Chapter 14
TL-Mechatronic
“……cut it out.”
Luciel was startled, but grabbed onto the rolling shoes.
Bright blonde hair, blood-red eyes, the symbol of Bellstein. I knew who the child was, but I didn’t know we would meet like this.
‘Is this Young Master Leoni?’
Even as a five-year-old child, he had clear facial features, distorted eyebrows, puffy lips and swollen cheeks. He looked very unhappy.
The child stared at Luciel blatantly. Those eyes looked like they were resentful for having lost something of theirs to someone else. I don’t know why. However, did not intend to accept all of the child’s anger.
Luciel held out the shoe to the child. But the child knocked it off, not wanting to take it.
“……I don’t need it.”
Luciel looked at one of the bare feet of the child and tilted her head.
“… Do you really don’t need it?”
“Yes, I don’t want it because you touched it. Just throw it out.”
He was truly a headstrong, stubborn little boy. Leoni replied with a huff and puff mixed in a resentful voice, The child about a span smaller than Luciel was quite plump.
Luciel walked to the child and touched the other shoe with her hand.
“Now, you don’t like this because I touched it with my hand, right? If you don’t need it, can you give me this side too?”
The child flinched as if embarrassed by her unexpected words.
“What?”
“If you are going to throw it away, throw it away as a pair. So that someone else can wear it.”
Leoni was perplexed. Her crimson eyes staring at him were very calm. She had a face that looked only two years older than him, yet she had an unknown leeway for a little girl.
“……Are you crazy?”
“I don’t care if you hate me, but shoes are innocent so don’t do that.”
After Luciel smiled lightly, she left the throw shoe aside and turned around.
“……Hey, white head. Don’t walk this road.”
Luciel turned around again. Is he talking about the magic shortcut?
“Is there an owner for this road?”
“Yes. My brother made it for me!”
Was this the reason the child was angry? Luciel continued, thinking that there was a rather cute corner in the child.
“You like your brother. I won’t use it if it has memories of you two.”
………Yes….And you! My brother will never get married. Go back to your house!”
This must have been the real reason for the grumbling.
“I’m sorry, but I can’t do that. Because I promised the Duke.”
When Luciel refused, Leoni’s plump face was seriously distorted.
Whoos.
His red eyes sparkled even more, and as he uttered chanting words, a fire was summoned at his fingertips.
“I won’t admit it.”
He was ready to blow embers at Luciel at any moment.
Indeed, he was Bellstein, famous for their Mages. I can’t believe he’s doing magic at such a young, age……But he didn’t seem to be in control yet.
The tiny palm that summoned the embers trembled, and the pomegranate-red eyes fluttered back and forth.
“He’s worried. He seems to be restless for fear of being caught by someone.’
Perhaps the Duke would not allow his son’s use of magic. After all, magic with such an unstable control is dangerous even for the child himself.
Luciel said without agitation.
“If you hurt me with magic, you will regret it.”
“…… I won’t!”
Leoni blew up sparks, but Luciel simply avoided it. If he had planned to attack from the beginning, he would have implemented attack magic right away, rather than summoning embers. Or the only thing he knew how to do was fire magic.
“Leoni.”
“What, you…How do you know my name?”
Luciel quickly stepped on the embers that had fallen to the floor. Even a nearby tapestry could really catch on fire if given the chance.
“No one in the Duchy doesn’t know you.”
It was then. I could hear the nanny’s voice calling for Leoni from afar.
“Young Master Leoni… … ! Young Master, where are you?!”
“Hey, just think that you are lucky. I’ll scold you next time.”
It wasn’t a threat at all.
“Hold on. wait.”
Luciel unpacked the bag on her back and pulled out a handful of something. She grabbed it with all her might, but only four were caught.
Luciel picked one of the chocolates, peeled it, and put it in her mouth.
“Ummm, it melts and is sweet.”
Leoni’s thick eyebrows for a child twitched. Of course, Leoni, who thought she was giving it to him, frowned.
“What are you doing? Didn’t you mean to give it to
me?”
“Yes, but not yet.”
“You can’t just give it for free.’
Next, it was the turn of the strawberry flavored candy, From the moment she peeled the packaging, she could smell the strawberry scent. Luciel, who had put it in her mouth and rolled it gently, exclaimed with a small “Wow”.
“It’s sweet and sour. Strawberry taste is the best.”
“Oh, forget it. I have a lot of that stuff in my room.”
“Really? Then I don’t have to give it to you. In particular, I heard that the chef made this strawberry flavored candy specially for me….”
“Lies. Who are you to have a more special treatment than me? I don’t even want to eat that much.”
Those words seemed to be a lie. Leoni’s eyes were slowly glancing at her palm. Luciel pulled out more strawberry flavored candy from her bag.
“Do you want this?”
Luciel grabbed the boy’s chubby hand as he snatched it up.
“Le-Let go.”
“If you promise me one thing, I will give it to you.”
“……What is it?”
“Wear your shoes properly.”
‘That’s all?’
Leoni approached with dull steps, grunting, but put on his shoes properly.
Then, Luciel approached and opened his small fist. Strawberry-flavored candy, chocolate, and milkflavored caramel were dropped onto Leoni’s palm The child’s reddened face brightened quickly, and then he pretended to be sulky again, and asked bluntly.
“Is this everything?”
“Yes. All that’s left is mine.”
Leoni squeezed the strawberry flavored candy into his mouth while narrowing his brow. As it rolled on his tongue, the sweet-and-sour coated sugar melted, and when he pressed it with his teeth, the strawberry juice inside burst out.
Even he, a young master of the family, tasted this for the first time. No, in the beginning, desserts were always piled up like a mountain, but he didn’t really care.
“Give me more strawberry flavor.”
“No.”
Leoni, who always has what he wanted, was a bit shocked to have been denied. Even more so when it comes to food.
Luciel said.
“If you apologize for threatening me with magic, I’ll give you another one.”
However, it seemed his pride did not allow it. Leoni inflated his cheeks even more.
“…….If I ask for that kind of candy, there will be as many as I want later.” “Okay. Then you won’t need it. Bye.”
Luciel put the bag on as if she had no regrets and ran out of the place. Leoni was resentful that he had lost for some reason, but soon his maid, Sasha, ran to him.
“Young Master Leoni! It’s a big deal. The Lord is looking for you.”
Leoni was surprised and hiccups started. He had sneaked out of a writing class.
Sasha carried Leoni up to his room and put the child down. Inside the Duke sat with arms crossed, waiting for his son. Next to him stood his writing teacher, Rendell, restless.
Leoni, unable to properly meet his father’s eyes, bowed his head.
“Where did you go during the class?”
Leoni pursed his lips, and Sasha, who couldn’t see him like that, spoke instead.
“The young master was frustrated, so I let him get some fresh air.”
“Miss Rendell, is that true?”
Rendell, who glanced at Sasha and Leoni for a moment, shook her head reluctantly.
“Yes, the problem was that getting some fresh air wasn’t once or twice, but it is.”
In fact, it was rare for Leoni to attend classes properly No, it was difficult to even sit still for ten minutes with his buttocks on his chair.
“Being patient with frustration is also a learning experience.”
“Lord, it is difficult for children of his age…..”
“Sasha, don’t cover him up.”
He didn’t want to compare them, but at the age of five, Kizef had already mastered etiquette, language, and even history. He himself did too. However, Leoni had difficulty even sitting still and concentrating, and he still couldn’t learn the letters. He couldn’t even write, let alone write his name.
“I’m sorry.”
“I’ll talk with Leoni for a while.”
At the Duke’s words, Sasha and Rendell retreated. The Duke stared intently at his son, who looked like himself but had a different personality.
“Leoni.”
Leoni turned his gaze to the other side.
“Leoni, answer me.”
“…yes.”
“You said you wanted to learn magic, so I gave you a magic class. You wanted to keep animals, so decorated a zoo……What are you dissatisfied about?”
Leoni’s eyes widened and his long eyelashes trembled.
“….I asked why you’re always unhappy.”
Frightened by his father’s increasingly low voice, Leoni said as if crying.
“I want to go to my brother.”
“You brother went to the academy. That’s what you do when you reach a certain age. But it’s not yet your time.”
“……I’m going to go see my mom.”
At Leoni’s foolish replies with protruding lips, the Duke sighed for a moment. He continued his explanation with a more chilled tone.
“I have told you that she’ll come back as soon as things are sorted out.”
“Lie. I’ve been waiting for over ten or twenty nights….”
“Don’t be foolish. What does that have to do with your attitude in class?”
“…..Answer me.”
“Hmm.”
Suddenly, the child’s face was covered with tears and a runny nose.
“Who cares.”
“It was wrong to sneak out of class.”
At his father’s words, Leoni nodded his head with a swollen face
“I’m sorry.”
The Duke took out his handkerchief and wiped Leoni’s face. Although he was a strict father, his hands were warm, and Leoni wept even more sadly.
“Good. You admitted your mistakes, so apologize to the teacher.”
“……Yes. Sniff.” “If you don’t use magic recklessly, speak and act properly, and don’t miss class, Mom will be back soon.”
“… yes.”
Leoni was severely stabbed because he had violated all three of them today.
“I’m tired of listening to your list of accidents all day long.”
Leoni’s shoulders slumped even more.
“I’ll be watching you from now on. You can do it, right?”
“……yes.”
“By the way, Leoni, come to dinner tonight too. I have someone to introduce. It’s a new family member, so we need to welcome them warmly.”
Then Leoni’s eyes lit up again.