Chapter 34

“Oh… don’t come any closer! If you take one more step, this child’s life is over!”

Werner wrapped one arm around my neck and focused magical energy in his other hand. I was certain that even a simple spell from that hand would be enough to kill me. Yet, despite the threat, Lady Media clicked her tongue and sighed.

“Werner… no, our youngest… why have you been acting like this lately…?”

“Whatever I do, it’s my own business, isn’t it, Sister?”

“You used to be such a kind child, but now that you’ve hit puberty…”

“Why don’t you go home and take care of the kids, Sister?”

Werner, still holding me, dashed toward the window. Leaning against the railing, he chuckled mischievously. Though his laughter seemed playful… to me, it looked sad. It felt like he was wearing a mask of laughter to hide a face that wanted to cry.

But the one who looked even sadder was none other than Lady Media.

“If you repent now, I’ll let you off lightly. Come back at once.”

“Do you really think you and the others can catch me?”

“What?”

Werner raised his right hand. An extraordinary amount of magical energy gathered in his palm, and only then did Lady Media rush toward us in shock. But by then, Werner had already jumped out the window with me in his arms.

“Veil of mist, spread far and wide.”

Instantly, my vision blurred. A hazy something obscured my sight. But the shouts that followed soon revealed that the haze wasn’t just covering my vision.

“Hey, Werner! What the heck is this?!”

“It’s a new spell I developed! If you can find me through this fog covering the entire city, then go ahead and try!”

The fog hid his face, and the only sensation I could feel was his hands gripping my shoulders and legs. Then, he began running somewhere, carrying me.

About five minutes later, the sound of a creaking door revealed a modest room. It was smaller than the attic rooms in the mansion I lived in or the mansions of other heroes. Clothes and papers were scattered everywhere, and a single picture lay on the table.

“Lord Werner…?”

“Don’t call me ‘Lord,’ it’s embarrassing.”

“I have no value as a hostage… so I should just…”

“Earth, gather and strike.”

Before I could finish speaking, a heavy impact hit my forehead. The shock jolted me awake, and I instinctively grabbed my forehead, swallowing dryly.

“…That hurts.”

“Why do you think you have no value as a hostage?”

“Because I’m just a half-baked nobody… I’m not strong like my father… nor am I good at magic like my mother.”

“What? Who’s spouting such nonsense?”

“Other people…”

“Wow, what the hell do those idiots expect from a six-year-old? Do they want you to slay a dragon or something?”

Werner clicked his tongue in annoyance. His face was scrunched up in irritation, but I could tell he was worried about me. He wasn’t as thorough as people thought, nor was he as cold as the rumors suggested.

The public’s opinion of him varied greatly.

‘A genius of magic unparalleled in history.’

‘The epitome of a perfect sorcerer.’

‘A genius among geniuses, perfect in character, skill, and personality.’

And…

‘The cold, ruthless hound of the Imperial Family.’

But while he was indeed a genius of magic, he wasn’t cold, ruthless, or loyal to the Imperial Family. If you removed those parts from the title ‘cold, ruthless hound of the Imperial Family,’ there’d be nothing left.

“Hey, do you want something to drink? Coffee? Cocoa? Or maybe some black tea?”

“…Cocoa, please.”

“Alright, where did I put the kettle…”

Werner opened the cupboard to look for the kettle. As soon as he opened it, various knick-knacks fell on his head. Amid the clattering noise, he rubbed the bump on his head.

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fine. Just sit still.”

He found the kettle among the debris, filled it with water, and started boiling it. While waiting for the water to boil, I decided to take a closer look around the room. It was a small, musty single room with dusty furniture and tools. If there had been a maid or servant, they wouldn’t have left such a mess.

“Um… are there no maids or servants here?”

“It’s already cramped enough living alone. Why would I need a servant?”

Then this wasn’t his villa or office. But something felt off. As far as I knew, he lived with Lord Zick and Lady Media. I wondered why he had left the spacious mansion to live in this tiny room.

“I heard you live with Lord Zick and Lady Media…”

“Ah, there? I ran away.”

“Huh? Ran away?”

This was the first I’d heard of it. I had always heard that he followed Lord Zick like a father and Lady Media like a mother. It was hard to believe he had left them and run away.

“That’s Brother and Sister’s house, not mine.”

“But I heard the three of you have a very close relationship.”

“Yeah, Brother and Sister are very caring. They always put me first.”

“Then why…”

Werner poured boiling water into a cup, added cocoa powder and sugar, stirred it, and placed it in front of me. Since I couldn’t handle hot drinks well, he must have used magic to cool it down to a warm temperature.

“No matter how much Brother and Sister treat me like family… in the end, it’s just ‘like family.'”

Finally, I began to understand what he meant. At some point, he had started feeling a distance. Moreover, since Lord Zick and Lady Media had a daughter, he must have felt even lonelier.

In a way, he was similar to me, a half-baked nobody.

“In that sense, I envy you.”

“Me…?”

I was just a half-baked nobody. I wasn’t born with great magical talent like Werner, nor was I born with innate strength like my father. I couldn’t understand why someone like him would envy someone like me.

“Brother Melchior and Sister Melissa only think about you. They’re total doting parents, and just plain fools.”

“Pfft…”

There probably wasn’t anyone else in the world who could call their father and mother fools. His confident attitude was starting to grow on me.

“By the way, who are these people calling you a half-baked nobody? What do they do?”

“Mostly cousins and some retainers…”

“Hey, just tear their mouths off.”

“Huh?”

I expected him to say something like ‘overcome it with effort’ or ‘you’re not a half-baked nobody,’ but instead, he advised me to tear the mouths off those who badmouthed me.

“Hey, what’s wrong with being half-and-half?”

“But I…”

“Hey, take this cocoa. Cocoa powder is just powder without water. Hot water alone is just plain water. Mix them together, and you get proper cocoa. Tell those bloodline-obsessed idiots to drink plain water.”

Werner gulped down his cocoa. Despite being only 14, he seemed more mature than most adults. His face was delicate, and his attitude and voice were mature. For the first time, I felt drawn to someone.

“Your dad asked me for a favor. He said his daughter was feeling down, so he wanted me to help. I’m already swamped with work…”

“Lord Werner… aren’t you lonely?”

“Well, I’m too busy to feel lonely…”

He said that, but his eyes told a different story. I could tell because I often lied to my busy parents, saying I was fine being alone. He was lonely.

“Lord Werner, you don’t have a family, do you?”

“Why are you poking at a sore spot?”

“If you were to have a family… what kind of person would you want?”

“Family… hmm…”

Werner propped his chin on his hand and began to ponder deeply. The fact that he was thinking so long suggested he hadn’t given much thought to this topic before.

“Someone who sees me as ‘me.'”

“…What does that mean?”

At the time, I couldn’t understand what he meant by wanting someone to see him as himself. People admired him, and his comrades cherished him greatly.

“There’s no one like that.”

“What if I find someone like that for you?”

“Hmm… if you find someone like that, I’ll grant you one wish.”

As we talked, I started to feel drowsy. The cold weather, the warm cocoa, and the cozy blanket made it inevitable.

Werner draped another blanket over me as I dozed off.

“Hey, if you’re tired, just sleep. Don’t force yourself to stay awake.”

He lifted my half-asleep self and laid me down on the bed. Though it was hard and narrow, it felt softer and cozier than any bed I had ever lain on.