I Kidnapped the Hero’s Women

Chapter 29 - The War Between Evil Gods

"Shh. Keep quiet, you\'ll wake Julia."

"Hehe. Got it. Julia, really. Still can\'t sleep alone at her age."

Giggling, Charlotte quietly entered the office, covering her mouth.

This brat...

Whenever she saw me, she would blush and run away, but now she looked mischievous, only thinking about teasing Julia.

"If you want to sleep holding hands, you should have told me..."

"Your hand probably wouldn\'t work. It seems like she can only sleep with my hand."

"Hmm, really? I\'ve been holding hands with Julia and sleeping together for a long time, way before you."

"Is that so…"

What is she trying to prove?

Charlotte put her hands on her hips, boasting as if to say Julia was her pet, gently stroking Julia\'s sleeping head.

"It\'s been a long time since I\'ve seen her sleep so peacefully..."

"She\'s been suffering from insomnia."

"Hehe. She looks so peaceful. Thank you, Mister."

"...."

Charlotte had a genuinely relieved expression, as if it was her own problem.

She might seem carefree, but she must have been quite worried about Julia.

These kids have a deep bond.

Maybe it\'s because they had no one else to rely on in the orphanage.

Thinking that way made them seem a bit pitiable.

"So, what\'s your purpose for visiting me this late at night?"

"Oh, right. The Super Strong Sword... I wanted to get it back..."

"Alright. Since you came directly, I should return it. Sylvia."

"Yes."

Silently emerging from the shadows, Sylvia held the Super Strong Sword.

When Sylvia handed over the Super Strong Sword without hesitation, Charlotte looked slightly puzzled.

Is this really it? She seemed to ask with her expression.

"You may leave now."

"Really?"

"Yes."

"Then..."

"Is there something else you wanted to say?"

Charlotte hesitated at the door, then slowly closed it and returned.

"The strike I made that split the mountain. What was that?"

"You ask now? Honestly, if you had left without asking, I would have been very disappointed."

"It was a test...!"

"Power is dangerous on its own; it\'s nothing but a luxury for those who don\'t contemplate it. You need to understand and constantly ponder your power to truly make it yours."

"Oh...!"

I stole the lines from Sylvia’s dialogue near the end of Chapter 1.

Being carefree is good.

But when it comes to wielding power, one must be serious.

Especially Charlotte’s power, which is equivalent to 120 Kaboom or 30 Sylvia, is extremely potent.

Imagine if she went astray with such power.

Just thinking about it is terrifying.

Charlotte needs to understand and control her power, and I have the duty to guide her properly.

That’s the role of an adult.

"So, what was it?"

"After examining the Super Strong Sword post-strike, I found traces of large amounts of energy being emitted from the blade."

"Was it magic...?"

"I can\'t say. It’s clear that mana was burned to emit energy, but whether it was magic or not is unknown. So until we identify it, that technique..."

"It\'s Thunderstrike!"

"Until we identify it, Thunderstrike is banned."

"...!"

Charlotte collapsed with a devastated expression as if her world had crumbled.

She seemed very disappointed.

"Don\'t worry. It probably won\'t take long to figure it out."

"You have a way? You’re smart, so you can figure it out quickly, right?"

"No. It\'s not me who will find out..."

Boom!

Suddenly, the mansion shook violently, and the candlelight went out.

The tremor, initially small, grew larger as it approached.

The hairs on my body stood on end, and a chill ran down my spine.

[The evil god, \'Kali,\' growls.]

...This is sooner than I expected.

"Charlotte! Get behind..."

Crash!

Suddenly, the office wall collapsed.

I grabbed Julia, rolled to a safe spot, and saw that Charlotte had already escaped to safety.

"Kyaa!? What’s going on?"

Rumble.

A black form pressed through the collapsed wall.

The familiar figure of a woman with long black hair emerged from within, scattering shadows.

"Irene..."

"Why the face? You look like you\'ve seen a ghost."

"...."

"Lower your eyes."

Irene Vermont.

I expected her to come, but I didn’t think she would make such a grand entrance.

"Young master, you must flee..."

"Does it make sense for him to flee? Be quiet."

"Grr..."

Thud.

Irene, gripping Sylvia by the neck, stained in blood.

Our mansion’s top guard was subdued in an instant.

Irene threw Sylvia into the office and stepped in lightly.

\'This is the 5th floor...\'

She didn’t fly up here.

The massive black shape must be the evil god Laura.

No... it\'s likely a manifestation of Laura.

Even a manifestation can easily subdue Sylvia and collapse the mansion.

Can\'t Kali do something like that?

[The evil god, \'Kali,\' glares fiercely at the evil god, \'Laura!\']

Dammit.

Kali is of no help.

Grinding my teeth, I locked eyes with Irene as she slowly approached.

"...What do you want?"

"What do I want? Did you really think you could hide it? After smashing a mountain like that? What a joke."

"The mountain has always been like that. Maybe you remember wrong."

"Haha. My dear brother. You\'ve grown more shameless, but your lies haven’t improved at all. Just admit it. It\'s all exposed anyway. How about coming clean?"

"...."

"You think I\'ll stay silent until you confess?"

Irene frowned, and a cold aura tickled my ear.

But I must endure.

As I remained silent, Irene ground her teeth and brought her lips close to my ear.

"If a Sword Master is born in our family, you should have reported it to me first. Are you joking? I saw it. I saw the black aura slicing through the mountain with my own eyes. So stop this foolish standoff."

"...."

Sword Master. Aura.

I’ve got all the information I needed.

When Charlotte unleashed her slash, I didn’t know since I was inside.

The thing that split the mountain was aura—a form of energy wave only a Sword Master can wield.

But isn’t aura supposed to cling to the blade?

Can it split a mountain to such a degree?

I have many questions, but for now, I need to act as if I know everything.

"I kept quiet because I thought you\'d react like this. It’s a joyous event that a Sword Master has emerged in the family, right? Why cause trouble on such a good day?"

"Oh, right. It\'s a joyous occasion. If only the Sword Master wasn\'t under your command. I know you, Aslan. You’re destined to ruin everything around you, whether you want to or not."

"...."

"There\'s no way this half-wit has become a Sword Master. It must be that kid who unleashed the aura. Ridiculous. Talented knights train for decades to experience aura, but she can do it at her age? What a genius."

"A great genius. Too valuable to keep under me."

"If she’s so valuable, how about leaving her with your sister?"

"Not that valuable."

"...."

Irene ground her teeth, her face contorting.

Last time, I couldn’t stand up to her, but this time it’s different.

\'If I back down here, everything falls apart...!\'

The forge, the security business, Julia, and Charlotte.

I’ve started too many things.

Allowing Irene to intervene now would ruin all my plans.

Looking at those high heels makes my perineum tingle with fear, but I have to overcome it and face her.

"Just once. Hand over that kid. She was mine originally."

"If you want to take her, take her."

"Oh, then I won’t hesitate..."

"But I won’t hold back my military power."

"..."

I stepped forward, warning her.

The reason for my bravado?

[The evil god, \'Kali,\' prepares to descend in fury!]

It’s Kali.

All my hopes are pinned on Kali.

Honestly, given her past behavior, I don’t think Kali’s that strong.

But Kali’s my only joker card.

"I’m already furious that you invaded the mansion and beat up my guard, but I let it slide. But if you cross the line further, it’s all-out war. A war between evil gods."

"...!"

For the first time, Irene\'s eyes, always firm, wavered.

No matter how weak Kali might be, she’s still an evil god.

Even if it’s just a manifestation, a war between evil gods is no small matter.

Victory or defeat doesn’t matter.

Even if Kali is utterly defeated, what’s important is that a war between evil gods here would announce to the world that \'We have an evil god.\'

Can you handle that, Irene?

I won’t die alone.

"Aslan. Your bluff has improved. Acting cool while your legs tremble. But it\'s too early for a war."

"..."

Irene caressed my cheek.

Then she drew a thin line with her sharp nail and retreated.

Jumping lightly onto the crumbling wall, Irene landed on the massive black form.

"Don’t forget. You are my brother. As much as I hate it, we are bound by blood. If your existence blocks my path, I will come back and kill you, war or not."

"Do as you wish..."

Rumble.

The black form moved away.

When it disappeared beyond the mountain into the night, my legs gave out, and I collapsed.

"Mister! She said Sword Master? What is that?"

"It\'s... someone really strong."

"...!"

Strange.

I feel like I\'ve hit the jackpot, but why don\'t I feel happy?

Why does the future of peace and safety seem to be getting farther away?

"Sword Master... Sword Master... Sword Master..."

Meanwhile, Sylvia\'s expression was blank as she kept repeating the same words over and over.

Is she alright?