Chapter 13
Translator: sleepingjay

At the end of a long silence, Knight Commander Moorwright opened his mouth.
“I would like to believe your words. However, to both myself and the Moorwright family, children are treasures. If anything happened, it would be too late to regret in hindsight. You also have your own circumstances, which I don’t want to doubt. I do want to believe you.”

“……I understand. It’s as you’ve said, if anything happened to those precious children, it’d be too late afterwards. Besides, I know well enough that I shouldn’t involve myself with the affairs of nobility now that this fluke of an event has finished. I don’t mind if you investigate and monitor me until you are satisfied. If you’d like, I could also make a vow to not approach all of you. I’m fine with even making a magical vow to not touch even a single hair of your children.”

At the thought of not seeing Andrea anymore, I felt just a little bit of loneliness.

But now that I knew the circumstances, I couldn’t say that.

In the first place, I was the younger brother of the person who had cast the shadow in Andrea’s heart. The same blood flowing in that idiotic woman also flowed in me.

If I stayed beside him, nothing good would happen, wouldn’t it?

For a vow that was sworn with magic, if a person were to break it, a curse would be placed on them.

When I suggested such an extreme vow, Knight Commander Moorwright was stunned.

But, just as Knight Commander Moorwright was about to say something, the doors of the solemn parlor were thrown open.

“If I can’t meet Lilius anymore, I’ll definitely leave this house!”

……Andrea. You really do appear anywhere, don’t you? Really just like a storm. A kid that was like a storm with zero calmness.

“Andrea, this isn’t a room children should enter. Go return to your own room.”

“No way! I’ve heard everything with my magic! I was the one who found Lilius. Lilius didn’t know anything at all about me. Lilius isn’t lying, hes not a bad guy! ……He’s different from Mother.

” Without flinching at his father’s sharp rebuke, Andrea was almost screaming as he argued for me.

“At first, I thought he was Mother. ……But he’s completely different. Whether it’s the form or smell, his magic is completely different. Lilius’s is so kind. His magic and his smell, all of them are nice and gentle. Even though father also knows these, even though you’ve also noticed…… why are you causing him so much grief. You’re bullying Lilius, aren’t you?!”

“Eh, h-hey, Andrea—”

With a tear-stained face, Andrea barked out a roar akin to a war cry. Then, puffing himself up with all his might, his small body leaped out to stand in front of me.

His figure was like a tiny, little knight, protecting me from evil.

Thinking like that, I accidentally laughed.

Speaking of which, in this situation, would the villain be Knight Commander Moorwright?

The villain was the upright, virtuous hero rather than me. This situation was a bit funny.

“W-why is Lilius laughing!”

“No, it’s nothing. I just thought you’re very lovely. Sorry for laughing, ok? Anyway, I still haven’t said my thanks, have I? That time when I was captured by the knight order, and now too, thank you for protecting me, Andrea.”

“~N-no big deal.”

“Just like your name, you sure are a strong man.”

“My name?”

“Yep, that’s right. In my country, Andrea has the meaning of ‘a strong person’, or ‘a strong man’.”

“……Right! So that’s it! Then, I’ll make sure to protect Lilius!”

Children were truly innocent.

Even though my heart was so laden with heaviness, the pain raging fiercely inside ebbed due to Andrea’s smile.

“Hmm. This is a bit difficult. It looks like Andrea has taken a liking to you.”

“…… That’s, how do I say this… I apologise for the trouble.”

“No, it’s fine. After the divorce, both Andrea and the younger twins have been somewhat distant.
Recently, Andrea’s become something of an unmanageable brat that’d jump at anyone’s throats, and he’s been troubling the servants. I also kept focusing on my work and didn’t think of my children. So, to spend time with my family, this time I’ve used up all my accumulated vacation time to travel from the imperial capital to this place.”

I see, so there was a reason like that.

Even though this town was prosperous, since it was at a distance from the capital, it was also pretty tranquil.

This town was probably the perfect place to set aside a property for vacationing.

“Now then, I do have my own suggestion.”

When I was caught up in my own deliberations, Knight Commander Moorwright’s voice sounded.

As if to draw my attention, he inclined his head towards me.

“I know it’s not very welcoming to you, but……. Andrea seems to hold this idea as well, that is, would you be willing to stay under our care temporarily? On paper, it’d be written as staying under lock and key. For the short period you’ll be under our care, I hope you could spend it here.”

“Well, I understand that you’d prefer to keep a suspicious person like me within your sight until you could verify my innocence. If you made it an order, then a commoner like me can’t disobey that. But, I do have my work as a healer. If this would get in the way of that, please get official papers that properly records this to restrain me for the second time.”

I wasn’t arrogant enough to think I would be allowed to go home in this situation.

To appease their concerns that I might end up fleeing, they’d probably be doing a background check on me. Completing that would probably take about one week? If it would only take that much time, then I wouldn’t mind.

Just, if there was one thing I’d be worried about, it would be the village people.

In that place, there were the rare demons and magic beasts that occasionally come down to the village. Since I could use magic, I could still attack them and protect myself, but that’d be impossible for the villagers.

That’s why I’d set up my residence in that area, a spot just within the distance for my protection array to reach the village — that totally rural area.

Perhaps perceiving my resolute emotions, Knight Commander Moorwright gave me permission to leave as long as I took escorts with me.

Though to be more accurate, they weren’t escorts, but rather watchers.

“In addition, would you mind wearing this? It’s proof that you’re considered someone under us, the Moorwright family.”

“……Got it. I’ll accept it.”

The bracelet dropped into my palm was enchanted with something terrible.

If by any chance I were to harbour aggressive thoughts against a member of Moorwright family or someone close to them, then on the spot, a spell would inflict terrible pain throughout my whole body.

I had an endlessly deep magical reserves. Since he’d previously taken my sister as his wife, he should’ve known of it as soon as he’d seen my black hair and eyes.

Even so, he never said a single word, and handed me this bracelet very naturally. This Knight Commander Moorwright was just a little bit terrifying.

If I ever laid my hands on his treasured ones, he could always easily reap my life.

His sharp fangs were hidden within that gentle-looking smile.