Chapter 3. The Beginning of Life’s Second Act 2

Sniff- Sniff-

In the silent Wilkins villa.

The child’s lingering sobs and the sweet scent of cocoa filled the drawing room.

The child was still cradled in Charlie’s arms.

[M-my name is Oedipus, Your Majesty.]

Oedipus Graham, the only child of Princess Scarlet and the current Emperor’s nephew.

In this world, it was customary for a child to take the surname of the parent with higher magical power, so Oedipus had been a member of the imperial Graham family from the moment he was born.

There was no need for paternity tests.

Oedipus’s powerful light magic was proof enough.

[The Princess… couldn’t overcome postpartum fever…]

It was said that Princess Scarlet passed away shortly after giving birth to Oedipus.

It was probably due to the magical conflict with Oedipus while he was still in the womb.

If it had been Kaisis, a Grand Master, he could have healed her.

Yet, why the Princess chose death instead of seeking Kaisis remained a mystery.

How a Master Princess met a Master man and gave birth to Oedipus, a Grand Master, was unknown.

The only certainty was that Oedipus was indeed a Grand Master.

And one without control, at that.

[He turned three this year.]

Charlie, who had estimated the child to be five or six, was shocked to hear Oedipus’s age.

Typically, those with dominant genes awaken their magical powers around the age of 12.

However, this was merely an awakening of magic, not the ability to properly manifest spells.

Not to mention abilities, which were superior to magic.

This was because they didn’t know how to utilize their magical power, and their strength was also weak.

Occasionally, there were instances of unknowingly lifting objects or creating light.

But these were mostly coincidental and limited to basic magic levels.

Of course, it was different for Grand Masters like Hector and Kaisis.

They could freely use the magic within their bodies without learning, and their power was also strong.

In other words, they weren’t as unstable as Oedipus, who could cause rifts in the earth.

[Ah, the child is suffering greatly. Please show mercy, just once.]

The child’s father immediately pleaded with Charlie upon seeing Kaisis.

Oedipus needed purification.

[Mommy…!]

On the day Charlie awakened as a Miracle and released her pheromones, Oedipus had sensed her too.

And with a misunderstanding, he manifested his light ability.

Afterward, Oedipus, unknowingly using his powerful ability, accumulated more and more consequences of his ability.

Originally, children receive a kind of purification along with learning how to use magic from their parents.

But Oedipus was a Grand Master, a rank higher than even his parents.

In the end, Oedipus’s father gave up hiding and began searching for Charlie.

Or rather, it would be more accurate to say he was led around by Oedipus, who mistook Charlie for his mother.

However, it was impossible to have an unofficial audience with the queen living in the palace, especially one under Hector’s protection.

Meanwhile, sensing Charlie’s movement, Oedipus began to panic, and swept up in his uncontrollably manifesting light ability, he teleported here and there before finally landing right in front of Charlie on Chatori Island.

“Do you want war?”

It was Hector who broke the silence.

Kaisis, sitting across from him, showed a troubled expression.

“Of course not. I just found out about this too.”

“You must have had some idea.”

“That’s why I rushed here like this.”

“You should have prevented it beforehand.”

“I wasn’t certain. There was no evidence.”

The other light energy that had been felt since Charlie awakened as a Miracle and released her pheromones.

It was impossible for Kaisis not to have noticed it.

But there was no trace of Princess Scarlet to be found anywhere in the empire.

No, it couldn’t have been his sister.

Then who could it be?

Another Grand Master with the same light energy as himself.

And the identity of the small figure that had been flickering before his eyes.

“Really, believe me. I had no intention of interfering with your honeymoon.”

Kaisis expressed his grievance.

But despite his sincere plea, the anger in those red eyes showed no signs of subsiding.

“If you want to kill someone, kill that bastard who followed us.”

Kaisis pointed at Oedipus’s father, who was standing trembling in a corner of the drawing room.

“I’m already planning to kill him.”

“Then that’s settled.”

“He’s the son of your subordinate.”

“……”

Creak–

At Hector’s words, Oedipus’s father’s face turned pale.

Taylor Lewis.

Oedipus’s father was the third son of Marquis Miller Lewis and a former guard knight of Princess Scarlet.

He was also the figure who disappeared along with Princess Scarlet.

“You knew? I wasn’t sure at first since it’s been so long.”

An interesting light gleamed in Kaisis’s blue eyes.

“I thought you weren’t interested in others. Ah! Is it that you’re interested in me?”

“Don’t change the subject.”

“How stiff, what’s so good about a man like this. Was this uptight style your preference after all?”

Kaisis stuck out his tongue.

Then, upon seeing Hector’s sharp gaze, he let out a shallow breath and leaned back on the sofa.

“I really didn’t know. The Marquis thinks that one is dead too.”

At the core of Miller’s loyalty towards Kaisis and the Graham Empire was his own child.

A son who vanished without a trace one day along with the Princess.

Miller was not unaware of his son’s feelings towards the Princess.

If the two were married and had a child, it would be an imperial grandchild and Miller’s grandchild.

So he couldn’t help but be more sincere and truthful than anyone else.

In any case, Miller’s value to Kaisis was sufficient.

“And it doesn’t seem like I’m the only one responsible for this situation.”

Kaisis stared at Taylor.

Following that, as his blue eyes flashed, a dark red barrier surrounding Taylor revealed itself.

“I wondered why, no matter how much I searched, I couldn’t find him.”

This was the power imbued in the magic stone that Hector’s grandfather, Grand Duke Christopher Hunt, had gifted to Emperor Constanti of Graham.

<The bastard whined so much that I secretly gave him a magic stone so he could sneak around. If he used it improperly later, destroy it.
—Your ancestor, Christopher Hunt>

Its purpose was none other than for playing hide-and-seek.

It was written in records that only the head of the Hunt family could access, so while Hector had guessed, it was his first time actually seeing it.

“It was the late Emperor’s doing, so it’s not my responsibility.”

Hector turned his gaze away with an impassive expression, without a hint of agitation.

“Then are you saying it’s my responsibility?”

“It would be the responsibility of the previous Emperor who passed down the gift he received, and his descendants who didn’t use it for its proper purpose.”

The phrase ‘proper purpose’ might be somewhat inappropriate.

Swallowing his words, Hector nodded towards Oedipus, who was clinging tightly to Charlie.

Following his lead, Kaisis looked at his nephew.

“Then go confront that one who didn’t use it for its proper purpose and followed us here.”

Flinch-

Feeling the attention focused on him, Oedipus burrowed deeper into Charlie’s embrace.

“Ah, killing that one would be a bit troublesome.”

It was then.

“I’ve heard enough, really.”

Charlie, whose patience had exploded, covered Oedipus’s ears with her hands and glared at the two.

“There’s nothing you won’t say in front of a child!”

Originally, one instinctively feels when they’re being insulted, even if the language is different.

No matter how young, there’s no way he wouldn’t understand that he was the subject of their conversation.

Just look at how he’s burying his face in Charlie’s chest with his eyes tightly shut.

“You, who call yourself an uncle, what are you going on about…”

“……”

“Shall I show you what’s really troublesome?!”

Her gritted teeth were so fierce that Kaisis uncrossed his legs and sat up straight.

Charlie was no longer just Zero.

She was the core of peace, the balance of power itself.

She was also the miracle that had freed him from hellish pain.

As Kaisis lowered his tail, Charlie’s gaze moved to her next target, Hector.

“Killing who……”

“……”

As if unable to even utter the words, Charlie didn’t finish her sentence.

Hector’s murderous intent, which had been blazing, subsided in an instant. Hector knew better than anyone what Charlie was like when angry.

“What a warm pair you make, it’s very beautiful to see, don’t you think?!”

While Charlie was cursing with her eyes, a small hand tugged at her clothes.

“Are you… angry?”

Large eyes moved keenly, as if gauging Charlie’s mood.

Ah…

She didn’t want to make the child feel uneasy.

Charlie stroked Oedipus’s head, smiling as gently as possible.

“No, Eddie. Auntie’s not angry at all.”

Oedipus tilted his head.

“Then?”

“Huh?!”

“If you’re not angry… then…”

A pair of light blue eyes wavered back and forth. Charlie quickly responded.

“I’m happy.”

“Happy?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“Why?!”

Why, you ask?

Charlie’s upturned corners of her mouth trembled with bewilderment.

“Um… because…”

Charlie looked around the reception room, stretching out her words.

Just then, Oedipus’s empty cocoa cup caught her eye.

“Auntie is so happy because Eddie finished all his cocoa deliciously.”

Charlie smiled, gently creasing the corners of her eyes.

But Oedipus showed little reaction. If anything, his expression had darkened further.

Had she said something wrong?

As Charlie was pondering, Kaisis interjected.

“Why, is it strange that you can’t read her thoughts?”

Startled, Oedipus turned to look at Kaisis.

Kaisis gazed at Oedipus indifferently.

“Everyone in this room must be like that.”

It was then, as a peculiar light passed between their similar yet different blue eyes.

“Sister!”

* * *

In front of the reception room.

“Oh, our dear priest. You’re starting to look a bit like a knight now.”

Percy couldn’t help but admire Rapha.

The silver armor imbued with holy power boasted a brilliant radiance, and the tall helmet with its long white fur trailing behind created an imposing presence.

“Ah, no. I still have a long way to go.”

Rapha, embarrassed, could only fidget with the hem of his clothes.

“You seem to have grown twice as big, but your modesty remains.”

Percy poked Rapha’s side gently.

“Your chest is truly impressive.”

As Derek had predicted, Rapha had grown rapidly.

Especially in terms of endurance.

“Can’t we attach fur like that to ours too?”

Seemingly envious of the Holy Knight Order’s splendid armor, Gerard fiddled with the white fur attached to Rapha’s helmet.

“It would hinder combat.”

Derek said indifferently. Rapha nodded in agreement.

“Master is right. This is ceremonial armor, you know.”

He had rushed over while preparing for the upcoming event at the Grand Temple, so he hadn’t had time to change out of the armor.

Originally, he planned to show it off to Derek on the day of the ceremony.

As Rapha was sheepishly scratching the back of his head, Percy smirked.

“He said ‘Master’.”

Gerard and Sam giggled behind him.

“He called him ‘Master’.”

“He said ‘Master’, he did.”

Leon, who was about to join in teasing Derek, suddenly turned to Luke as a thought occurred to him.

“Come to think of it, why don’t you call me ‘Master’?”

“It was brother Derek who taught me swordsmanship.”

“I taught you aura.”

“I figured that out on my own.”

“Oh ho?! Have you been getting restless lately because I’ve been going easy on you?”

“Enough, all of you. They’re having an important conversation inside.”

Derek said with a serious expression, looking at the tightly closed door of the reception room.

Though Hector’s ability would prevent any sound from leaking out anyway.

“Getting so serious over one little kid.”

Gerard tried to soothe Derek, who seemed quite angry.

“I don’t like the look in his eyes.”

“That’s just how that family’s eyes are, they’re all like that.”

“To think he’d look at our princess with those eyes… I want to pluck them out right now.”

P-pluck?

Rapha drew in a sharp breath at Derek’s vicious words.

But wait, if he’s talking about ‘our princess’, does that mean an angel baby has come down to the Queen Saint?!

In that case, he should know.

“Well, I can’t stand that.”

Gritting his teeth, Leon growled.

“I’ll take care of the arms. To prevent him from hugging.”

“I’ll handle the legs.”

“Then I’ll take the head.”

“Starting with the eyes.”

As if they had never exchanged frivolous jokes, the Hunt Royal Guards flashed their murderous intent towards their lord who was not yet born.

Who might not even be born.