12. Polar Opposite Father and Daughter

Polar Opposite Father and Daughter

"I'm just an old butler. There's no way I could win against a young and strong guy like you."

Subaru's distraction didn't affect the development of the situation.

Feeling that something was wrong, the old butler slowly moved between Subaru, Eileen, and Heinkel while speaking.

"Isn't this the deputy captain of the royal capital knights? I remember the deputy captain's duty is to protect the royal capital castle, so how come you have time to come home today?"

Breaking the tense atmosphere was Otto, who was currently the real head of the family.

"You really are a smooth talker, just like a former merchant — truly irritating with that slick tongue, huh? Ah! Seeing you just now reminded me of something."

Heinkel said as he reached into his pocket, fished around, and then took out a shabby yet beautiful box, throwing it down at Otto's feet.

"I found it while looking for liquor in the Reinhild room — a meteor that improves sleep quality and also serves as a one-time defensive barrier.

A perfect birthday gift for you.

How could such an important item just lie on the table so carelessly? I kindly brought it back for her.

But I didn't expect that after using the defensive barrier, the item would be ruined.

Being part of the knights really is dangerous work."

The red-haired man shrugged helplessly while speaking, but his eyes were full of laughter.

His behavior was easily the most wicked — no, the most disgusting — thing Subaru had ever seen.

"Thank you very much. I truly received Lady Reinhild's sentiment, and I also really like this item. But compared to your body, this item is insignificant.

If you get injured like this, Lady Reinhild would be very saddened."

"Tch! Ah, right, to answer your earlier question: what problems could the royal city guard face with just me missing?

As long as Captain Marcus is in charge, nothing will go wrong.

After all, none of the royal family members to protect are left, right? Oh, I forgot — there's still one piece of trash that Reinhild treats like royalty, but you don't have to worry about the city at all, because I've handed all my duties over to your esteemed Sword Saint.

Truly worthy of being the Sword Saint — work piled up over a month could be solved in three days, right?"

The room filled with killing intent.

Not only did Eileen, who was already full of anger, show it on her face, but even Otto, who usually tried to smooth things over, and Winston, who was always calm and holding his position to restrain everyone, revealed expressions of fury.

Of course, even Subaru and a few others who were outsiders felt hostility toward the man.

"Oh~ oh~ so scary, so scary. Don't get hot-headed now. Even if I'm just a nominal deputy captain, I'm still a deputy captain. Just like how even if I'm just a nominal head of the family, I have the power to kick you all out."

The drunken man sneered, but his words finally brought Subaru back to his senses.

"Nominal deputy captain?"

Hearing the question, the man looked at Subaru with a mocking gaze once more.

"Yeah, I'm the so-called 'freeloader' Heinkel, deputy captain of the Lugunica Kingdom Royal Guard, who's hated for being only nominal."

"A freeloader and hated? Maybe you should just scrap yourself and start over."

"Gahaha, that guy's words sting. Ouch, ouch, it hurts so much I can't take it… Shut up, brat."

"—Ugh."

A dark emotion flashed through the man's narrowed eyes, sending chills down Subaru's spine.

—In everything Subaru had seen so far, the most "ugly" thing was the expression of this man.

"Calm down, kid. Don't get carried away by the aura of people like this.

I used to think only people like us, living miserable, hopeless lives in slums, would have rotten souls, but I never imagined that people like this, rotten to the core, could be born even in such comfortable environments."

"Li—"

"Shut up! Right from the start you're constantly spreading such a gray atmosphere.

I just don't understand why you all indulge him so much, when his courage is insignificant.

The servants, butlers, and knights here are all truly capable people.

They can live well even without this family. Even if he kicks you all out, he'll be the only one to suffer losses."

"Do you want to fight? Although I don't know how high the status of a deputy knight is, it probably can't be higher than the royal candidate, right? If you have the guts, then fight already."

Felt said as she walked up to the Heinkel who had raised his wine bottle, but Heinkel instead took a half-step back.

"Tch, you're really a coward, Heinkel van Astrea."

Felt gave a disdainful look and spoke, and at that moment, Heinkel's expression changed.

When cursing everyone earlier, his eyes held only dull pleasure, but now for the first time, there was pain — then endless fury.

"Don't add the 'van'! Trash!"

The man's hand fell, but Felt didn't dodge, or rather didn't have time to.

Naturally, Felt stiffened briefly from surprise, but also the man's swing of the bottle was extremely fast — the bottle crashed toward Felt like a sharp sword.

At least his strength was considerable.

The three, who had been on high alert, all acted at once.

They grabbed Heinkel's bottle from his hand and placed it on the ground, then stood up.

One palm pushed the old butler away with a heavy punch.

Then, stepping forward, they stopped Rom's charging body with a hand and blocked Felt, who was losing balance from a buff and stumbling backward, with their back.

After a 540-degree spin, Felt was safely handed off to Rom, who had stopped.

At the moment though Reinhild appared.

The girl then went to Heinkel, who had almost fallen after missing his swing, and supported him.

"I deeply apologize for the trouble my father has caused. Father, since you're home for once, why don't you go see mother first? She must be waiting for your safe return."

The girl dissolved the conflict in a way beyond imagination, and Subaru, understanding her meaning, was once again dumbfounded.

Subaru correctly grasped the man's true identity.

Even though he was completely different in humanity compared to the people Subaru knew from the Astrea family, this man was undoubtedly a member of the Astrea family — and the father of the contemporary Sword Saint Reinhild.

Heinkel's words, expression, attitude, voice, movements, and gaze — everything about this man was painted and shaped by pure malice.

Pure malice that turned the meaning of all existence into ugliness.

One could say his behavior was completely the opposite of Reinhild's, but these two, so completely opposite, had the closest relationship in the world.

Yes, they were father and daughter, and the last two members of the Astrea family.

Looking at the father and daughter before him, Subaru suddenly felt an inexplicable heaviness in his chest.