“Thank you, Young Lord. Thanks to you, my mind feels much more at ease.”
Even though it was a situation where he could have just let things slide, Dyuf went out of his way to express his gratitude.
Did he think he couldn’t just stay silent because of Reysir, who had been making such a fuss about praising me?
Or did he truly feel grateful after finding comfort in my words?
Whichever it was…
“…I would prefer it if we stopped talking about that.”
“If that is what the Young Lord wishes.”
Fortunately, Dyuf knew how to back off cleanly while respecting the other person’s wishes.
It was an attitude hard to believe from the man who had raised the incredibly persistent Reysir.
Just as I was feeling relieved by that fact, I noticed Dyuf lightly tapping the back of Hailga’s hand.
Immediately after, Hailga opened her mouth and spoke.
“The atmosphere is already awkward as it is, so why don’t we stop with the heavy topics and just share some light small talk instead?”
If I hadn’t witnessed Dyuf giving her that signal, I would have just assumed Hailga couldn’t stand the uncomfortable air in the carriage and was trying to change the mood.
But since I had seen it, I couldn’t help but think there was another reason.
‘It seems Reysir isn’t the only one who recruited Hailga as an ally.’
Dyuf must have asked Hailga to lead a natural conversation.
He likely wanted to see how I usually treated those under his care.
I guessed as much, but instead of pointing it out, I decided to just let it go.
‘It’s much better to exchange words with people I’ve talked to several times rather than continuing a strained conversation with the guardian of a professor and classmate I’ve only met today.’
It seemed Reysir was also quite happy with Hailga’s suggestion.
Did he not see Dyuf signaling her?
Or did he see it but, like me, decided to just feign ignorance?
“Young Lord, how did you spend your vacation?”
“I just spent it well.”
“I don’t mean just that. I’d like you to tell me specifically what you did or things like that.”
The answer that would 100% fit Karbaldr’s character was ‘Why should I?’
However, with Dyuf watching, I wondered if it was okay to show such an arrogant attitude toward his daughter, Hailga.
I knew that it was a natural parental instinct to feel hurt when seeing one’s child being ignored by others.
“It wasn’t much different from when I’m at the Academy. I practiced my Whip Technique and Dagger Arts, or trained my Ether Characteristic Ability.”
I answered faithfully, albeit in a blunt tone, as long as it didn’t violate my character.
In reality, there wasn’t much else to talk about anyway.
I couldn’t tell her that, since I hadn’t received the memories of the Possession Body, I had to learn various things to build the basic knowledge required of a Duke’s son.
Or that I had decided to start writing again and was retracing my memories to rewrite the synopsis of Hoe-ak-bang.
Or that because of the nature of the typewriter, a three-set Korean keyboard layout was more advantageous than a two-set one, so I had to practice typing passionately with Yor.
I couldn’t talk about those things.
“…Wasn’t there anything special or fun?”
“No.”
“…… Any new interests you developed during the break?”
“None of that either.”
Answering one-sided questions one after another made me feel as if I were being interrogated.
And it seemed the person asking felt the same, as a crack appeared in her smiling face.
“Excuse me, Young Lord? If there’s nothing to talk about, shouldn’t you at least ask a question back? I think that’s how smooth communication works, don’t you think??”
Hailga had no interest in me.
Even so, the reason she was throwing all these questions at me was because of Dyuf’s request, and her effort to create a friendly atmosphere was likely because Reysir had asked her to.
She was already forcing herself to do this, so it was only natural that irritation would start to creep in when I didn’t engage in the conversation properly.
But there was nothing I could do.
It would be a violation of character for Karbaldr to actively engage in this kind of useless conversation and ask about someone else’s private life.
That was why even when small talk happened, I usually just sat quietly petting Yor and only gave short answers when asked a question, wasn’t it?
Sometimes I hadn’t even given short answers and just let it pass.
“Why don’t you just act as you usually do?”
“As I usually do?”
“I am saying this because I wonder what the point is in forcing yourself to seem close to me by asking things you aren’t even curious about.”
Hailga never went out of her way to ask me questions unless there was something she was genuinely curious about.
I had felt comfortable with her attitude of not forcing conversation.
That was why, when Hailga pointed out the awkward atmosphere and suggested small talk, I thought she would lead the conversation by talking with Reysir and occasionally asking for my opinion.
‘But like this, it’s no different from talking to Dyuf, is it?’
I wondered why a person who should know better was acting like this, especially when the more one tries to force a friendly image, the more unnatural and awkward it becomes.
Surely she didn’t expect me to scrape together my nonexistent social skills and communicate with an active attitude just because I wanted to look good to Dyuf?
I intended to be careful not to make it obvious that I was ignoring him, but anything beyond that was impossible.
Dyuf may have gained the qualifications of an Academy professor, but his rank was still only that of a Baron.
For Karbaldr, a member of a Dukedom, to act differently from usual just because he was conscious of such a man would be a destruction of narrative consistency that went beyond just being out of character.
“I think Karbaldr is right, too.”
When Reysir agreed with me, a look of absurdity washed over Hailga’s face.
Seeing a hint of grievance in her wide-eyed expression, it seemed she was thinking something along the lines of ‘Who do you think I’m doing this for!!’
“So, you’re saying I’m in the wrong?”
“It’s not to the point of calling it a ‘wrong,’ but it wasn’t exactly right either. It’s rude to ask about personal matters just to use them as temporary conversation topics when you aren’t even particularly curious.”
“Usually, small talk starts with personal trivia. And it’s not like I asked about sensitive private matters, is it? All I did was ask what you did during the break, and do I really have to hear this much for that?”
A cold wind suddenly blew between the two childhood friends.
A look of seriousness clouded Dyuf’s face as he watched them.
I wondered if I should finally say the words I couldn’t spit out in chapter 145—the plea for them to stop fighting because of me.
“Helly. I’m not saying this to blame you.”
“Then what? With what intention are you saying it?”
“Are you trying to brag that Karbaldr only gives proper answers to questions born from sincere interest, so he would have answered much more earnestly if I had been the one asking?”
“……”
I didn’t know how that could be considered something to brag about.
I knew even less how he could have reached such a conviction.
Hailga seemed to think so too, as she lost all will to fight and wore an expression that asked why on earth she should be jealous of such a thing.
It was a moment where the time I spent seriously considering whether I should stop the two of them felt wasted.
As Yor also let out a mya… and shook her head as if appalled, Dyuf’s complexion grew even darker.
‘Reysir probably said that in his own way to ease Dyuf’s worries, though!’
He likely wanted to claim that it wasn’t because I looked down on Hailga that I gave half-hearted answers, but simply because we weren’t close enough to exchange personal questions, so I had been sparing with my words.
‘……Probably?’
This was merely the most plausible hypothesis I could deduce.
Since Reysir was the protagonist of another novel, my guess could very well be wrong.
Still, looking at the narrative consistency from various angles, I thought there was a fairly high chance it was the correct answer.
“Ah! We must have arrived?!”
The moment the carriage came to a halt, Hailga looked incredibly relieved and hurriedly got off as if she were escaping.
Even though the reality of having to continue the conversation wouldn’t change—only the location would shift from inside the carriage to inside a restaurant.
Perhaps because Reysir had made arrangements in advance, the place we arrived at was a restaurant with a private room.
Here, too, Hailga and Dyuf sat side by side, while Reysir sat at the end of the opposite row.
And I took a seat next to him.
Earlier, I had swapped seats with Yor because I didn’t like how the protagonist of another novel was talking nonsense.
However, it was because I belatedly realized that was exactly why I should sit next to him.
‘If he says something strange again, I should interrupt him by lightly kicking his leg under the table or covering his mouth!’
Unaware of my hidden intentions, Reysir’s eyes widened with joy and surprise.
Still, it seemed he had also gained some belated realization, as he didn’t make a fuss like before.
He just wore a beaming smile without saying a word.
“Young Lord Karbaldr. I feel I must say this.”
After the food was ordered and served, Dyuf, who had been quietly lost in thought with a serious expression, spoke up cautiously.
“It was only for a short time, but I could see that, contrary to appearances, the Young Lord possesses a kind heart and is not one to discriminate against others based on status.”
Is it because it has become a daily routine for me to refute compliments when I hear them?
I felt a sudden urge to deny Dyuf’s words for no reason.
However, I couldn’t very well claim, ‘I am a cold-hearted person who discriminates against others based on status.’
Besides, judging by the atmosphere, it didn’t seem like Dyuf had brought this up just to offer a compliment.
Thus, I wore a hesitant expression and waited for the words that would follow.
“And considering the grace the Young Lord has shown, it might feel quite shameless of me to say this, but…”
The preamble was too long.
He must have felt that the previous compliment wasn’t enough.
By this point, I felt a surge of tension, wondering just how rude the thing he was about to say was.
When I involuntarily gulped, I was finally able to hear the main point.
“The Young Lord may have acted without much thought, but I hope you realize that the other person might find great meaning in those actions and experience cycles of joy and sorrow because of them.”
“……?”
“If you truly cherish Reysir, please make your attitude clear. So that the boy can keep his balance and not be swayed here and there by the Young Lord’s whims.”
“……”
It wasn’t a shameless statement; it was an absurd one.
Did he think I was playing some kind of game, toyed with people’s hearts?
I was so dumbfounded that I couldn’t even manage a hollow laugh, let alone words.
“Mister Dyuf, I would appreciate it if you refrained from saying such things. Don’t they say that being fickle is originally a cat’s strength and charm? Karbaldr is like that, too.”
While I sat there blankly, feeling my mind go distant, the protagonist of another novel spouted nonsense once again.
It seemed that sitting next to him didn’t mean I could stop him in time.
“What… on earth does that mean…?”
It seemed I wasn’t the only one appalled by Reysir’s nonsense, seeing how Dyuf expressed his doubt with a trembling voice.
Perhaps worried about her father, Hailga stepped in to reassure him, but the content of her words was truly a sight to behold.
“Dad, just don’t mind their business. Even if it looks like Reysir is being swayed by the Young Lord right now, it’s usually the opposite. If anything, it’s mutual, so it’s not something to worry about in the first place.”
“Kids these days… I really don’t know what they’re thinking… Can I really do well as an Academy professor like this…? I’ve lost my confidence…”
I debated whether or not I should tell him that it wasn’t a problem with ‘kids these days,’ but a problem with his ward.