Chapter 300

Chapter 300 – Dad, Are You Bullying My Friends?
Leodis gently cleared away the dampness near Aster’s eyes before pulling a fresh set of clothes from his spatial pouch to change.

Since the garments he had on had already turned to ash within the blaze, calling it a mere change of clothes was a bit inaccurate, but it would have to do.

Once properly attired, Leodis fastened his buttons, smoothed out the fabric, and shifted his gaze toward the surrounding gloom.

“You have arrived?”

“…Indeed, Patriarch.”

Stepping out from the shadows was Alfredo.

“You managed to locate us easily enough.”

“I followed your signal, Patriarch. However…”

Alfredo directed a highly conflicted stare toward Aster. A bizarre mixture of remorse and bewilderment swirled within his eyes.

Leodis spoke to him in a quiet tone.

“Do you happen to have any extra garments? My spatial pouch has ceased to function.”

Leodis displayed the spatial small bag, which had completely broken down right after he retrieved that final set of attire.

It was an exquisite piece of work created by the most renowned craftsman and master artifact creator on the continent, yet it apparently lacked the durability to withstand the raw power of a transcendent archmage. Then again, perhaps surviving until now was the truly remarkable part.

“I possess extra clothing.”

“In that case, assist me in dressing him. It seems I lack the knack for clothing youngsters.”

“…Understood.”

Alfredo offered a low bow to Leodis and stepped toward the unconscious Aster.

Utilizing a specialized artifact, he dried Aster’s drenched form, subsequently dressing him in garments retrieved from his own spatial storage.

His hands operated with smooth precision, indicating he had performed similar tasks countless times in the past. As soon as he finished, Leodis spoke once more.

“I would like to ignite a campfire.”

“I shall arrange it immediately.”

With those words, Alfredo dissolved back into the darkness.

He returned a short while later, cradling a large bundle of dry timber.

Alfredo meticulously arranged the wood into a pyramid formation upon the sandy shoreline and set it ablaze.

Before long, the snapping sounds of the fire merged smoothly with the rhythmic washing of the tide against the beach.

Crack, snap.

Leodis took a seat near the campfire, and shortly after, his eyes drifted back toward Aster.

“He must be chilly, right?”

“…”

Alfredo offered no response. Leodis was already in motion.

He draped his outer coat over Aster, entirely unbothered by the fact that the costly material would be soiled by the sand.

Returning to his position, Leodis observed Aster for a brief period before lifting his gaze toward the heavens.

The night sky was remarkably clear.

The dark masses that had obscured the celestial bodies earlier had dissolved entirely, leaving only the moon and stars to display their full brilliance.

Leodis stared up at the round moon, momentarily spellbound.

The moon possessed a peculiar sort of enchantment.

It was not that it was physically saturated with mana, but rather that it held a mesmerizing quality capable of entrancing anyone.

That very quality was potent enough to capture even Leodis, a man whose emotional responses were remarkably dull. Because of this, he found himself unable to look away.

“Pleasant.”

The sentiment was entirely genuine.

The calming murmur of the tide brushing against his ears, the comforting heat of the crackling wood, the intense moonlight bathing the scenery from above.

Furthermore, even though the boy was not his own flesh and blood, he had shared a meaningful period of time with his child’s companion. …At least, that was how Leodis perceived the situation.

However, such peaceful interludes were bound to be brief.

“Alfredo.”

“…Yes, Patriarch.”

“Go fetch Damian.”

“…”

Alfredo remained entirely silent.

He was a man who invariably executed the Patriarch’s directives without a single doubt, yet this particular command proved difficult to fulfill.

Leodis turned his head slightly at the old servant’s quietness, shifting his gaze to read his expression.

Alfredo’s features were heavily weighed down by distress.

It was hard to define.

“…”

The corners of Leodis’s mouth dipped slightly, his features turning stern as a crease formed between his brows. Moments later, his face took on an expression identical to Alfredo’s, and he spoke.

“Are you sorrowful?”

“…No, I would never presume to feel so.”

“Apprehensive, then? On account of Damian? Or perhaps this youngster? Ah, could it be that? You worry that if I relinquish my position as Patriarch and Damian takes over the leadership, this matter will cause him distress?”

“No, that is not it. Patriarch… Did I not pledge to dedicate myself to you as my final lord? It is merely…”

“Merely what?”

In response to Leodis’s inquiry, Alfredo moved his lips hesitantly, resembling a man gathering the fortitude to voice something strictly forbidden.

Yet the pause lasted only a brief moment.

Alfredo spoke up, having clearly made up his mind.

“The person you used to be… would never have opted for this path.”

The words had been spoken.

There was no turning back.

Even if this single statement provoked Leodis’s ultimate fury, even if it cost him his very existence.

In fact, Alfredo secretly wished for Leodis to display anger. He yearned for a display of human emotion.

However.

“The previous version of me… was rather heartless, wasn’t he?”

Leodis tilted his head to the side, peering at Aster resting beneath the coat.

It was a query indicating that his past self would never have protected the boy in such a manner… though it wasn’t because he failed to comprehend the ‘path’ Alfredo was referring to.

It was an attempt at humor… a reflection of his acquired human traits.

Alfredo closed his eyes tightly, completely unable to mask his internal despondency.

“It was meant to be a jest, though it seems it missed the mark.”

“You have… become more severe.”

“Is that the case? I cannot truly perceive it.”

“You must distance yourself from the Grimoire. If things proceed in this manner… there will be no path of return.”

The Grimoire possessed a sinister strength and fascination, but it extracted a brutal, pitiless toll.

Particularly when it came to Blandoga’s specific Grimoire known as ‘Imor’…

“Alfredo.”

“…Yes, Patriarch.”

Alfredo jerked away from his internal reflections upon hearing the deep tone and lowered his head. Leodis’s words reached his ears directly.

“There is not much duration remaining for me.”

“…”

“Perhaps even less than anticipated.”

Alfredo found himself entirely devoid of speech.

He understood precisely what his lord implied by the word ‘duration.’

“Regardless, Alfredo. Go bring Damian here. Oh, and invite the young master Chenby along with Miss Evelyn as well.”

“…”

Alfredo bent his head exceptionally low, concealing his deeply troubled features. Leodis tilted his head once more upon witnessing this display.

After a brief pause.

“There is no cause for apprehension. Most likely.”

Hearing Leodis’s assurance, Alfredo bowed even further before taking his leave.

Leodis monitored his departure, then turned his gaze back to the heavens above.

The words spoken by Alfredo lingered in his thoughts.

A decision his past self would never have entertained… He reflected upon the concept for a moment before dismissing it entirely.

The moonlight was piercingly radiant.

It caused his eyes to smart.

—

Damian made his way to the shoreline a considerable amount of time later.

Alighting from the transport, he caught sight of Leodis positioned near the crackling fire and went entirely rigid.

“…Father?”

“Indeed, my son.”

“Father!”

Damian beamed broadly and offered an enthusiastic wave.

Leodis returned the gesture with a light wave, a subtle grin gracing his features.

Meanwhile, Chenby and Evelyn were entirely incapable of masking their astonishment at the unannounced appearance of the leader of Blandoga.

Who could have anticipated encountering the master of Blandoga under these circumstances?

Yet the astonishment passed quickly.

“Greetings. I am Chenby, a companion of Damian. It is an absolute privilege to cross paths with you… Uh, my gratitude to you.”

Chenby attempted to deliver his greeting in a composed manner despite his immense agitation, though it proved highly challenging.

His thoughts went entirely vacant, leaving him terrified that he had committed a blunder, but fortunately, Leodis offered a gentle smile and acknowledged the greeting.

“Please make yourselves comfortable. And this lady is…?”

“Evelyn de Franja offers her respects to the leader of Blandoga.”

Evelyn executed a flawless aristocratic salutation, her bearing so incredibly polished that she appeared to be a young lady trained in high etiquette from the moment of her birth.

Leodis observed her silently for a moment.

“Ah, you are Evelyn. I see…”

Damian’s voice interrupted the silence at that moment.

“But what brings you to this place? And why is my companion asleep? Is he exhausted?”

“Your companion… well. Why don’t we all take a seat first?”

“Alright!”

Damian dropped down directly across from Leodis, while Evelyn and Chenby took up positions on either side of him.

As a result, the arrangement left the crackling fire situated right between Damian and his two peers on one side, and Leodis alongside Aster on the other.

“The best part of staying outdoors is definitely the fire, isn’t it? Are we spending the night here?”

“That could prove difficult. Most likely…”

Damian smiled with pure innocence, clearly taking delight in the situation, whereas Chenby appeared utterly cowed by Leodis’s presence.

Evelyn, on the other hand, found the entire scenario deeply unsettling.

…Though her reasons differed entirely from Chenby’s.

‘Something is wrong.’

Evelyn kept her eyes fixed on Aster, who lay asleep across the flames enveloped in Leodis’s high-quality coat.

The scene felt entirely unnatural, completely distinct from his state when he had departed.

In fact, the mere reality that he was slumbering at all was highly suspicious.

Even back within the Second Black-White Slums, he would invariably detect her presence ahead of time and stir.

Yet here he was, locked in a deep slumber right before a complete stranger, entirely oblivious to their arrival?

Leodis’s voice broke through her racing thoughts at that very instant.

“You still lack proficiency when it comes to masking your gaze.”

“…”

Evelyn clamped her jaws shut tightly.

Her muscles locked up, and her throat turned dry.

Her formless suspicion instantly solidified into absolute certainty, throwing her thoughts into utter chaos the moment the realization hit her.

Her complexion turned dreadfully pale, a change that Damian picked up on immediately.

“Evelyn? Is something amiss?”

“P-Pardon?”

“You look terribly unwell.”

“My appearance…”

She attempted to project an aura of normalcy, but failed completely.

Consequently, Evelyn ceased her attempts at deception and clamped her eyes shut.

Desperately trying to recover her equilibrium by any means necessary.

By this point, even Chenby could tell that the atmosphere had turned strange, but Leodis chose that moment to speak.

“Son.”

“Yes, Father.”

“If your companions were to perish, would you experience grief?”

It was a deeply unsettling query.

Spoken completely devoid of malice, underlying intent, or any discernible emotion—yet Evelyn felt her mind spin.

Simply because the words originated from the lord of Blandoga.

However, completely unbothered by her inner panic, Damian maintained his naive demeanor.

“Hmm… I suppose I would?”

“Yes, I comprehend.”

Leodis gave a nod as if validating the response, his eyes naturally drifting across Chenby and Evelyn.

Damian noticed the look and tilted his head in curiosity.

Leodis then addressed them again.

“There is no need to be overly distressed, Evelyn. No harm shall manifest. Most likely.”

It would have been far better had he remained silent.

Evelyn felt her carefully gathered composure shatter completely, forcing her to struggle immensely just to keep herself anchored.

Now, even Damian could perceive that something was genuinely awry.

“Father, are you intimidating my companions?”

“I am executing no actions against them.”

“Evelyn appears terrified.”

“Youngsters harbor fears toward a great many things.”

“Evelyn is older than I am.”

“Advancing in years does not banish the things that cause fear.”

“Oh.”

Evelyn felt as though she were on the verge of losing her sanity.

Oh? Seriously, what sort of dialogue was she even forced to listen to…

If the capability were hers, she would gladly bind the lips of both this father and son together permanently. Naturally, if she possessed the power to handle them in such a fashion, she would not be reduced to this state of terror.

While Evelyn battled fiercely to regain her footing.

Leodis weighed his words with immense care. He recognized the necessity of being gentle around his youthful child.

He spoke up shortly thereafter.

“Son.”

“Yes, Father.”

“Do you enjoy spending time with Aster?”

“Interacting with companions is always a joyful thing.”

Leodis offered a gentle smile in response to Damian’s bright expression, and then made a proposition.

“What if we were to convey him to our estate?”

“Our estate?”

“Indeed, so that you may engage in amusement with him whenever you wish. Does that sound appealing?”