NOVEL NEXT Episode 19
Episode 19
Well, actually, this is my first time too.
It’s my first formal meeting, but it’s also my first time wanting to sever the lifeline of someone with a face that 100% matches my type. If you know and hear that I’m generally someone who backs down in front of a face that fits my taste, you can understand how serious this resolution is.
I’m saying that I’m someone who used to adore even a jobless bum bastard who whined for allowance just because his face was my type. Of course, that bastard became waste as soon as I discovered the next male face that was my type.
Anyway, the one whose looks are the most my type out of all the men I’ve met so far is none other than Ryuseong.
‘That’s right, let’s kill him!’
My mentality was shattered to the point of attempting to escape reality by fantasizing about 99 ways to murder Ryuseong.
In front of my eyes, such an absurd banquet scene was unfolding.
“Here.”
“Ah, thank you.”
“Ahem, hmm. This food tastes good.”
“Oh my, is that so? Hoho, I specially ordered spices to make it since it’s the day my son is coming home…”
Am I the only one who thinks this is strange right now?
Ryuseong pouring water for and bowing his head to the Demillang bloodline?
The Demillang bloodline gently expressing gratitude to Ryuseong?
Not only that, but the head of the Hanra family telling the lady of the Demillang household that the food is delicious in a dignified tone?
The lady of the Demillang household shyly whispering about the recipe to the head of the Hanra family?
Characters, how far are you going to collapse…?
‘This is all because of you, Ryuseong!’
When I thought that all this trouble started from when that bastard Ryuseong couldn’t eat dalgona properly, suddenly irritation welled up and surged.
So I only picked out the mushrooms and beans I disliked and put them on Ryuseong’s plate. While mother, father, and the head of the Hanra family were alternately glancing at us with a very tense expression – why? – Ryuseong quietly looked down at my plate.
And after glaring at the neat and tidy dish containing a few salad points and beef soup as if very unpleasant, he put a whole steak dripping with meat juices on it.
No, this bastard!
“You were eating meat this time too. Why are you interfering with my meal again as you please?”
“Where was the meat on your meager plate?”
When I disregarded manners and tapped on the soup bowl, that bastard Ryuseong snorted. Is this bastard really asking to fight me? In response to my challenge of eating beef soup with great determination, let alone applauding, this bastard even used his parents chance to nitpick my eating habits.
“Do you know why this person is acting like this? Every time he tries to eat something, he only eats the lettuce and ends up not eating, so it seems there will be a problem with nutrition.”
“Ung, yes. Our son doesn’t eat much, you know? He says he doesn’t like the feeling of having something in his stomach… I’m relieved our Ryuseong is taking good care of him.”
Huh? Mother, since when was it ‘our’ Ryuseong… While I was absurdly looking at mother feeling at a loss for words, father spoke fondly next to me with a somehow mildly loosened gaze towards Ryuseong.
“Cassice has many unpleasant memories related to meals. Since it will be safe at the academy, please take good care of him.”
“…I will.”
No, when did you see him to entrust me to him like that?
Am I the only one feeling flabbergasted as Ryuseong seriously nodded and everyone except me went into haha hoho mode? Fuck this. Even the head of the Hanra family was talking nonsense with a somewhat satisfied expression, sizing us up together, saying things like ‘His looks aren’t bad with this… No, they are bad. No, but the kid likes him…’
‘Everyone, please come to your senses.’
That bastard Ryuseong doesn’t like me!
Thinking about it, I felt even more wronged. After making me work so hard at studying alone, huh? The subject that made me want to post a notice urgently seeking a one-night partner for Cassice Demillang is properly going through a formal meeting!
What the hell is he thinking!
‘Of course, if I post an urgent notice seeking a one-night partner for Cassice Demillang, I will be beheaded by Demillang for defamation…’
Fortunately, I don’t have a hobby of being beheaded, so the notice wasn’t posted. At that time, an attack came at an unexpected timing.
“Anyway, Cassice. You should eat well. Otherwise, it will sadden your mother.”
“…Yes, I will try.”
“Can you show that effort starting now?”
“….”
…Wow, the intense gaze of the adults strongly insisting to make an effort right now is fierce.
Well, from the adults’ perspective, I thought it could be worrisome if someone eats poorly even though they don’t seem to have an eating disorder. The Cassice Demillang in the original work also had a small appetite similar to me, so I just did as I always did, but did I eat less than in the original?
‘Except for personality. Except for personality.’
Anyway, judging from the fact that the original Cassice had unpleasant memories related to meals, I wonder if he was poisoned or something. For me, it’s not really like that, I just genuinely dislike feeling stuffed, so I don’t know what to do.
“I’ll eat just one piece.”
“Go ahead.”
After saying that, Ryuseong cut the steak in half, then naturally put a size that made me wonder how it would fit into his mouth, and held out the remaining half to me.
…Are you crazy?
“Does that size look like ‘one piece’ to you? Mr. Ryuseong, did something happen to your head?”
“Before something happens to my head, I think something will happen to your body, so shut up and eat it.”
“Sigh….”
I wonder why the adults are pleased when we are seriously fighting. Is this what they mean by generation gap? Is it because the generations are so different that they can’t understand sincerity?
While I was thinking that, as fucked up as it gets, the 1st tier of the generation gap appeared. At some point, it seemed like the scent of perfume was mixed in with the wind.
“Yo-young master! The head of the family…!”
“Head of the family, it’s been a while since he handed over that position to his son.”
Someone had stepped on the backyard.
Tap, even his landing steps made a sound as light as air. Tap, perhaps it was due to his light mass like a floating stone. There were light footsteps that didn’t even carelessly step on the grass.
The former head of the Demillang family, with the face of a young boy, was smiling brightly at us.
“It’s been a while, little ones.”
‘…So why is great-grandfather appearing here?’
***
Now, as a one-shot instructor, I, Cassice Demillang, will summarize the succession process of the esteemed Demillang family.
1) The great-grandfather with the appearance of a young boy who appeared before our eyes is the former head of the family.
2) The former head handed over the position to his son – Cassice’ grandfather – ten years ago.
3) Grandfather doesn’t hand over the position to his son – Cassice’ father.
From the grandfather’s perspective, it’s understandable that he doesn’t want to hand it over since he also received it not long ago.
However, the annoying point here is that he uses the heart disease passed down from the maternal side as an excuse while constantly criticizing Cassice’ position as the young master.
This heart disease is something that is neither a curse nor a disease, but a difficult mixture of a curse of blood succession and symptoms.
Even though Cassice brilliantly devised a way to overcome that ailment solely with his talent, the head of the family tried to keep the successor position vacant based on uncertainty. That’s why the one who actively stepped up to appoint Cassice, the only direct descendant properly raised in the short-handed family, as the young master despite almost not becoming one is none other than…
“Can’t the head of the family see that shining talent?”
The former head and current chairman of the Council of Elders.
He would be Cassice Demillang’s great-grandfather.
So, when you think about it, one of the few favorable backers for Cassice Demillang is his great-grandfather.
All this information is composed of data not only from the original work’s descriptions but also from thoroughly searching through Cassice Demillang’s accounts.
But why is it?
‘…Why do I feel nauseous?’
Could it be because the existence of a great-grandfather was a trauma for ‘Jeong Ian’, ‘me’?
Although the great-grandfather here is not that person, perhaps just seeing someone called great-grandfather…
‘Argh. Fuck the trauma.’
I, who managed my mentality in one breath, tried to get up from my seat with a thin smile to greet him, but he stretched out his arms as if telling me to hug him. The great-grandfather seemed to have a more friendly attitude towards Cassice than expected.
I approached intimately, bent my knees, and lightly embraced him. Then, a wrinkled hand patted my back.
“The wind whispered, so I came to see your face, but there are amazing guests.”
Great-grandfather, who hugged me, spoke in a gentle voice and looked straight at Ryuseong and the head of the Hanra family.
And a solemn silence flowed.
“….”
“….”
…Ah, I was so focused on my own thoughts that I didn’t realize it.
‘Did the big boss of Hanra and the former big boss of Demillang just meet?’
A long time passed before a meal that was dizzying to the point of not knowing what state of mind ended.
The atmosphere was too mild to say it was fucked up, but, um. So, the elders didn’t say much and just ate, considering the dignity of their own children.
‘I feel like I’m going to overeat…’
You know what kind of atmosphere it was, right?
The head of the Hanra family decided to take Ryuseong. He carefully apologized and withdrew, saying it would be too much of a discourtesy to borrow a bed when he suddenly came like this, which was surprising as it didn’t seem like the head of the Hanra family known for his hot temper. Indeed, it seemed parents’ temperaments change in front of their children’s issues.
However, perhaps because Ryuseong was his child, he didn’t change his temperament at all and looked at me up and down with a dissatisfied expression, and even said this.
“If you starve more here, you will become classmates with the principal.”
…I was going to eat well anyway? Calling me a skeleton in such a pretty way?
On the other hand, the former head of the family, who watched the Hanra family leave, suddenly decided to borrow me for a moment. To be precise, he designated me as the one to see them off, and although I was worried there might be some meaningful conversation, it ended with holding hands, escorting them to the car while chatting, embracing, and then returning.
I did suspect they might have poisoned me, as expected of a suspicious shady family, but I was too fine now for that to be the case.
‘But just in case, let’s drink a potion.’
When I returned to the mansion like that, for some reason, mother and father were whispering while standing in front of the door, and when I appeared, they held their breaths. And while forcibly putting on a straight smile, they held my hand and patted my shoulder.
But throughout the process, an unknown sense of discomfort lingered.
I don’t know the reason, but the mana in my body naturally became tense. To be precise, the mana in my body was distributed in the air so that it could dominate the surroundings at any time, matching frequencies with the mana in the air. I increased the compatibility between each and every mana particle spread around and myself.
They say this is what magicians do to dominate the space when preparing for battle.
I didn’t know I would end up doing that.
Anyway, I spent the day I came out for vacation like that. Fortunately, that was all of mother and father’s discomfort, but it was still awkward to let my guard down, so I just decided to maintain a state of tension throughout the vacation period.
Hmm. Could it be that this family is also ridiculous?
The parents seemed like really good people though…?