e22

 22

Astaire was able to finish the task Stefan had given him right away.

But he slowed down, as he knew Stefan wouldn't teach him a more difficult healing magic just because he finished quickly.

This was because Stefan might change his attitude if he revealed his original skills for nothing.

'If I finish it too soon, he'll find it suspicious.'

Astaire called a servant to clean the tea table.

While the servant was cleaning the teacup, what Astaire took out of the drawer was a chessboard.

―Let's play chess. I think Ritaus will be in the dungeon for a while.

―I'm sorry I lost every time.

―Well, it's better than I play alone.

This was the third use he had for Stefan.

―Did you wait for me... While I was away?

Stefan asked cautiously, with slight anticipation.

Astaire knew the intent of his question was obvious, but he politely nodded his head.

He felt it was obnoxious, but even he gave him a smile.

―Of course, I was bored while Stefan was away.

Stefan's face lit up. A sullen laugh escaped Astaire's mouth as he held up a chess piece, all was very quiet when no one else was around.

―Mr. Astaire can't lie, so you' re telling the truth, aren't you? I'm glad.

Astaire didn't have to answer.

He was born with the blood of the spirit realm and that implied in that he could not lie.

But it is true that he was bored while Stefan was away, so he did not reply to him.

His grandfather who often leaves the mansion, Ritaus, who doesn't come to visit him as often as he used to after he entered the Kratier Academy. Although he is a spy, the mansion was very quiet when Stefan was not there.

―How's it all out there? Are there any interesting rumors rolling around in the Empire?

―The heir to the Vesta family disappeared and the imperial capital has been blown into chaos.

―Is he?

―He's a boy who was just knighted, but he must have been a promising prospect.

―I see.

Astaire's eyes darkened.

'If I left, then nobody in the world would know...'

Suddenly, he felt a little envious of the boy who was imprisoned in the dungeon.

...

Was it after he had kidnapped Franz?

He was disappointed by Ritaus' reaction, beyond his imagination, Astaire felt his obsession with him grow colder each time.

―If he wanted to save you like this, he'd have to help you escape in secret...

Astaire looked at Franz, who had passed out and fallen asleep.

His black hair stuck to his swollen face .

Astaire boldly took out a magic healing potion and sprayed it on Franz's face bit by bit.

He gave him a potion, which was a medicine. He thought it was funny that he himself did that.

The part touched by the potion gradually recovered, and Franz, who was moaning gradually found stability.

He felt a little sad for the boy who was being bullied by him without even knowing the reason why he does it.

Unlike the servants he had been tormenting, he had felt strange emotions he did not know.

However, he felt it as an illusion.

―It was not you.

The strange feeling Astaire felt was not for the boy.

He was projecting someone else through Franz Vesta.

―You're an imitation.

After he poured the bottle of healing potion on him, Astaire left the dungeon.

A dull day would begin today for him, but just at the moment he thought about it. An intruder appeared in the mansion. It was a woman.

...

The mansion of the Duchy of Lische was turned upside down by the intrusion of a suspicious woman.

A blue rectangular barrier protected the woman's surroundings.

It was the first time he had seen her, but somehow she looked familiar.

―Mr. Astaire, you must not come here... Stay away!

One of the escorts ran to protect Astaire as the woman approached.

But Astaire pushed him away and approached the woman running across the garden.

―Restriction.

At the same time he snapped his fingers, a purple net fell over the body of the woman the escorts were chasing.

―Aahh!

The blue shield protecting the woman from Astaire's attack disappeared in an instant.

After all, he already knew what it was. Astaire noticed at a glance what the shield-shaped barrier was.

―So it was just [Shitsuro] just now.

The Spirit King made sure that [Shuette] and [Shitsuro] he had created did not become a threat to his bloodline.

Then, [Shitsuro] in that incomplete state could not stop Astaire, the last descendant of the Spirit King.

Astaire approached the woman who could not move because she was wrapped in a net.

―This is the first time I've seen [Shitsuro] in my life.

The woman trembled when she heard Astaire's voice.

―Your voice is...

He looked so beautiful on the outside, but it was shocking to hear a raspy voice coming out of his mouth.

The woman began to struggle to get out of the net.

―I'm here to find my brother! I'll get out of here if I find my younger brother...

No matter how much the woman spoke, Astaire did not hear her.

The woman kissed the shield-shaped mark engraved on the inside of his left wrist.

However, [Shitsuro] did not appear.

―Why, this... how did this happen? 

The woman was very embarrassed.

―Just because you possess [Shitsuro] doesn't mean you can stop my power. I am a descendant of the Spirit King who created [Shitsuro].

Astaire slowly approached the woman covered with a net.

―I don't know if she is a Master.

If the woman had been [Shitsuro]'s master, she would have deflected his attack.

Unfortunately, however, the woman was not born with any of the qualities to become [Shitsuro]'s Master.

This was something only Astaire, the descendant of the Spirit King, could know.

―Poor thing...

Astaire's smiling face was cruelly beautiful.

―What did you do to my brother.... Franz?

Astaire bowed his head at Franz's name coming out of the woman's mouth.

―Franz? Ah...

For a moment, he had completely forgotten about Franz's existence.

Astaire approached the woman.

He looked directly into the face of the woman who was still covered by the net.

Her black hair fell softly over her white skin and blue eyes as deep as a lake. She looked just like Franz Vesta.

Astaire's finger touched Kayla's chin.

―...You look alike.

Astaire's expression turned sullen.

His purple eyes began to sparkle with interest.

―By the way, are you... Ritaus' fiancée?

The woman's face gradually darkened. Astaire's expression, however, was sharp.

―What is your name?

He also inquired about Ritaus' fiancée, but quickly forgot her. What was her name?

―Kayla... Vesta.

The woman spoke her name clearly as she trembled with fear.

Her light blue eyes contained more of a person with a stronger will than her younger brother.

―Hmm, Kayla?

The name that came out of his mouth resonated quite well. The woman trembled as if she were scared.

At that moment, he heard Ritaus' voice in the distance.

―Astaire!

As soon as he heard the news that there was an intruder, Ritaus ran towards him with haste.

But when he saw the woman lying on the ground wrapped in a magic net, he was startled.

―Is that person... Miss?

When he saw that his fiancée was being held captive by Astaire it sent a shiver down his spine.

―Come on, release her, Astaire!

Ritaus grabbed Astaire by the neck and shouted.

―What if I don't want to?

As Astaire's head tilted crookedly, the woman's net-wrapped body floated up.

The woman's body, wrapped in a net like a cocoon, was hung from a branch of a 100 year old garden tree.

The magic net hanging at the tip of the slender branch appeared to be very close.

―What are you doing!

When Ritaus shouted, Astaire smiled brightly.

Ritaus suppressed the growing anger he had.

―If anything happens to the young lady, Franz will be sad, please!

―Aren't you more worried about her younger brother than you are about your fiancée?

In response to Astaire's sarcastic sarcasm, Ritaus finally drew his rifle.

Then, all the escorts with Astaire pointed their swords and rifles at Ritaus.

―Please put that weapon down, Sir Ritaus.

Although Ritaus was still young, he was a promising knight and had excellent sword and shooting skills, as well as resistance to magic.

Besides if all the escorts guarding the Lische mansion came running in, Ritaus still couldn't do anything with five people surrounding him.

―That woman already knew this place. If I leave her alive, will this place become dangerous?

Astaire smiled dangerously at the hanging woman.

The woman trembled as she wrapped herself in a net.

―It's up to me to decide what to do with that woman.

As Astaire extended his arms toward the woman, the woman's body, which had been hanging over the branch, floated back up, wrapped in a net.

―Stop!

The woman flew high, no matter how much he yelled at him, and she suddenly disappeared from sight.

Instead of firing a rifle, Ritaus grabbed Astaire's neck.

―The lady, where did you send the lady?

Ritaus' chin quivered slightly. It was terrifying to him just to think of what would have happened to Kayla Vesta, who soared skyward and disappeared without a trace, at Astaire's usual whim.

―I don't know?

Astaire tilted his head.

―Then don't provoke me. I could rain her blood right now.

Fear crossed Ritaus' face. He had no choice but to let go of Astaire's neck.

―Stupid.

Low laughter from the boy's mouth slowly invaded the garden forest.

.....................................................................................................................................................

TL: Yse

                                                       Chapter e21