GCHPM 05

Chapter – 05

What Does the Duke Think of the Siblings Who Leave with Dignity?

Fiibel Manor – VIP Reception Room

Lady Elena had lost consciousness after taking my attack.

And then—

Six broken ribs.
Ruptured internal organs.
Spinal damage.
And so on…

I had done something that someone who stands to inherit the title of Duke should never, ever do.

“Crap, crap, crap, crap, crap, crap, crap, crap, crap, crap.”

As I sat in the chair, clutching my head in despair, my sister Lina gently rubbed my back.

“It’s alright, Brother. I’ve already cast healing magic on her, so she’ll recover after some rest.”

“No, that’s not the kind of problem this is.”

Right.

Thanks to Lina’s emergency healing magic, the immediate crisis had been averted, but I had seriously injured her. That alone was a crime punishable by beheading, but apparently my sister Lina still hadn’t grasped the gravity of the situation.

No matter how much I had saved Lady Elena, if I slammed her hard enough to rupture organs, break six ribs, and damage her spine, even my own parents would have blown their tops.

Was I going to be punished now…?

No way.

Who was going to earn the tuition fees for my precious Lina…?

Just as I was sinking into despair, the door opened, and the head of the Fiibel household, Lord Kelts, entered with his familiar maid in tow.

Lord Kelts stroked his golden beard as he fixed his gaze on me.

An overwhelming presence.

“Kanato.”

“Yes!”

“I have one question for you.”

“What is it?”

Yeah… nothing but anxiety here.

As I braced myself with a tense expression—

“About the one who tried to assassinate my daughter earlier.”

“Y-yes.”

Lord Kelts asked me with a deadly serious face.

“There’s a high chance they’re still in the manor. Do you have any information?”

“Oh—”

So it seemed my brutalizing of Lady Elena was being put on hold for now.

If that was the case, there might be a way for me to keep my head attached.

I cautiously opened my mouth.

“Yes, I do.”

“Please, do tell.”

“Um, before that—could you gather all the butlers working in this manor?”

“A-all of them?”

“Yes!”

“Hoh. You certainly say interesting things. Very well—I’ll trust in the strength you displayed in taking down Elena and gather all the butlers.”

“Thank you very much.”

Lord Kelts did as I asked and gathered all the butlers in the courtyard.

Dozens of butlers.

A murmur rippled through the crowd—they were clearly confused by the sudden summons.

Standing alongside Lord Kelts, my sister, and the maid, I looked at the butlers and immediately chanted:

“Pistol.”

Gripping an unmodified handgun, I fired at one of them without hesitation.

*BANG!!*

“Gah!!”

The butler, shot in the leg, collapsed bleeding.

Panic erupted around him.

At the same time—

Two butlers suddenly bolted.

They ran with incredible speed, but—

I chanted:

“Sniper Rifle!”

And this time, an unmodified sniper rifle appeared.

I quickly pressed my eye to the scope—

Aimed for their legs—

Fired two shots.

*BANG!*
*BANG!*

The bullets struck both of their knees, and they crumpled to the ground with groans of pain.

Those two who had fled moved in ways no ordinary butler could. Their movements were like those of professionally trained spies or assassins—people who had been conditioned for years.

But no matter how fast they were, they still didn’t understand that bullets were far quicker.

Long live modern weaponry.

Lord Kelts stared grimly at the three downed men and barked loudly:

“Arrest those three immediately!!”

**Reception Room**

“Kanato.”

“Yes.”

“We haven’t tortured them yet, so nothing’s certain, but based on my years of experience, it’s highly likely those three you captured are spies.”

“Those three are definitely spies.”

“Hoh. How can you be so sure?”

“W-well…”

Because when I summoned the iron plate to protect Lady Elena, I’d secretly planted a listening device inside the assassin’s clothing.

After failing the assassination, the panicked assassin had rushed to the two butlers—his accomplices—and spilled all the inside information and personal details.

That was how I learned their names. I’d then discreetly asked another maid to help me identify their faces.

But of course, I couldn’t exactly tell Lord Kelts that.

As I hesitated, Lord Kelts spoke with a deadly serious expression.

“So there are things you can’t say. Just like when you deliberately used a vastly weakened weapon to fight my daughter.”

“…Ahaha.”

Busted, huh…

As expected of a Duke. He had a sharp eye.

“More importantly—how is Lady Elena’s condition?”

“Hmm. Elena will be fine. Lina here applied healing magic right away, and the apothecaries and specialists have all said there’s no problem.”

“Thank goodness…”

I breathed a sigh of relief and let out a deep, shaky breath. Lina puffed out her chest proudly.

“I learned healing magic from you, Brother!”

“L-Lina… don’t get too cocky.”

I gave Lina a light chop on the head, and Lord Kelts softened his expression and spoke.

“You two are truly wonderful siblings.”

The tension suddenly eased.

Good—now that Lord Kelts was in a good mood, this was my chance.

Honestly, I’d been on edge this whole time.

“Um—I think we’ll be taking our leave now.”

“Eh? You’re leaving already?”

“Yes… we have some business to attend to.”

“B-business, you say?”

As Lord Kelts asked with a puzzled look, Lina’s face suddenly drooped.

“Brother, are you going hunting monsters again?”

“W-well, yeah. I have to head to the Guild Hall tonight anyway.”

“I’m so sorry… You’re always working so hard to pay for my tuition, and I went and caused extra trouble…”

“No, no. That’s not true at all. Alright, let’s go.”

“Okay.”

With that, I exchanged a glance with Lord Kelts and the maid, bowed my head, and started to leave the reception room—

“WAIT JUST A MOMENT!!!!”

Lord Kelts called me back.

“Is that really all you have to say?!”

“Huh?”

“I don’t mind you leaving. But I’m asking you—are you sure it’s alright to leave without saying anything to me?!”

“…”

So he was angry after all…

This man was certainly a capable head of the household, but he definitely gave off the impression of being a doting father.

So I opened my mouth.

“I am truly, deeply sorry for what I did to Lady Elena.”

“「「!!!!!!」」”

Without looking at their faces, I lifted my head, took Lina’s hand, and walked away briskly.

**Kelts & Maid – Side**

Several minutes had passed since Kanato left, yet Kelts and the maid were still in the reception room.

“What an incredible commoner!!!!!!!”

“I was deeply moved as well.”

“He taught my daughter—who had never known defeat—her limits, saved her from assassins, captured the spies and assassins lurking in the manor, and left without asking for any reward from me…”

“He left with dignity to earn tuition for Lina. Despite being a commoner from a run-down home…”

The maid was moved to tears.

“Normally, people would try to ingratiate themselves with me, seeking wealth and power—but that man…”

“He was actually worried about Lady Elena’s well-being.”

“Yes. My daughter, who charged in like a battle maniac and made a utter fool of herself, unaware that her own life was being targeted—he actually worried about her. Truly a frightening man. He must have some ulterior motive. What if… he intends to publicly shame the Fiibel family—for not rewarding him despite saving Elena’s life?!”

“Ah! He is very clever. He may very well be considering that.”

“Hahahaha… To mock the head of the Fiibel family like this—what an arrogant man. Just how far does he plan to test me?”

Kelts clenched his fists in frustration and looked at the maid.

“Hannah!”

“Yes, my lord.”

“DO NOT—UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES—LET THOSE TWO GET AWAY. ESPECIALLY THAT COMMONER KANATO—HE IS TALENT WE ABSOLUTELY MUST SECURE FOR THE FIIBEL FAMILY.”

“Precisely, my lord.”

“I only pray that the foolish nobles and royalty throughout the kingdom don’t learn of that man’s strength.”

“We’ll make sure to secure him before they do…”

“Hmm. By the way, Hannah—you’ve been to those two’s home before, haven’t you?”

“Yes, I have.”

“And how was it?”

Hannah, asked that question, suddenly blushed and said shyly:

“The dish called ‘gyūdon’ was absolutely delicious…”

“G-gyūdon?! What on earth is that?! I’ve tasted all manner of rare delicacies from land and sea, and yet I’ve never heard of it. Won’t you tell me in detail?”

**Elena’s Room**

“Nn… That male, Kanato… defeated me, a female… N-nya… The natural order… Hehe…”

Elena mumbled in her sleep as she turned over.