted its neck and tore off its shell…”
The ‘madam’ they mentioned was, of course, the duchess of Pashayen and the current resonator of the Ancestor of Whale.
“Ugh, creepy. Even the servants who served the eldest young master disappeared one by one.”
“Right. I heard that too.”
The gossiping servants fell silent as a senior passed by, pretending to be busy with work. But it wasn’t long before they gathered again to whisper about this and that.
“What a racket.”
Away from the corner where the servants gossiped, in the central hallway on the second floor, Mikard, with his hands clasped behind his head, was whistling. He glanced sideways at Leviwood.
“Should we deal with it? Should I take care of it?”
“No. Leave it alone.”
“It’s annoying when people talk without knowing anything. People like that are useless to this family.”
At Mikard’s decisive tone, Leviwood gave a faint smile, his lips curving slightly upward.
True, the story about him killing the turtle raised by their grandmother was accurate.
Looking at it that way, it seemed like an undeniably cruel act.
Yet, he wasn’t scolded or punished for it.
Why?
“The turtle turned out to be a magical creature planted by a lower-ranking family to spy on Pashayen. Explaining that to everyone is too much trouble.”
Mikard, grumbling softly, came to a stop.
They were now in front of the family head’s office.
“I remember that time. You couldn’t wait to say how odd it was.”
“Yeah. I didn’t like it at all. The way it looked at me was annoying.”
Both Mikard and Leviwood had felt a sense of revulsion the moment they saw the creature.
Leviwood was simply the first to act.
If left alone, Mikard would have killed it himself.
Moreover, the family head, Galizard, hadn’t ignored the creature because he didn’t know about it.
He had left it there as a test.
A test to determine which child visiting their grandmother’s room could realize the truth, to see which child would lead the family’s future.
In the end, only two passed that test.
Since that incident, Leviwood and Mikard had grown quite close.
Leviwood felt a sense of camaraderie with someone on his level.
Mikard, who was still frustrated by his underdeveloped speech, found relief in the connection.
If Mikard had wanted to become the family head, Leviwood would have viewed him as someone to ‘eliminate as soon as possible.’
However, because their aspirations for the future differed, they became good family members to each other.
One aspired to be the family head, while the other aimed to become an admiral.
“We’re back, my lord.”
“Grandfather! I’m here!”
After receiving permission to enter, the two boys greeted him in their own distinct styles.
Galizard set down the documents he was reviewing and laughed heartily.
“Come in, you rascals. Well done. Now, tell me about your missions.”
Though he had already received detailed reports, hearing about it directly from his grandsons was a different experience.
Galizard displayed the gentle demeanor of a grandfather for the first time in a long while.
After spending enough time for a cup of tea, Leviwood was the first to rise.
He knew his mother, Cecilia, was eagerly waiting for him.
Mikard, on the other hand, stayed behind—he had something to discuss.
“Grandfather, what’s happening with finding Elzen’s match?”
“It failed.”
At Galizard’s calm reply, Mikard’s eyes narrowed sharply.
“Was it because Cedric did a half-hearted job, thinking Elzen would die soon? Elzen isn’t going to die. I won’t let him.”
“You rascal. Cedric may lead a lazy life, but he doesn’t approach his work that way.”
Galizard chuckled warmly, trying to soothe his grandson.
To Galizard, Leviwood and Mikard weren’t just valuable assets to the family but also genuinely cherished children.
That’s why he tolerated Mikard’s casual speech and laid-back attitude.
It was entirely due to his strict ability-based approach.
Mikard understood this well.
Even when he was away, he constantly worried about Elzen, and when he heard about the arrival of a new youngest sibling, his concerns only deepened.
Galizard’s next words didn’t ease those concerns but instead amplified them.
“You have another sibling, so don’t worry too much.”
“…Grandfather, I’ve told you repeatedly, Elzen is one of a kind.”
“Haha, indeed he is.”
“And you promised! You said if I completed ten missions this year, you’d find a way to save him.”
Galizard and Leviwood—they didn’t understand people’s emotions.
Mikard was well aware of how twisted and dry their way of thinking was.
It was how they managed to lead this vast family, but it was also something that sometimes made him feel both sad and angry.
He couldn’t simply say, ‘Elzen is precious.’ Instead, he had to say, ‘Elzen is precious to me as someone valuable to the family. If he dies, I’ll become disillusioned, and that would ultimately harm the family.’
“Do you think this old man would break his promise?”
“If you do, I’ll leave home.”
“Haha! How terrifying my grandson is.”
Galizard laughed heartily, but his eyes were icy cold.
As the head of Pashayen, he would never allow Mikard to leave the family.
Even sending Shupetty to live as Diegon’s youngest was a calculated move.
It was to give his irresponsible son and soft-hearted Mikard something to care for, ensuring they would continue to live for the family’s sake.
That was what a family head must do.
“Have you met Shupetty yet?”
“No, I came to see you first.”
“Then this old man has disappointed his grandson… Let’s fix that. Shall we have tea together?”
When Galizard mentioned tea, Mikard looked surprised.
It was only natural.
Tea time with the family head was a rare privilege, something neither money nor desire could buy.
Though it wasn’t offered solely to comfort his grandson, Galizard hid his true intentions and pretended otherwise.
“Tomorrow afternoon sounds good. I’ll also introduce Shupetty to Leviwood.”
“…Okay. But can Elzen join too?”
“Elzen struggles to even leave his bedroom, I hear.”
Softly denying the request, Galizard stroked his beard with a smile.
“Shupetty is valuable. Guide her well so she can become a spirit master.”
It sounded like a typical remark a grandfather might make to his grandson, but it was, in reality, an order.
Mikard understood its deeper meaning.
For Shupetty to continue being considered valuable, she had to become a spirit master.
Even though he hadn’t met her yet, he already felt a sense of responsibility toward her.
***
“Baking, baking cookies!”
The aroma of butter filled the air as a whale-shaped cookie cutter was pressed into the dough.
Although the little hands weren’t strong enough to press it down fully, a large hand appeared to gently help without causing discomfort.
That’s right.
At this moment, Diegon was baking cookies himself.
“Admiral, this is funny, isn’t it?”
“Yes.”
“Do you think brother Mikard likes cookies?”
The navy admiral, now wearing a strawberry-patterned apron, had his reasons for this peculiar situation.
Last evening, Shupetty had unexpectedly received an invitation to a tea time.
Tea with Galizard, Leviwood, and Mikard.
Shupetty had no idea that this was an exclusive gathering reserved for those considered the future family head, admiral, and resonator.
Even so, Shupetty was extremely nervous.
She fidgeted anxiously, wanting to get along well with Mikard.
Diegon had casually suggested giving him a treat as a gift.
‘Then, Admiral, will you help me make it?’
How could he refuse when his daughter looked at him with such innocent eyes?
‘Then, can you wear the same apron as me? Other dads do that…’
With those words, he even ended up wearing the apron.
“Pfft, haha, haha…”
Carmen, who had come to report something but ended up witnessing the scene, couldn’t stop giggling, his face turning red.
Diegon considered knocking him out with a single blow.
He seriously contemplated it until the very moment Carmen noticed his glare.
