Rather Than The Son, I’ll Take The Father

Translator and Editor: Effe and Lili

────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────

Chapter 65

When I returned, Aedis seemed to have just finished taking a bath.

The ends of his ebony hair were wet and his hair was slick. It smelled good too.

Ah, my heart. Did I get too nervous?

Aedis gazed anxiously at me as my breathing accelerated.

“Why aren’t you sleeping? You look very tired.”

“I’m fine.”

There was an awkward silence. Or maybe I was the only one feeling awkward.

I crept over to the sofa.

“How’s the wolf?”

“Eats well, sleeps well, and poops well.”

“You didn’t have to tell me that last part, but thanks anyway.”

Aedis grinned and laughed.

“Eve, how much do you know about the beast?”

“I know about as much as other people do.”

“You’re too modest. Isn’t the gem you gave to Regen, not a normal one? It’s like a beast who has an illusion-related ability.”

Aedis already knew in detail what the black diamond really was and what kind of abilities it had.

When I delivered it to Regen in the dining room, I knew Aedis would recognize it.

Still, I didn’t know he would figure everything out like this.

“Is your side job a beast expert?”

“I don’t mean to be, but I understand them pretty well.”

I mean I did save a wolf who was on the verge of dying.

While staring at Aedis, I recalled the characteristics of the beast that Regen had awakened in 〈Esmeralda’s Crescent Moon〉.

Its description was really short since it was a recollection of the past, but I knew that the forest had been turned into a sea of ​​fire.

“Then, do you know if there’s a beast related to fire?”

“Be a little more specific”

“Well, one that breathes fire or puts fire around its body?”

I narrowed my eyes and thought back to what I remembered.

〈It covered the forest with flames just by staying still, it was like a volcanic mountain that erupted on the ground.〉

On second thought, that was a rough way of explaining it.

“One that has the ability to turn the forest of Eire into a sea of ​​fire without even moving…?”

Aedis tilted his head.

“There’s a beast like that?”

Eh?

“You don’t think so?”

That can’t be right, it most likely is a beast.

When the incident occurred in the novel, the knights of the Grand Duchy clearly shouted that a beast had appeared.

But Aedis was skeptical.

“Well, Eve, did you see it yourself?”

“It’s just a story.”

I took a deep breath.

Now was the right time to confess.

“Well, Aedis. Actually, what I want to tell you is-”

Gong!

What, what is it?

Not far away, there was a roar.

Aedis, who reflexively pulled me into his arms, narrowed his eyes.

“What did Regen do, and the seal…”

“The seal? Ack.”

Aedis violently cut off his words and moved out of the space.

When I opened my closed eyes, what came into sight was the destroyed gargoyle statue and the fallen Regen.

I quickly approached Regen.

“Lord!”

There weren’t any noticeable injuries on him, but Regen’s complexion was pale.

He was sweating as if he was caught up in a nightmare that he couldn’t easily wake up from.

“Uh… .”

“It’s Maevia. Can you recognize me? What happened?”

Regen grabbed me with trembling hands and cried.

“Ta-talked too much…”

“….”

And miraculously, those few words explained everything.

Thud

Regen’s hand fell weakly.

I carefully put Regen’s fainted head down and opened my mouth.

“The Lord seems to have heard Paimon’s voice?”

My voice trembled as I asked that, and his answer came back with a similarly unpleasant mood.

“I know. It barked so much that I didn’t just put soundproofing magic on the floor where the wife and I mainly use, but on the whole castle.”

Excuse me?

“It looks like he unwrapped the seal.”

All the windows that had been tightly closed were open.

And the stone powder that formed when the stone statue split and broke was blown away by the wind.

Aedis spoke, closing all the windows without moving a finger.

“Do you remember how I told you that Regen isn’t an ordinary kid?”

“I remember.”

I know that he will become a skilled master in the Magic Tower in the future.

“Regen is gifted with a different talent from Gilbert. It’s still too early for him to use that power, but Paimon must have forced him to do so. Let him rest for a while and he’ll be fine.”

“Do you remember the day the Lord went sledding with Procyon? At that time, he didn’t hear anything. Why could he suddenly hear it?”

“Maybe because of its desire to live, Paimon is quickly regaining strength. It’s even released from the seal now, so wife will be able to hear it too.”

Should I really listen to the chatter that stuns Regen and pisses Aedis off?

I first called Mrs. Theresa and then I called Sarah, who in turn called the physician.

The attending physician meticulously diagnosed Regen for 30 minutes, and it was only after I was convinced that there was no major abnormality with his health that we could move on to the next problem.

I asked Aedis as we left the room.

“Aedis, what about Paimon?”

“It ran away.”

“Hmm, where did it go?”

Aedis opened his mouth.

A knight was rushing in from a distance.

“A dispatch just came from the Rosa Estate! It said that a beast has appeared in the Eire Forest!”

“A beast?”

“Yes! No matter how much we look at it, its size can only mean it’s a beast…!”

The knight, who had now arrived in front of me, was breathing raggedly as he waited for instructions.

-“One that has the ability to turn the forest of Eire into a sea of ​​fire without even moving…?”

-“There’s a beast like that?”

Wait?

Are you sure?

“… Aedis?”

“Maybe my wife’s thoughts are correct. Paimon’s body is no different from a dragon. It has the ability to deal with fire.”

Oh my God!

* * *

Just a few minutes before the incident:

Paimon, who fled away from Cyclamen Castle in an instant, was enjoying his freedom.

「Freedom! Finally, I am free! Ha ha ha ha!」

Paimon was so unusual that the other spirits marveled.

Paimon was the only spirit that brought wealth and honor to humans 500 years ago and even 500 years later.

Strictly speaking, Paimon did have attributes that belong to nature.

He had flames that turned everything into ashes.

It wasn’t an ability that could just create embers.

Paimon didn’t know how to make a bonfire or cook raw things properly.

But he was able to create a flame and burn a piece of land completely.

Irreversible destruction.

It’s a very powerful ability, but it’s also an ability that no one really needs.

It was contrary to the laws of the natural world, which always call for regeneration.

Even spirits like him had avoided Paimon before being forced to surrender to him.

But it was literally nothing but submission.

Paimon had been the king of Eire Forest for a long time, but he had no such thing as a loyal subordinate.

They would stay for a while and be good and kind, hoping for something in return.

He was always alone. Even now, when he was liberated after 500 years.

But he was very happy. There was no bitterness.

It was because of a human woman with hair that looked like it was dipped in a palette of color.

「Ah, but what about Eve’s wish? I don’t have power right now.」

Paimon blew his nose and thought of Maevia.

He might have had some energy if he’d eaten the kid who unwrapped the seal, but that kid seemed to be familiar with Maevia.

「I won’t touch anyone Maevia knows. I have that much loyalty.」

He remembered that he was only able to live last time, after he collided with a sleigh, thanks to Maevia who had recognized him.

Paimon also knew that it was thanks to her persuasion that the Grand Duke did not kill him after that.

And It wasn’t just that.

-“You can sleep in peace now. I’ll stay with you until you fall asleep.”

It was like her pink eyes were engraved with starlight.

That was the first time Paimon had ever heard such warm words in his entire life. He was intoxicated with a sense of happiness, mistaking Maevia as a kid who was kind and innocent enough to confront the Grand Duke for him but also loves wealth and honor.

Therefore, Paimon firmly believed that Maevia wasn’t helping him just for wealth and honor, but that she was helping him because she was so kind and good-natured.

「Is there a treasure trove around here or something? I should get ahold of anything I can and put it in Eve’s hand ~ And also quickly recover and give her wishes ~ Lululu ~」

At that moment, the Eire Forest came into view before Paimon’s eyes.

────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────

Advanced Chapters!

Rate the novel on Novel Updates.

Join our discord to receive the latest updates as soon as possible!