NOVEL NEXT Chapter 142.1
The Guardian Was More Overprotective Than Anyone Else
“You, despite all your complaints, are the most indulgent towards Yuuri-chan, aren’t you?”
“Huh?”
“Eh? Ali-san is incredibly kind, you know?”
Ali frowned with a troubled expression at the offhand remark made by the effeminate man in a reflective tone. Next to him, Yuuri, who was drinking freshly squeezed fruit juice, interjected as if to say, “What are you talking about, stating the obvious?”
Seeing Yuuri like that, Leopold laughed happily, while Ali made a face as if he had bitten into something bitter. Watching the three different reactions, Brook, who was enjoying a sweet tea with dried fruit, lowered his eyes as if to say, “I have nothing to do with this.” He probably thought getting involved would be troublesome. He was probably not wrong.
At this stage, since Ali didn’t offer any clear rebuttal to Leopold’s comment, he must have some self-awareness about it. Despite usually being a nag and lecturing about this and that, Ali’s position is Yuuri’s guardian. If Yuuri messes up, Ali rushes to clean up the mess and follow up, and if Yuuri goes off the rails, he scolds him while teaching him common sense. Thanks to the cheerful and naturally airheaded Yuuri, his daily life had become much livelier than before.
“Fufufu. He’s more overprotective of you than you think, you know?”
“…Is that so?”
“Yes, it is. Right?”
“…Shut up.”
Facing the effeminate man who seemed genuinely amused, Ali groaned in annoyance. He has a nurturing nature, but he dislikes having it pointed out directly. He thinks he’s just doing what’s normal, so he hates being praised or explicitly acknowledged for it. …And knowing this, Leopold enjoys teasing him. It’s no wonder they’re old acquaintances.
Meanwhile, Brook remained indifferent as usual. The exchange between Ali and Leopold was nothing new to him. The self-centered effeminate man has always been free-spirited. For Brook, the fluffy chiffon cake (with fresh cream) in front of him was far more important.
The cake made by Lucia, the youngest daughter and signature pastry chef of the Paradise Dining Hall, was exquisite as always. Leopold, who had come to visit, brought it as a gift, and as usual, the beautiful effeminate man’s choice of sweets was perfect. The simple chiffon cake showcased Lucia’s exceptional skills. The cake was lightly sweet, and the fresh cream, highlighting the milk’s umami, was barely sweet. Brook, delighted by the perfect balance, remained in high spirits throughout.
In contrast to Brook, Ali opened his mouth with a troubled expression. His face practically screamed, “This is such a hassle.”
“If this guy gets caught up in trouble, it’ll be a pain for me too.”
“That’s right. Yuuri-chan is too kind-hearted, so he might get taken advantage of and end up in a tough spot.”
“…I’m not really that kind-hearted, though?”
“Don’t lie.”
“Stop lying.”
“That’s a lie.”
“…You don’t all have to gang up on me like that…”
The moment Yuuri tried to voice his objection, the three of them immediately shot him down. Though their tones differed, they all agreed on one thing: Yuuri’s opinion was completely off the mark. The easygoing airhead had no self-awareness of being kind-hearted. He thought he was just living a normal life. However, by others’ standards, he was undeniably kind-hearted.
Yuuri slumped his shoulders dejectedly, but in this situation, no one was coming to his rescue. Even if their other friends were here, they would likely side with the three. By otherworldly standards, the fluffy, airheaded Japanese boy was universally recognized as a kind-hearted person.
“Well, realistically speaking, it’s true that leaving him unchecked would be risky.”
“…Uh, what?”
“You, despite causing all sorts of trouble, are a skilled appraiser to the point that even Ali acknowledges it.”
“…?”
Yuuri tilted his head in confusion at Leopold’s reflective words. He had no idea what they were talking about. He wondered what the problem was with having a high appraisal skill. …In Yuuri’s mind, the appraisal skill was useful for things like identifying ingredients or managing his friends’ health, so his understanding of its use was completely off. He had no idea how the skill was generally used in the world.
Thus, he had no clue why the three adults were nodding in agreement. To him, the appraisal skill was just a convenient ability. …He probably only felt genuine joy when his top-tier appraisal skill, [God’s Eye], helped him identify the perfect spices for making curry. That was about the only time he felt any excitement about having such a cheat skill. He was completely off the mark.
Realizing that Yuuri didn’t understand, Leopold let out a heavy sigh. Ali averted his gaze, while Brook lowered his eyes and quietly chewed on his chiffon cake as if savoring something. It seemed they had swallowed a lot of what they wanted to say.
“Listen, Yuuri-chan. Skilled appraisers are highly sought after by all sorts of people, you know?”
“Eh? Is that so?”
“Yes, it is. I think you don’t really understand the usefulness of what the appraisal skill can do, do you?”
“…You mean, besides identifying ingredients or managing everyone’s health?”
Yuuri answered honestly and straightforwardly. He straightforwardly explained how he used the appraisal skill, but the moment he finished, Leopold slumped over the table. It was understandable.
“That’s completely wrong… Hey, Ali!”
“Don’t dump everything on me!”
“You’re his mentor in that area, aren’t you?”
“Don’t blame me for his skewed understanding!”
“Uh, um, well…?”
Ali’s unreasonable anger and Leopold’s retort were nothing new. Yuuri, caught in the middle of their lighthearted argument, looked back and forth between them in confusion. But in the end, he couldn’t do anything, so he quietly decided to drink his juice.
While Yuuri leisurely sipped his slightly lukewarm fruit juice, the verbal battle seemed to have ended. Both Ali and Leopold looked utterly exhausted. Perhaps to regain their energy, Ali reached for his tea, and Leopold reached for the chiffon cake.
…Meanwhile, Brook, who had been silently observing the entire time, was enjoying his third slice of chiffon cake for the day. He was a sweet-tooth with a bottomless stomach.
“Listen, Yuuri-chan.”
“Yes?”
“The appraisal skill can identify poisons, appraise people, and even tell if someone is lying, you know?”
“Yes?”
“…Why don’t you understand how useful that is?”
Yuuri nodded with a straight face, understanding what Leopold was saying. But his straight face showed that he still didn’t grasp the true potential of the appraisal skill. It could be used for guarding important figures or outmaneuvering opponents. With the right use, it could even potentially take over a country. But Yuuri was completely oblivious to this fact.
Watching Leopold sigh in frustration, Ali let out a small breath. It was almost a sigh, but not quite. Yuuri tilted his head in confusion.
“In short, someone with an exceptional appraisal skill is likely to be sought after by various groups.”
“…Hoh.”
“You don’t really get it, do you?”
“Sorry?”
“You really, really don’t get it, do you?”
“Ouch! Ali-san, my head hurts!”
Still not understanding, Yuuri responded in his usual carefree manner, only to have his head grabbed by Ali, then he complained that it hurt. Ali was applying some pressure, but it wasn’t as painful as usual, so Yuuri figured it was more of a light scolding than a serious one. He wasn’t entirely wrong. He could understand these things, even though he usually couldn’t read the room.