Chapter 179 - Damn Reincarnation

Ariartel

Nothing had changed at the mansion by the time he returned. Naturally—he had only been gone a week.

“Riu Dragonic. What did you think of him?”

In the family head’s office, Gilead suddenly spoke up as he listened to Eugene’s account.

“He’s young, but he is a genius.”

The moment Eugene answered, Carmen, seated beside Gilead, flipped open the lid of her Dupont lighter.

‘How long is she going to keep doing that...?’

Despite wondering, Eugene did not look at Carmen. He tried to ignore her, but...

POP!

Carmen flicked the lighter again. Holding back the sigh rising in his throat, Eugene shifted his eyes to oblige her with a look at the Dupont lighter.

“Very impressive.”

“A genius. I don’t like throwing that word around lightly...”

HISS!

The finger that had flicked the lighter brought forth a flame.

“If you call him a genius, does that mean the next head of the Dragonic family is an even greater genius than you, or one who rivals you?”

“No, not that. In terms of natural talent alone, he’s a little better than Cyan, perhaps?”

“That isn’t welcome news.”

“That’s only in terms of talent. Cyan and Riu couldn’t be more different in temperament. Riu is... well... easily satisfied. But Cyan doesn’t know how to be satisfied.”

He had given it serious thought before reaching that conclusion. He had only observed Riu for a week, but that was enough to get some sense of his innate nature.

Riu Dragonic had exceptional natural talent. He was enthusiastic about learning and training. He also took pride in the blood flowing through his veins and the family into which he had been born. In other words, he enjoyed favorable circumstances.

Far too favorable.

Riu was the Dragonic family’s sole legitimate heir. If things continued as they were for another twenty years or so, he would become its head without question.

Riu knew that himself. He knew how much Alchester Dragonic, his father and the empire’s greatest knight, loved him. He also believed that the knights loyal to the family would someday swear the same loyalty to him.

“I think becoming strong requires more than talent and effort. You need a fierce determination, too.”

Riu’s circumstances made it difficult for him to develop that determination.

What about Cyan? He was the heir to the prestigious Lionheart family, but that had not been the case from the start. Anisilla had not been the principal wife, nor had Cyan been the eldest son.

“Cyan has had to keep proving himself since he was little. His circumstances demanded it, and having me around—someone far, far better than him—only backed him further into a corner. But he didn’t fall apart, did he? Cyan has grown up well.”

“Not as well as you.”

“Well, I’m not going to be the family head anyway. In any case, both Cyan’s circumstances and his nature were better suited to developing that determination than Riu’s. You know that yourself, Lady Carmen, don’t you?”

Carmen smiled at that. If the family head had to be chosen solely by strength, Eugene would naturally be the next family head. Cyan himself knew it, too.

He had not given up. Knowing he lacked the qualifications, he was desperate to earn them. With his succession all but guaranteed, he might have been expected to relax a little, but he still devoted himself to training every day.

That attitude had won him the household’s support. People generally found themselves rooting not for someone flawless and perfect, but for someone with shortcomings who strove fiercely to overcome them.

“Riu can’t beat Cyan.”

Youth, friendship, and faith. All were things Carmen loved. Suppressing the itch in her fingertips, she nodded.

“Beautifully said.”

Carmen gazed at the tiny flame in her hand, then closed the lid. Gilead looked pleased as well. Seven years ago, when he had first brought Eugene into the family as an adopted son, he had harbored all manner of concerns. Now, none of them even crossed his mind. If anything, lately he had begun to feel that he himself was lacking.

That feeling had become all the more acute after seeing Eugene’s swordsmanship at the recent competition. His sword had lit a fire in the hearts of every Lionheart.

“Shall we take a walk together?”

As they left the office, Carmen abruptly spoke to him. Out of nowhere? Her reason was obvious. Eugene chuckled as he watched her lips work.

She wanted to ask him directly, but apparently her mouth refused to cooperate. Looking frustrated, Carmen kept opening and closing it.

“Why did you punch the mirror?”

Eugene bluntly asked what he had truly been curious about.

Carmen knew what his question meant.

An embarrassing memory from the distant past. Anyone else would have blushed and feigned ignorance or made excuses, but Carmen did neither. Naturally. She was not the least bit ashamed of her past self.

“I wanted to shatter myself.”

“Pardon?”

“An egg is a world.”

What was she trying to say?

“To be born, you must shatter a world.”

“... It was a mirror, not an egg...”

“My reflection in the mirror. The me contained within it. Another reality, the exact opposite of this one. You could call that an egg, too. What happens when you thrust your fist out before a mirror?”

Carmen raised her fist.

“When it reaches the mirror, I meet my own fist... and shatter myself. That was how I longed to be born.”

“Right...”

“And I truly was born anew. That chance encounter led me to another world. Eugene. If you know that story... then you met her as well?”

“I can’t say.”

His meeting with Ariartel had involved no promise bound by Dragon Speech. But Eugene decided to pretend there had been one. He felt that continuing this conversation with Carmen might break his mind...

“Then it can’t be helped.”

They were both bound by promises. She wanted to discuss their mysterious experiences at length, but she understood that breaking such a promise was impossible. Looking disappointed, Carmen backed off, and Eugene swallowed a sigh of relief.

“Hey.”

Once he was sure Carmen had gone, Eugene lowered his head and glared downstairs.

“Feeling good?”

A gasp came from the floor below. Eugene snorted and approached the stairs. Cyan came racing up them and stopped in front of him.

“G-good about what?”

“You rushed right up here. Why bother playing dumb?”

“No... uh... I was just surprised...”

“You’ve always had a sneaky streak, you little shit. You only make a fool of yourself when you try it.”

“That’s a bit harsh to say to your brother...”

“If you eavesdropped on me saying nice things about you, you should take a little abuse graciously. So, feeling good?”

Unable to answer, Cyan merely cleared his throat. Of course he felt good. Who in the world would be unhappy to hear someone praising them behind their back?

“... Well... just so you don’t misunderstand, I wasn’t eavesdropping. I happened to hear it. As you know, Father’s office is right above my room.”

“Is the soundproofing bad...?”

“Well, yes, I suppose. They finished the mansion’s expansion in such a hurry...”

“I’ll have to tell Lady Anisilla. Those bastard contractors gobbled up all that money and did a shitty job.”

Cyan’s eyes darted from side to side.

“... Well, no... you don’t need to tell Mother... It was just that your voice and Father’s carried particularly well today... And my hearing was better than usual...”

Rather than answering, Eugene stared at Cyan through narrowed eyes. That piercing gaze felt like needles pricking his skin. Cyan squirmed, then let out a deep sigh.

“... Oh, come on. I was curious. Is it so bad to listen...?”

“Sneaky bastard.”

“It’s not like I eavesdropped on anything bad, or something I shouldn’t have heard... Hey, what are you doing now?”

“What I do every day.”

“Thought so. How about taking a look at my swordsmanship? It’s been a while.”

Changing the subject, Cyan waved the sword in his hand. The praise he had heard from upstairs had evidently fired him up.

“Sure.”

There was no reason to refuse.

The mansion’s training grounds had also undergone a major expansion, but they were crowded with knights training. Acknowledging the knights’ greetings, Eugene and Cyan left the mansion grounds and headed into the forest.

“Is it because elves live here? Mana training in the forest feels more effective than usual.”

“It’s not just a feeling, dumbass. It really is more effective. And what does that have to do with elves living here?”

“Well... people say elves originated from forest fairies. So having elves here might make the forest a little more special...”

“Let me warn you now: don’t go hitting on the elves and forcing your tastes on them.”

“... What exactly do you take me for?”

Cyan turned his head in horror. Eugene recalled the obscene books Cyan had indulged in since childhood, and the women in revealing outfits and bunny-ear headbands adorning their covers.

“If you do, I’ll—”

Eugene openly glared at Cyan’s crotch. His gaze was sharp enough to send a chill through him. Cyan drew his legs together despite himself and scowled.

“This is so unfair, honestly...”

The training grounds deeper in the forest were much quieter than those at the mansion, but they were not completely deserted. Walking in front, Eugene stopped and looked toward them.

He saw Dezra struggling atop a sleek wyvern. Both hands trembled pitifully around the reins; she seemed to be practicing how to ride it.

Ciel sat in front of her with a look of exasperation. She was riding a wyvern as well, but she sat comfortably with her arms crossed, not even holding its reins.

“I told you, that’s not it! Wyverns are nothing like horses. They fly instead of running on their feet.”

“I don’t have wings, so I don’t know what flying feels like.”

“That! Is! Why! You have to imagine it. Look, even your posture is wrong. Sitting there interferes with its wing movements. A little farther forward... You need to feel as one with it. As one! Dezra! That unnecessarily big butt of yours needs to be pressed firmly against the wyvern’s scales!”

“M-my butt isn’t big...!”

“Is that what you should be worrying about right now? As one! Is there—is there really nothing you know how to do? Get closer! Lean forward, and stop pulling on the reins! Hold them so they fit snugly in your hands.”

Ciel poured out criticism without pausing for breath. Dezra’s shoulders trembled more with every word, but the scolding did not stop.

“Don’t just think about your own comfort. Think about the wyvern trapped under that enormous butt of yours. Think about me, too! I can’t go out or relax on such a lovely day because I’m here teaching you! And think about Draggy, who keeps spreading and folding his wings to demonstrate for you!”

“Ooh... ooh...”

“Don’t cry! What will crying accomplish? Does crying make it all over? Again! You’ve pulled away again! Keep your posture no matter what anyone says! Even if you’re cut in midair and your guts spill out, the reins...”

“Good grief...”

Even overhearing it was enough to make Cyan shudder. He looked pityingly at Dezra’s hunched shoulders. During the Bloodline Succession Ceremony and in the forest around Black Lion Castle, she had talked back at every turn and lost her temper, yet in front of Ciel she merely whined like a puppy with its tail tucked between its legs. It was a pitiful sight.

“Now, come on... little sister, perhaps you could ease up...”

“Stay out of it, Cyan. It’s not as if anything I’m saying is wrong! She has to learn properly now so she won’t be a burden to the other knights later.”

She knew Cyan and Eugene were watching, but what did that matter? A mentor had to instruct her junior firmly and thoroughly. A mistake in mounted combat ended with a fall from a horse, but a mistake in aerial combat meant plummeting to the ground far below. Not only would Dezra die, but she would badly disrupt the formation and endanger the other knights as well.

“She’s right about all of it.”

“... Still, she could be a little kinder...”

“Having taught you plenty of times myself, I’ve found it’s better to give a proper scolding when it’s needed than to be too nice.”

“What did I do...?”

Cyan pouted at being singled out for no reason. With Eugene taking her side, Ciel broke into a bright smile.

“... Ahem. Watch closely, Dezra. I’ll show you how to make a wyvern walk.”

“Yes...”

“No more tears! Pay attention. My Draggy’s walk is renowned for its elegance and sophistication, even among the Black Lion Knights’ wyverns.”

Ciel tucked in her chin and assumed a haughty expression. Then she tugged lightly on the reins, imagining herself walking with Draggy like a model and trying to guide him accordingly.

But after a few steps, Draggy stopped. His memory of the beating Eugene had given him, and of having his scales torn out, was still vivid. Instead of approaching Eugene, Draggy shook his head from side to side with squeaking whimpers.

“Draggy...!”

Fire blazed in Ciel’s eyes. How dare he embarrass her in front of her junior...!

“... Dezra! This is your fault.”

“Pardon?”

“You’ve been acting so stupid that Draggy had to repeat the demonstration over and over. Now he’s too exhausted to move!”

“But that’s...”

“Am I wrong? Are you saying you weren’t acting stupid? Then prove it. Fly!”

“I-I can’t.”

“Stupid Dezra!”

After snapping at her, Ciel dismounted from Draggy. Then she walked lightly over to Eugene.

“How was the Dragonic mans—”

She had begun asking with a bright smile, only for her face to freeze.

“Why did you stop talking?”

She had spotted the ring on Eugene’s ring finger.

“...”

“I asked why you stopped talking.”

Ciel’s expression gradually changed. Her eyebrows rose, then fell; their ends twitched, and the space between them slowly narrowed. Her lips started to form words, swallowed them back, trembled, then twisted. And her eyes grew cold, as though ice had been poured into them.

Cyan had never seen his younger sister make that face before. But an instinct etched into his blood, into his genes, understood her fury.

He realized how insignificant the ghosts he had feared so much as a child had been. True terror stood right before him. His sister was scarier than a ghost, and unlike one, she was real and standing directly in front of him.

“... Urgh...”

Dezra felt that terror, too. Standing behind Ciel, she saw the triceps and rear deltoids beneath her uniform twitch. A slap. Dezra swallowed hard. Ciel was imagining slapping Eugene across the face with all her strength, and debating whether to follow through.

“... Wh-what is it?”

Eugene rarely stammered, but at that moment he could not help it. The killing intent pouring from Ciel was that sudden and intense.

Ciel recalled the Dragonic family tree.

The family head was Alchester Dragonic. He had only one wife, and their only child was ten-year-old Riu Dragonic. In other words, Eugene could not have suddenly become engaged to someone in the Dragonic family. But romantic feelings between men and women generally arose without warning. A venerable noble house like the Dragonic family would have plenty of young servants at its mansion.

... A romance between a noble young master and a maid? Ciel knew very well that romance novels about such things were popular, but him? That fellow who cared about nothing but swinging his sword, working up a sweat, and eating meat? With a maid from another family, not even his own? Or... or was it one of the knights loyal to the Dragonic family? Which female knights served them?

“... You.”

Ciel composed her expression. The muscles she would use to slap him no longer twitched. She had no reason to slap him in the first place. Her muscles had tensed without her realizing it, but anyway, she smiled, her lips twitching.

“What’s that ring?”

She could not arrive at an answer no matter how much she thought about it, so she decided to ask outright.