chapter 13
“Ready?”
My dad, with his stern face, called me, looking slightly surprised.
I glanced at him and clenched my fists tightly.
Just wait a little, Dad.
‘I’m going to make him apologize—no matter what.’
When I glared at him, the boy started trembling.
“Who do you think you are?!”
“Without me, you wouldn’t even be able to do that hair loss treatment, would you?”
“That’s not even wrong! I didn’t do anything wrong! Everyone said it that way, that’s all!”
“No, you’re wrong.”
I spoke with all the strength in my eyes.
“My dad is not trash. He’s not useless. He’s my precious dad.”
I saw his eyes widen slightly.
When my dad frowned and looked at my second uncle, the uncle twitched his cheek once and quickly looked away.
“I…”
“Otherwise, your hair will never grow back for the rest of your life.”
At my threat, Elliott hiccupped even more.
“Seems like that’s enough. You should stop too.”
“If you’re going to stop, you should’ve shut your mouth first.”
My dad said coldly in response to my second uncle.
“Oh, that’s right. You liked Miss Rodia, didn’t you? She wouldn’t like someone with circular bald spots, just like you.”
It was well known that Elliott had been courting Miss Rodia since childhood.
‘Even in the future, it’s a political marriage, but it does happen…’
But that’s the future. Right now, Elliott is just a kid who likes Rodia.
Elliott went pale as a sheet.
“Y-you… how did you know that?!”
“Ah, I’ll have to spread the rumor. Talking bad about someone, and then one day suddenly losing all your hair…”
“…Hah!”
Elliott reached out desperately and shouted. His face, bright red and covered in tears, looked utterly pitiful.
“What was that? I didn’t hear you well.”
“Sorry! I’m sorry! I was wrong! Please don’t do this!”
Kids these days…
He was more scared of the rumor than the hair loss itself.
“What did you do wrong?”
“What? What I said earlier…!”
“So what did you say?”
“…!”
Elliott fumbled with his mouth.
He looked flustered. Of course, it wasn’t something you could say with everyone watching.
“Why? Can’t you say it?”
I glared at Elliott, whose lips were moving uselessly, and asked sharply.
“If you’re so confident, say it anywhere. You said everyone thinks that way, right? There’s nothing strange about it.”
“…Ugh.”
“Ah! Don’t remember? Should I tell you?”
I tilted my head innocently, my eyes wide.
Elliott didn’t know what to do, but his glare at me was sharp.
“Hmm. First, you said my dad was a useless uncle. Then that playing with me lowered his standards. You even called him trash.”
Every time I spoke, Elliott’s face grew paler.
“Ah, and you said I was a toy… that my bloodline was bad… and that I’d ruin my life…”
I exaggerated the pronunciation, shaking my head as if pitying him.
Elliott’s already pale expression turned even whiter.
My second uncle frowned, looking defeated.
“Again….”
“Hey!!”
Elliott shouted in panic. I glanced at him and snickered.
Does this kid even know anything?
“Oh, right! Because of Dad, you said our family’s honor has fallen. And you said I was scrawny too.”
“That last part is true, though!”
Elliott huffed and shouted. His expression full of indignation made me chuckle.
“You’re not scrawny! Right, Dad?”
“…Hmm.”
My dad quietly looked at me and said nothing.
No, Dad. If you stay silent there, what am I supposed to do?
“My cousin is certainly weak.”
Even Vallux joined in!
I clenched my fists and glared at my dad again.
My dad couldn’t hold my gaze and quietly patted my back.
“You’ve raised your child well, second brother.”
“Don’t be sarcastic. Kids fight sometimes.”
“You’re just like your older brother when he was young. They said the bloodline is intact, and it seems true. Sneaky, just talking behind others’ backs…”
Dad…?
My usually stern dad snickered.
“They seem perfectly matched in level.”
“…Klein, watch your words!”
“What?”
My dad tilted his head, his voice slightly crooked.
“If you had been careful, your child wouldn’t have learned this.”
Was my dad really that sharp with words?
I always thought he just let me win, so I wasn’t sure.
“This pathetic little worm…!”
Crack.
Just as Roon Tigretto clenched his fists to rush at Dad…
Boom!
“STOP!!”
A tremendously heavy aura poured over from above.
My second uncle, furious, swallowed and quickly stepped back, pulling Elliott into his arms.
Dad quietly held me as well and turned his head.
“Who do you think you are, speaking recklessly in front of someone like me!”
“…I’m sorry.”
My second uncle bowed first. Guess Grandpa is terrifying.
“Elliott!”
“Hic! Y-Yes!”
“Do you know you did wrong?”
“Well… yes… sniff… y-yes…”
“Then apologize properly.”
Elliott bit his lower lip and nodded, his pale face showing guilt.
My uncle set Elliott down. I tapped Dad gently. He looked displeased but let me go without a fuss.
Elliott and I faced each other.
“…I… I’m sorry…”
Elliott blushed deeply and gripped his sleeves tightly as he spoke.
His curly hair was slightly messy.
‘…Looking like this, he’s kind of cute.’
I shivered at the thought, shook my head, and focused my eyes.
“You shouldn’t be apologizing to me. Shouldn’t you apologize to my dad?”
“…That’s!”
Elliott fumbled with his lips, clenched his fists, and hung his head low.
The boy finally bit his lower lip and spoke.
“…I’m sorry.”
He turned to my dad and bowed his head.
I quietly watched his reddened earlobes, then glanced at my dad.
Dad looked at the boy’s head silently and finally spoke.
“You have nothing to apologize for. There were others speaking carelessly in front of a child like you. You only saw, heard, and thought it was right.”
His gaze moved briefly to Grandpa and my second uncle before returning.
“But….”
Dad looked at my second uncle with cold eyes.
“I hope I never see you in front of my daughter again. Though I don’t think you care.”
Elliott’s eyes widened.
“You shouldn’t say what you can’t say in front of others. But at least you’re someone who can feel ashamed of what you said, so that’s a relief.”
“…….”
“There are people who don’t feel shame and just spout nonsense in front of others.”
I stepped closer, put my hand on Elliott’s head, and slowly closed my eyes to use my ability.
Flash—
Light poured into Elliott in an instant.
The scalp wounds from being pulled out, red and slightly bleeding, healed immediately.
“Your hair will grow back in time.”
Unfortunately, my healing ability couldn’t regrow the hair that was lost.
“Dad, let’s go.”
I dashed over and clung to my dad’s leg.
“…Child. You…”
Looking up, Dad’s face was completely astonished.
