NOVEL WEB Chapter 135
135. To Offer
I was led to a spot a little away from the garden.
There wasn’t a soul around.
──Yet, there was a strange presence.
As if someone was watching me…
Was it just my imagination?
“I’ve been wanting to have a proper talk with you. I’ve had my eye on you for a while now.”
Count Lafiel said.
At first glance, his smile seemed friendly, but his eyes weren’t smiling.
“There was once a man called Doraktio, hailed as the greatest defensive magic user of his time, known for his ‘Adamantine Barrier.’ I believe you might surpass even him.”
Doraktio was an S-rank adventurer.
I’d heard he died in battle against the demon general Gairasvrim.
“As I mentioned earlier, you’re not someone who should remain at A-rank. Before long, you’ll likely ascend to S-rank.”
Count Lafiel continued.
“When that time comes, I hope you’ll lend your strength not just to the guild, but also to our kingdom. After all, in recent days, legendary demons known as demon generals have twice attacked the royal capital. A third attack wouldn’t be surprising.”
…In reality, the “third” attack had already occurred.
Zarea, Victim, and Meriel──.
Battles fought in the secret realms created by the Demon King.
“I’d like to grow closer to you from now on. If there’s anything I can do to help, let me know.”
“Help… you say?”
I was bewildered by the sudden offer.
I’d heard that high-ranking adventurers often form connections with nobility.
Perhaps my promotion to A-rank was why I was now receiving such invitations.
“Alice and Lilith──my two rather troublesome daughters──owe you much, after all.”
“No, if anything, I’m the one who’s been helped by them.”
I gave a slight bow to the smiling count.
“It’s good to see you getting along. If you wish, I’d gladly offer the two of them to you.”
“Eh?”
For a moment, I thought I’d misheard.
But the count didn’t sound like he was joking.
“They’re not objects. You can’t simply ‘offer’ them to someone.”
I glared at Count Lafiel.
“Do they not please you? They take after their mother, quite beautiful, I’d say. Not to your taste, perhaps?”
The count looked at me curiously.
It was as if he thought of his own daughters as mere gifts.
Perhaps because they weren’t born of his lawful wife?
In any case, I couldn’t suppress my disgust toward this man.
It was deeply unpleasant to hear Lilith and Alice treated like objects.
“If I’ve offended you, I apologize. That wasn’t my intent.”
The count remained unfazed, his smile deepening.
“I only meant to say that if my daughters chose to walk alongside you, I’d be overjoyed.”
What a suspicious man, I thought.
He was Lilith and Alice’s father, so I’d prefer to get along with him if possible.
But this man──.
He seemed like he had not just one hidden agenda but several, making it hard to like him.
──Eventually, the party that day came to an end.
“Thanks for coming today, Haruto-kun.”
“You treated me to so much. I should be the one thanking you.”
The food had been top-notch.
If I’d brought someone like Salome, she would’ve been ecstatic.
…Honestly, I couldn’t bring myself to like Count Lafiel.
But he was Lilith and Alice’s father, so I had no intention of saying such things aloud.
“Mother and elder sister seem to be abroad, so we couldn’t meet them.”
“Not that they’d meet with us anyway.”
At Alice’s words, Lilith smiled sadly.
“They probably don’t even acknowledge us as family.”
“I suppose… you’re right.”
Alice nodded sorrowfully.
It seemed they had a complicated family situation.
“Ah, sorry. I shouldn’t have brought that up.”
Lilith apologized.
“Haruto-kun’s made it to A-rank now, so I thought it might be good for him to build some connections among adventurers. That’s why, even though I wasn’t too eager about it, I asked you to come.”
“You were being considerate, huh?”
That’s why she invited me.
“Thanks.”
“Hehe, I just hoped it might help your life as an adventurer, even a little.”
“You’re so thoughtful, Lilith,” Alice said with a smile.
“You’ll make a wonderful bride someday. Now that Father’s met him, it’s official. Fufufu.”
“E-Eh!? Th-this is not, um, that kind of… not yet…”
“‘Not yet’?”
“Th-th-that’s not what I meant! It just slipped out! I-I mean, no, just no!”
Lilith turned bright red.
Huh? What are they talking about?
I wasn’t following the conversation at all…
※
After Haruto-kun and the others left, deep within the count’s castle──.
“So, what did you think of Haruto Riva?”
Lafiel asked the three women waiting for him.
They had been watching from the shadows as Haruto-kun and the count spoke earlier.
“That’s the boy said to wield the power of Absolute Defense, huh?”
“Seems like the attempt to win him over didn’t go so well.”
“The food looked so good! I wanted some too.”
The three women──Vanessa, Electra, and Sephiria──voiced their impressions.
“Win him over? That was never guaranteed to work.”
Lafiel spoke nonchalantly.
“If I can use my troublesome daughters to bring him to my side, great. If not, I’ll just try other approaches. From his reactions to my proposal, I’ve already learned a lot about him.”
“He seemed like a kind-hearted boy.”
“Indeed.”
Lafiel nodded at Vanessa’s words.
“If his kindness can be used to bring him to our side, all the better. If not──”
His voice turned cold, a cruel smile forming on his lips.
“We’ll simply make him disappear if he becomes a hindrance to us.”