The Villainous Noble’s Father - Chapter 21

At Yulia’s signal, the two boys sprang into action.

The moment their wooden swords clashed, a loud crack echoed, and the swords shattered, flying out of their hands. The sheer power of their swings was too much for the wooden weapons to handle.

But neither Alan nor Leonard was surprised. They had expected this from the start. As wooden fragments scattered around them, they immediately moved in, fists flying.

From the very beginning, they had activated their Red Eye state, an advanced battle mode that heightened their physical and magical abilities. Their movements were so fast, they were nearly invisible to the average spectator.

Looking around, the academy students and southern nobles were frozen, eyes wide in shock. The northern nobles, more used to the Red Eye technique, watched with sharp, focused gazes.

Heh. See? These are my kids.

“It’s a rush! A rush! An all-out rush!” 

The roar of fists striking at lightning speed fills the ring, sounding like battering rams smashing into metal gates. Yulia, who had wisely stepped out of the ring, was now seated behind a sign labeled “Commentary Table.”

“How about that, Headmaster Wiseman?”

…Wait, huh?

Suddenly, Headmaster Wiseman, who was just beside me a moment ago, was now sitting next to Yulia at the commentary table.

“Incredible, truly incredible. Those two are using a military-grade physical enhancement spell created by Duke Finster, known as Red Eye.” 

“While the technique itself is considered secret, it’s already well-known among noble houses. The northern nobles, veterans of the last war, have mostly mastered it. Southern nobles can also apply to learn it.”

Wait, what?! When did he get over there!?

“But the difficulty of learning Red Eye is ranked A-class. Without an exceptional sense for magic control, it’s nearly impossible. Considering that, both Alan and Leonard are already on par with high-ranking knights. Hohoho, what fine young warriors!”

Just after the old raccoon’s commentary, the fight shifted from bare-knuckle brawling to a new level of magical combat.

“Let’s gooo! Burn, baby, burn! Flame Enchant!”

Alan’s right arm ignited in a blaze of white fire.

Since the incident the other day, Alan had figured out how to channel his magical element more effectively. Now he could wield white flame, a fire infused with light magic.

“Tch! Dark Thunder Enchant!”

Leonard, flustered, quickly cloaked his left hand in dark, crackling lightning. But it wouldn’t be enough. I had to set aside my feelings as a parent and think like the seasoned warrior I was during the war.

Between the two of them, Leonard definitely had better technique. But when it came to raw power, Alan had the edge thanks to his larger magic reserves.

The white flame and black lightning clashed. But it only took a moment for Alan’s white flame to start overpowering Leonard’s magic. At this rate, Leonard wouldn’t be able to win.

“Now’s my chance!! Flame Accel! Burn Out, Burst Fire!”

Alan released two spells in perfect sequence, his instincts razor sharp. The white flame erupted like a controlled explosion. As if answering his roar, the flames surged, swallowing the black lightning and slamming into Leonard.

Once it got to that point, there was no recovery.

Alan’s magical output was off the charts. And he’d layered three spells, an enchantment followed by two attack spells. That kind of combo could rival a full-scale grand spell. It was a bit of a shame that the match would end like this, but it still served its original purpose.

“LUNATIC BOLT, Moon-Mad Black Thunder!!”

Just as Alan’s white-hot punch was about to connect, Leonard shouted a powerful incantation. A monstrous black lightning bolt crashed through the ceiling and struck the ring.

Wha… was that a suicide attack!?

The black thunder tore through the arena’s stone ring, shattering everything in its path. When the dust and smoke cleared, all that remained was a mountain of scorched rubble.

Wh-Where are they!?

With a loud boom, the debris exploded outward, Alan and Leonard emerged, alive and standing.

Thank goodness… They were both fine. Looks like they had barrier spells up the whole time.

“If it were my dad, he’d have hit only you with precision,” Leonard muttered, cracking his neck casually. “But me? I can only manage blowing up everything around us.”

Was he talking about me? Oh… right. He once sliced right through my barrier during a training session.

“Yeah, I remember that. You tried to cut Lord Finster, and your blade got blasted right at the tip.” Alan replied, rotating his shoulder and checking for injuries.

Both boys looked completely unfazed. As if this level of destruction was just a warm-up.

“Th-They’re okay! Unbelievable!! What a brutal, explosive match! Sir Leonard!”

“Earlier, I compared them to elite knights but I was wrong. They’ve already crossed that threshold. They’re in the realm of heroes now!”

The crowd erupted in cheers.

No one looked down on them for being commoners anymore. Instead, there was only pure, unfiltered respect for strength.

Yeah… this country’s full of muscle heads. Displays like this are what really work.

“Hey, hey! Damn! Your kids are monsters!”

“They’re only 15, right?! By the time they’re adults, guys like us will be yesterday’s news!”

The King, clearly hyped by the match, smacked me on the back like a rowdy buddy.

Ow! That strength is no joke, idiot brother!

“So?” He looked at me seriously now, eyes sharp. “As their teacher, how do you see them?”

Don’t be fooled by his casual talk. He, too, is a war-hardened veteran, just like me.

“They have talent. And they’ve worked hard. But… they still lack experience. A lot of it.”

It had only been a few minutes since the fight started. Even without Red Eye, Leonard had cast two spells, Alan three. That’s barely a warm-up for either of them. But, even though they looked calm, both were clearly more drained than usual.

Watching from a distance made it obvious. Their magic flow was off-balance. They’d used more force than necessary in their spells.

“So what, they’re not fighting at full strength ‘cause of nerves or pressure? Makes sense. They’re only 15.”

The King chuckled, teasing. “Tough love, huh?”

Maybe. But there’s more at stake here.

Enemies like ODIM and the Demon Lord, ones not even from the “Lovey” or “Charmy” endings of the original game, still exist. The original story’s been completely derailed thanks to my interference these past 36 years. But some threats still remain.

Yulia was supposed to be a secret spy inside the kingdom. Thankfully, that never came to pass, but he still exists. And Alan, because of the game’s twisted fate, he’s going to be forced to fight those enemies head-on.

Given his bond with Leonard, that means Leonard will fight by his side, too.

“If they were going to stay where I could protect them, they could take their time growing up. But the world might not give them that luxury. And they may not want it either.”

Is this what it means to let go as a parent?

That night, I realized that my version of the right path was no longer the same as his. In life, there’s rarely a clear answer. We all have to trust in our fuzzy instincts and decide based on our feelings and beliefs.

And Leonard, he’s already able to do that as his own person. Which means there isn’t much left for me to do.

“All I can do now… is give him enough strength to face the regrets he’s bound to have someday. That’s what I can do as his parent.”

“So, Roberto really has become a father, huh?”

“Just recently.”

They say a child can grow even without a parent, but a parent can’t become one without a child. If only I’d been there for him more, spent more time with him.

I swallowed that regret quietly, deep within myself.