Chapter 7

“…”

Nothing really happened. Eugene thought there would be some kind of sanctions on Cyan, the son of the main family. As if the duel never happened between him and Cyan, the annex was peaceful.

Only, there was little change. After the duel, the eyes of the servants from the detached house changed. They were wary of Eugene’s behavior and wouldn’t dare rush close to him.

They didn’t want to be hit by a firestorm by staying together with him. (Got Trouble with what Eugene did)

“Is it okay for you?” Eugene looked at Nina and asked.

It is Eugene’s second day here.

It was only Eugene and Nina who came to the first-floor dining room. Still, there were many dishes prepared at the large table.

“What do you mean?”

“Follow me around.”

Eugene spoke sourly and cut the meat. The meat is too big for breakfast.

Among these many foods, the only thing Eugene ate was meat.

Due to his intense training, it is not good to eat poorly or he will lose weight as well as physical strength.

“…Umm…”

Nina couldn’t answer quickly. While she hesitated, Eugene pushed the already cut meat into her mouth.

“…I understand, but… It can’t be helped. While you’re at your home, I’m your sole servant.”

“You don’t have to be loyal to me for a month at the longest. You’re not going to keep working at your home after I’m gone.”

“…it’s not necessarily because of loyalty. I was ordered to be the servant of Eugene’s family, and It was probably the second wife’s order..” Nina shook her head with a bitter smile.

“If you neglect your work by looking around, that is, ignoring the second wife’s orders. That’s why we have to wait and see for you.”

“Good mind.”

Eugene grinned and pushed the empty plate aside. Then he grabbed both chicken (or goat, it is not specified just some leg meat was said) legs the size of his forearms with his bare hands.

“It’s not necessarily because of loyalty. Are you saying that you’re not very loyal to me?”

“…because you will be my master for a while.”

“Then I have no choice but to act as your master. If you get in trouble because of me, don’t put it in there for nothing and tell me right away.”

“…yes?”

“What are you? You’ve become my servant because you’re unlucky, and you’ve been assigned to me by chance. So, let’s just keep each other’s head above water.”

“Ha, but…”

“That’s enough. Don’t ask back what I’m telling you to do. All right?”

“…yes.”

“Then go get some wet towels.”

Instead of talking anymore, Eugene ate both legs with his mouth wide open. Nina was captivated by the sight for a moment, and then bowed her head and stepped back.

“…I don’t think a towel is enough. I’ll go get the basin.”

“I love your spontaneous opinions.”

Eugene grinned as he chewed the meat.

“Oh, and…Talk to the chef if you’re going to the kitchen. For lunch, increase the weight of meat while breakfast doesn’t try to cook a big dish for nothing, just put it on the lean meat on the side.”

“Yes.”

Nina stepped back politely and looked sideways at the table. Did he mean that he can eat it all by himself?

Of course, Eugene ate it all. He’s been eating this and that since his previous life.

‘I’ve tried monsters and I’ve tried those that possess mana.’

Eugene scraped the meat off his teeth and washed his hands in the basin. Then he caressed his full stomach and left the table.

Nina walked behind Eugene.

“Didn’t you hear anyone’s coming today?”

“I didn’t get  any orders from you.”

“Then go find out. I’ll be in the field.”

“Yes, but, uh… You just finished your meal. If you move right away, you’ll have a stomachache.”

“Thank you for your concern, but it’s useless. I don’t have a stomachache even if I run right after eating.”

Nina, who had a normal body, couldn’t understand him. Still, she stepped back without asking any more questions.

Eugene was not lying. He has never had a stomach ache since childhood.

The hand that was torn while swinging the spear yesterday was now healed without a scratch.

‘This is a cheat.’

Come to think of it, even in his previous life, Vermouth rarely used healing magic or potion. It was rare for him to be injured, but even when he was injured very occasionally, his body would recover on its own.

Thanks to this, Anise and Senya’s healing magic was only for Moron and Hamel.

‘Don’t you always get hurt because you jump forward ignorant!’

‘Hey, Moron, that idiot popped out first!’

‘It’s because he’s a fool. Why are you following that idiot? Are you a fool, too?’

‘Then shall we leave him to be beaten up by that little monster? Why are you fucking with me?’

‘Oh, let’s not talk. Look at Vermouth. Can’t you fight like him without getting hurt?’

‘Why are you so annoying when you said let’s not talk?’

Whenever Senya saw them coming back with a lot of wounds, she would stir-fry Hamel. Even after 13 years of reincarnation… Every bit of memory from his past life was clear and indistinct.

‘I heard that Vermouth died and had a funeral. I don’t know if the other three are dead or alive.’

The Wize Senya. She has the longest lifespan in the history of the Mado Kingdom and suddenly passed away about two hundred years ago. The subsequent track record is unknown.

The faithful Anise. She, who was revered as a saint in the Holy Empire of Euras, also retired from the temple in her later years and became a pilgrim. Even the Holy Father did not hear anything else when she left for pilgrimage.

The stupid Moron. The first king of the Northern Luhar kingdom At least he was alive until relatively recently. It was a hundred years ago, but… He retired from the throne and lived in a leisurely manner, appearing on the anniversary of his founding a hundred years ago.

‘I didn’t think they’re going to die…’

This was a meaningless idea.

Vermouth, who seemed most unlikely to die, also died 200 years ago.

Eugene shook his head as he felt her appetite becoming bitter.

The place where Cyan had vomit yesterday was neatly cleaned. Of course, Nina did the cleaning.

“What are you doing here?”

“I’ve been waiting for you.”

Ciel was standing in the haze. She smiled as she waved at Eugene.

“Even if you have already eaten you don’t smell like meat.”

“I brushed my teeth.”

“You can at least clean your mouth, your body is smelly.”

“Doesn’t it smell like cow dung?”

“That’s what you said. I never said your body smells like cow dung. And I don’t know what cow dung smells like.”

“It smells like cow dung. If you really don’t know, take a dump and smell it.”

“That’s dirty.”

“Why did you wait?”

Nothing happened yesterday. So something will happen today? Eugene opened his eyes thinly and shot at Ciel.

“To train with you.”

Ciel replied with a giggle.

“Look, I’m wearing a uniform to train.”

“That’s cool.”

Eugene answered roughly and looked at Ciel’s clothes. It was a uniform that clearly claimed to be the blood of the main house, engraved with a lion on the left chest.

‘There was no lion in the clothes you gave me.’

“Where did you leave your brother alone?”

“My brother is training with Hezar. You know what? My mother was so angry because of you yesterday. My brother got hit more than ten times.”

“He got hit?”

“Yes.”

Eugene blinked at the words. Of course, he thought they grew up being pretty.

“But why aren’t you hitting me?”

“Why? Do you want my mother to hit you?”

“Your brother got mad because of me.”

“Uh… well, that’s true. She got angry because she lost face when brother fought with you.”

“No, I mean… Come to think of it, you’re mad because of me.”

“That’s true.”

A child is a child even though he is intelligent. Eugene realized the fact to the bone.

“…does your mother know you’re here?”

“She knows. My mother told me to be close to you.”

“You said your mother was angry enough to hit her own son because of me, and now you told me to be close.”

Eugene managed to swallow a cry that soared to his throat.

How can a little girl know what the second wife of the family is up to?

“…yes.”

“I told you yesterday. We’re friends because we’re the same age.”

“Your brother is also the same age as me, but he’s not my friend.”

“That’s what you said. But not for me. So you’re not going to be friends with me?”

“…let’s do it. My friend, I’m going to train, so why don’t you stop bothering me and go play over there?”

“Are you going to play with me?”

“No, I’m going to train.”

“Then I’ll train, too.”

‘Let’s not just deal with each other.’ It should have been like this, but Eugene clicked his tongue and headed to the warehouse in the corner of the chimney.

“You swung the spear yesterday. You’re swinging the spear again today?

“No.”

“Then? Sword?”

“I just want to exercise for now.”

Eugene burst open the door of the warehouse. Unlike yesterday, the dusty warehouse was cleaned overnight. It was obvious who it was. Nina seems to have cleaned all night.

“I like this.”

Eugene murmured into the warehouse. Not only was the dust cleaned, but it was also neatly arranged. Especially the sandbag. The surface was smooth and heavier than yesterday. It was like cleaning leather and filling up sand.

‘…but there are only a few of them, so I don’t want to waste them.’

Eugene wanted to get an ax today. Sadly, there was no ax. Eventually, Eugene left the warehouse with only sandbags.

“What about weapons?”

“I’m going to work out without them.”

Eugene sat on the floor and hung sandbags from his limbs. Ciel watched the scene, and he came out of the warehouse with a sandbag of sand.

“I’ll join you.”

What are you going to do?”

“It’s not fun to just watch.”

“Do as you please.”

Eugene lifted himself with all the hanging sandbags. Then he started running around the field.

‘…heavy.’

Ciel staggered to her feet. Mana she accumulated in her body are spread throughout her body to boost strength. After that, Ciel was able to control herself.

‘How does he run like that with his bare body?’

Ciel chased Eugene with incredible eyes.

Eugene, who just ran out, was breathing hard and circling the field for a lap. Ciel waited in her seat for a while and ran together to keep up with Eugene’s return.

“Didn’t you really train Mana?”

“I didn’t do it. Don’t talk to me.”

“It’s amazing… how can you run with this thing without having Mana trained?”

“Practice, Practice, Practice”

Eugene glared back.

Then Ciel stuck out her tongue and closed her mouth.

Nina went to her home to follow Eugene’s orders. She was determined to hear the bitter sound, but surprisingly, the servants of the main family did not persecute Nina.

‘You made me do this, didn’t you?’

‘Yes.’

“Okay, afternoon today…”

There was a hint of caution, but he gently answered the questions. Nina returned to the smokescreen of the detached house, wondering about the fact.

“…Ms. Ciel?”

Nina opened her mouth to the sight in front of her.

“Hi, my servant.”

“Her name is Nina.”

“Hi, Nina.”

Ciel smiled as she balanced her faltering body. Now she was sitting on Eugene’s back with an armful of sand.

“Oh, hello…”

Nina bowed her head late. However, she glanced at Eugene with only her eyes glancing. Eugene was sweating profusely as he focused on push-ups.

“…what’s the current number?”

“Ninety-Eight.”

“Ninety-nine.”

“One Hundred.”

“Come down.”

Cuong!

Ciel threw a sandbag sideways and came down from Eugene’s back. Eugene sprawled on the floor, breathing heavily.

“…you got it?”

“Yes!”

Nina replied with a nod.

“Would you like water first?”

“No. Talk to me.”

“Decon, Hansen, and Jules will arrive at noon today.”

Nina answered quickly.

“And by evening, Gargis and Dira will be arriving via Warpgate.”

“I was wondering what you were going to say.”

Ciel giggled and punched Eugene in the back.

“You just had to ask me. Why didn’t you ask?”

“I told Nina to find out anything, to be a suitable servant, she’d have to go through a lot of trouble.”

“Who cares?”

“Also I was training.”

‘I was too lazy to deal with her.’ Eugene raised his sprawled body and sat down.

“Three of them came by carriage. And Warpgate for two, right?”

“Yes.”

The treatment differs depending on which people are present. Eugene knows the reason. Gargis and Dira. They are the family with the highest authority among the family branches.

“You don’t know who Gargis and Dira are, do you?”

Ciel opened her mouth.

“I know their names but I’ve never met them.”

“The two of them are the strongest in the field.”

“I know the family is strong. What about the other three?”

“I don’t even know where they’re coming from. It’s similar to you. Oh, but you’re much stronger.”

In other words, they are also from a small family in the countryside.

“…Gargis and Dira. Have you ever met them?”

“They came to my brother’s 10th birthday party.”

“Who are they?”

“Gargis is a boring guy. He is one year older than me. Dira is younger than me, but he wasn’t funny either.”

Does this mean that the standard of fun could not be teased? Eugene organized his thoughts for a moment.

‘Three from the main house. Six including me.’

They said they would all be here within four days at the latest. It’s faster than what I have heard

“Do you know when the blood ceremony starts?”

“I said we’d all get together. Maybe today?

“Tomorrow, I don’t think we’ll start today. So, how do you do this blood ceremony?”

“I don’t know.”

Ciel shook her head.

“Don’t lie.”

“I really don’t know. It’s tradition for the lord to decide what to do during the blood ceremony. But now that he’s not here… Um… he said he’d be back soon. Anyway, I really don’t know.”

Eugene couldn’t completely believe it. Since she is from the main family, she must have heard the words.

‘…I recalled what my father said to me, back then there were twelve of them in the tournament. The last blood ceremony allowed him to wander in the woods for more than 10 days.’

The format changes every time, but the essence does not. The blood ceremony is a ritual that determines the quality of future generations’ connection to the Lionhart family name. Words are plausible but not fair. After all, it is the parents of their parents who trained Mana from an early age that distinguished themselves in the blood ceremony.

Eugene thought it was a strange tradition when he first heard about the blood ceremony.

So, he promised to feed his family from his own blood.

‘Vermouth, don’t feel bad about me screwing your descendants.’

Eugene raised his stiff body and said to Vermouth, probably in heaven.

‘I didn’t reincarnate as your descendant because I liked it.’