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I stood in the shadows and watched Rudy fight Ghislaine.
It was over fast.
Two minutes, maybe less.
But watching from the outside, truly watching, as a bystander — I realized for the first time just how much of a genius my son really is.
Ghislaine got a little carried away.
When she came diving at him from the air, I moved first, knocked Rudy out, and stopped her.
I held my unconscious son in my arms and smiled.
“So?
What do you think of my boy?”
Ghislaine crouched down and slammed her frozen hand against the ground.
Shook off the remaining ice shards.
Then finally answered.
“Very strong.
Hard to imagine he’s only seven.”
“Right?
Sometimes I wonder if he’s even mine.”
“As a mage, he has an almost monstrous battle instinct.
Among every mage I’ve ever ambushed, he was the most troublesome.” She paused.
“How is his swordsmanship?”
“Not as gifted as his magic.”
“That’s a shame.”
Ghislaine had clearly taken a real liking to Rudy.
If he’d cornered her with a sword instead, she probably would have been so thrilled she’d have hauled my son away on the spot.
“Alright.
Take him.”
“You’re not going to wait for him to wake up and explain things?”
“I can’t outtalk him.
I left a letter.
He’ll understand once he reads it.”
“Does Zenith know you made this choice?”
“I’ll tell her tonight.
If she finds out now, she’ll strangle me.”
“Heh.
I still don’t know what she ever saw in you.
I’m off.”
Ghislaine hoisted the unconscious Rudy over her shoulder and walked toward the carriage.
She hadn’t taken 2 steps when an earthen wall erupted out of the ground in front of her.
“Stop.” A pause.
“Where are you taking Rudy?”
I turned.
It was that girl — Sylphiette.
So she can use Voiceless Casting too.
Ghislaine looked at me.
Clearly she had no intention of answering herself.
“Uh…
Rudy is going to work as a Home Tutor…”
I had no idea how to explain it properly, so I fumbled through with that.
But Sylphiette was nothing like her usual soft self.
She squared up and spoke with heat.
“Then why did you knock him unconscious?!”
“Uh…
it was a test…”
“Did Rudy agree to this?!”
I was still trying to figure out what to say when she launched magic at Ghislaine.
“What a pain!”
Ghislaine clicked her tongue and leaped clear.
“Paul, explain it to her!”
“I know, I know.”
I rushed over and grabbed the girl by the back of her collar.
She went still.
Tears gathered at the corners of her eyes, and she stopped fighting.
“Mr.
Paul…
why are you doing this…”
Why.
The reason, huh.
Facing this girl, barely a few years old, and anyone with eyes could see she was in love with my son — was I really supposed to tell her that Philip, that bastard, had somehow gotten word about Rudy and was pushing for a marriage alliance?
I do hate these wretched noble games.
I hate all of it.
But.
[Think carefully about the peaceful life you have right now.
If the other nobles learn about your son, do you really think it stays peaceful?]
Rudy is a true genius.
That’s just the truth.
A child who reached Water Saint-level Magic at five years old, carrying noble blood on top of it.
Those 2 facts alone are enough to make the nobility lose their minds.
In this world, mages who reach Advanced-level are rare.
Rudy hit Water Saint-level at five.
And he’s climbed higher since.
[He’s only coming to my house as a Home Tutor.
I won’t force your son into anything.
I simply don’t want him snatched up by some other noble house and turned into a weapon.
If after 3 years he has no intention of marrying Eris, I’ll send him home.
I’m doing this so other nobles know your son is working for me, so they leave you and your family alone.
This benefits both of us.]
Philip was right.
This is the best choice.
“Write Rudy a letter,” I told Sylphiette.
Then I turned and walked back inside.
…
“Paul.
You’re not lying to me.”
“I’m telling the truth.”
Zenith slapped me across the face.
She was crying.
I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve made her cry.
“Didn’t you leave the nobility in the first place because you couldn’t stand how they operated?
Why, after all this, are you pulling Rudy into that same world?!”
“It’s just 3 years as a Home Tutor.
It makes the nobles think Rudy is working for Philip, so they leave us alone.
That’s all it is.”
“For that.” Her voice cracked.
“You sent Rudy somewhere completely foreign to him.
He is seven years old, Paul!”
From somewhere in the house, Norn and Aisha had started crying too, as if they could feel that something had broken.
I pulled Zenith into my arms and held her while she wept.
And quietly, I prayed that my sensible boy would not end up hating me for this.
➤ Next: Roa — Into the Unknown