c12
There is a knock on the door of my room.
'Come in .......'
"Excuse me. Grace-sama, Cedric-sama has asked you to join him for a family gathering this evening."
"Okay. Thank you for your message."
"No problem. I beg your pardon."
The maid bows and closes the door.
The Caiman family hosts a family gathering once a month.
I see my two older brothers, but I haven't seen my father Cedric and his wife in a month.
Frankly, I don't want to attend.
Grace's memory of the dinner party was not good at all, and she could foresee a certain degree of unpleasantness.
I was not going to attend the Caiman family party because my brother and his wife were going to slander me at the dinner party.
Well, before that, I had already paid for the equipment, so I should go pay for it in advance.
"Hey, we don't accept loan payments.'
Galahad says, holding up the sack he received from me.
Surely he doesn't think there are 700 gold coins in it.
".............”
I silently look at the sack.
'Hmm? ............ Oh, white gold coins! I'm sorry about this, there are 1, 2, 3...... 7 coins in total, so that's all the money you'll get. I'll use it to make the equipment you ordered. Just wait for me to get back to you!"
"All right, then. How long will it take you to deliver it?"
Talahad pondered for a moment.
"Let's see..............., I'd say one to two weeks for this piece of equipment. Actually, I've already placed the order and have all the materials ready. I knew you would bring the money for it! I honestly thought it would take at least six months, but to have it ready in just a few days. That's quite an accomplishment, you know."
I scratched my head in embarrassment.
“Well, I'll be back in a week or so."
“Yeah, I'll get right to work on the forge!”
With that, he disappeared into the back of the store with a happy look on his face.
"Grace!"
"What is it, Father?'
I am suddenly called out in the room, where only the sound of knives and forks echoes in silence.
Neither my brothers nor his wife, , opened their mouths, and the atmosphere at today's dinner party seemed a little different.
"Well done on the rescue of the adventurers! The guild has sent a letter of thanks directly to our family. You are the pride of our family!”
I had no memory of my father ever praising me before, so I froze for a moment in surprise.
' ............Thank you. I just did what was natural for a member of the Caiman family."
'And you, I see you've been working hard lately. That's a good attitude."
"You never know what might happen, and I want to make sure I don't embarrass myself as a member of the Caiman family."
My father nodded silently in reply.
My father's wife and my brothers were looking at me with a frown, as if they were not amused by this exchange.
'Father, Grace is nothing more than a poor excuse for a skilled outlier. Isn't it futile to get our hopes up?”
Wolf, the eldest son, commented.
'I am not talking about talent. I'm talking about the spirit of the man."
My father answered, a little miffed.
I'll check Wolff out with an appraisal.
Name: Wolff Kaiman
Age: 20 years old
Status: Eldest son of Duke Caiman
Level: 22
Strength: 38
Magic power: 30
Skill: Heavy Stamping lv18, Heavy Armor Stance lv13
Unique Skill: Stiffness lv12
Skill points possessed: 12
Apparently, there is no change from the last time I saw him.
I think I can handle this with my brother's measures that I had prepared.
Then it's about time. ......
“Brother, they say my skills are off, but I'm not that weak, you know?”
"Aah! Don't get carried away just because Father praised you a little bit!"
The brainiac Wolff raged like an instantaneous water heater, sending food dregs flying out of his mouth and screaming.
"No, I'm not getting carried away. In fact, I'm way above your level."
I responded as I slowly brought the sauté to my mouth with my fork.
My level is 25.
'You're above my level, ......? If you're as out of touch as you are, there's nothing I can do to help you!"
“Wolff, why don't you let him understand a little bit when he's finished eating? For those who are mistaken, it is best to teach them with your own hands."
Isabelle, his wife, gives me a cool-headed look as she says this.
As usual, she is a nasty woman who makes my older siblings agitate and attack me.
However, I was hoping that she would be forced to tell me.
"Yes, Mother! Hey, Grace, I'm going to give you a lesson for the first time in a while. When you're done eating, go to the courtyard!"
“Brother, please don't destroy the courtyard. Grace can destroy it if he wants to.
Eisen, the second son, advises me with a grin.
He didn't seem to have the slightest idea that Wolff would lose.
"I understand. I'm going to beat the shit out of you, then. And the same goes for that filthy fox who is agitating my brothers."
In an instant, the air in the room froze.
“What the hell did you just say!'
"You misunderstood me, you off-skilled trash! Please kill him, brother!"
You've got it all wrong for a brat, you know that? Wolff, make sure you educate him!
Wolff's face is red with anger, and Eisen and Isabelle's eyes are focused on me with hostility and hatred, but I ignore them and proceed with my meal.
I steal a glance at my father.
He is quietly eating his meal, showing no particular reaction to the exchange.
As usual, he seems to be quiet about the family squabble.
My father Cedric is over level 70 and is one of the fiercest men in the Kingdom of Aldea, holding multiple skills such as “Dragon Sword Judgment” and “Heaven's Roar,” which are more powerful than the extremely rare ones.
I am no match for him now.
But as long as my father didn't stop me, I would be able to do as much as I wanted.
The food, which was supposed to be tasty, didn't taste so good anymore as I thought about the battle that was to follow.
I mechanically proceeded with my meal, building up the image of the battle with Wolff and the fighting spirit.