Chapter 176

A long explanation and awkward silence followed.

“This child is my future daughter?”

“…Yes.”

Aila, the daughter between future Airi and me, shyly nodded. I can’t believe such a shy girl came from that lively monster.

“So, in the middle of this chaos, this child still sleeping is my daughter?”

“zzzzz…”

Violet, the child said to be from future Camelian and me, was still asleep. How can a child born under that hearing monster sleep so peacefully in this mess? Are quarter-elves naturally bad at hearing?

“Is this child my future daughter?”

“Yes, though it’s hard to believe.”

Rachel, the child said to be from me and Glacia, at least seemed to take after her mother. Her stiff attitude and emphasis on manners made that clear.

“That masked, perverted bastard is my future son? Don’t make me laugh! I can’t accept it!”

“Nobody asked for your acceptance. Think about the person who got dragged here and suddenly insulted. And shut up, you’re annoying.”

As for Damian, said to be the son between me and Lorcha… no paternity test is needed. His language and dirty personality… clearly, he’s her son. Maybe a bit of my personality mixed in too.

“Honestly, I’m confused too, but the evidence is too overwhelming… especially the items those children have.”

Damian had the magic book Enok I used. And Rachel had a magic sword and ice sword.

“Sigh… Fine, showing it would be quicker. Hey, you idiots, take it out.”

Finally, Violet woke up.

“Huh… What…?”

“Where’s the sword your mother used?”

“Huh…?”

Violet, the quarter-elf child, looked around and started glancing between me and Camelian.

“Ah, right, I need to show the sword… I lost it…”

“This pathetic idiot…”

Damian, annoyed, quickly shifted his gaze to Aila. Aila looked a bit scared.

“You too, hurry up and show your mother’s ring. Seriously, think about my position having to deal with idiots like you.”

“Ah, brother… Actually…”

“What’s wrong?”

“I lost it too… I had it in my pocket, but it’s gone…”

“These stupid idiots, both of you…!”

Damian, furious, stomped towards the children…

Splat!

Blood splattered.

Of course, it wasn’t Aila or Violet’s blood. Rachel, unable to stand it, drew her sword and stabbed his hand. Damian, looking at his bleeding hand, stared at Rachel and spoke.

“…What the hell is this?”

“Enough. Now you’re going to hit your siblings? What right do you have? Always running around outside, never caring about us… Losing some items, what’s the big deal? The proof is already done with what you and I have.”

“Sigh… Really. This is why I didn’t want to bring you. Losing heirlooms like that… This is why I hate our father. Dumping these idiots on me and then dying.”

Hey, I’m still alive… Well, I’m his father, but not really, so I can’t say much.

“Fine, the proof is done. You kids can play your silly games here. I have no interest in being tied to this damn place.”

Calling someone else’s place a damn place makes the owner feel a bit off. I wish he’d correct himself, but the person who said it stormed out.

“Now, this is the last time I’ll deal with you. I’ll act on my own. So, you can play your silly games among yourselves.”

“The only flaw in my life is having a brother like you.”

“…Say whatever.”

Ah… I don’t know what he’s thinking, bleeding like that.

The carpet’s all bloody now.

“That bastard…”

Rachel seemed to deeply hate her brother Damian. Her eyes were bloodshot as she stared at the door he stormed out of.

I poured warm water into a cup and handed it to her, deciding to ask.

“Can I ask… why you two have such a bad relationship? Did he do something…?”

Rachel drank the warm water and seemed to calm down a bit.

================================================

“Sigh… So that’s how it is.”

It was a complicated story. Me and the four women all died in the future, and Damian didn’t shed a single tear at the funeral.

At seven, he inherited the family head position but left the work to others and wandered outside. Relatives came to check on the sisters left at the mansion… but Damian, fearing his power was threatened, killed them all.

Since childhood, he wore a mask and got angry if anyone tried to remove it, ignoring his siblings even when they were sick.

On top of that, he’s planning to marry Rachel to the Crown Prince’s son… the one I serve now.

“I can’t stand that guy. The fact that someone who ignores his siblings when they’re sick is my brother…”

He’s definitely cold-hearted.

“Definitely a trash bastard.”

Lorcha got up and left after hearing that. Everyone seemed to agree to some extent.

“It’ll get dark soon, so let’s look. The night is cold.”

I thought it was too early to judge after hearing only one side.

Outside, the chilly evening air greeted me. Lorcha was waiting.

“I knew you’d come out.”

“You’re looking for him too?”

“Whether he’s my future son or not doesn’t matter. I’m just a bit curious about what kind of guy he is.”

“Yeah, yeah, sure.”

“Really.”

“I didn’t say anything.”

She pinched my side, but it didn’t hurt much. We searched for hours in the chilly evening air but found no trace of Damian.

Then, suddenly, screams came from a distant alley. Rachel’s description of Damian as a murderer came to mind.

And indeed, when we rushed there, we saw a garden of corpses decorating the alley. And the person who decorated this bloody garden was…

“Did you come?”

Damian, holding a black spear, greeted us with his mask soaked in blood.

“What are these corpses…?”

“Common story. Trash threatening people in alleys where guards don’t come.”

“…Did you kill them all?”

“They’re trash committing crimes without jobs. Chopping their limbs and leaving them alive would just make them beg, and killing them just removes trash, so no harm to the world.”

“You came from the future, right? Didn’t you think killing them might have some negative impact?”

Something about time paradoxes or whatever.

“Do you think trash robbing people will create meaningful results in 20 years? And don’t worry. I can distinguish who should be killed and who shouldn’t.”

Hearing this, Lorcha approached Damian.

“Among the robbers, there’s a boy about 15, younger than you. You killed him too? No feelings?”

“Do you distinguish between adult and larval pests when killing them? Pests are pests. No further classification is needed.”

“And the story your sister told, is it true?”

“I wasn’t there, but she’s not the type to lie or exaggerate.”

“One last question. What do you think when you kill people?”

“Do you feel anything special when stepping on pests? The important criterion is whether it’s necessary, not feelings.”

“I see.”

Thud!

Lorcha struck Damian’s stomach.

“After all, I can’t accept a guy like you as my son. Regardless of the truth, I’ll just think you’re a liar.”

“I told you, I didn’t come here seeking trivial recognition.”

Both Lorcha’s voice and Damian’s voice from behind the mask were icy cold.

“Don’t misunderstand. You may be our parents, but you’re not our parents. So, I don’t need to feel anything special for you, nor do I want to. My parents were liars to me too. What do I care what such people say? What a joke.”

With that, Damian threw a sword and a ring at me. The red sword I gave Camelian and the ring with a red gem I gave Airi.

“Those idiots left them at the café. Really, such clumsy fools… It’s so annoying. My life’s a mess because of them. I just want to send them all away.”

Damian quietly disappeared after saying that.

My head hurt.