The Villainous Son Loves His Mother - Chapter 17

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“Hey, Hein! Finally, break time! Huh? No bedhead today? Impressive! Your hair’s always perfect!”

“A-Azel-kun, you shouldn’t talk to Lord Hein so casually!”

“Huh? Why not?”

“Lord Hein is from the House of Aster…”

“But I heard we don’t have to worry about that at the Academy! Anyway, what are you doing? Sleepy? You need to get enough rest at night!”

While the inferior wasted their limited lives on pointless chatter, I continued to hone myself.
My heart, empty.
I crossed my arms, closed my eyes, and let my consciousness drift into the void.
I blocked out all external stimuli, creating an environment where I could focus solely on my inner self.
Then, I regulated my breathing and strived to empty my mind.
This was a meditation technique I had devised myself.
The House of Aster wields Bloodline Magic that draws upon the power of the stars, but mastering this power requires rigorous mental discipline.
For an inexperienced individual, connecting to the vast cosmos carries the risk of being overwhelmed by its immensity and depth, losing their very mind.
However, if one begins with nothing, there is nothing to lose.

“So, how about it? I’m confident in my swordsmanship, too! Hein uses a sword, right? If you’re not confident in beating me with a sword, feel free to use magic!”

“Ugh, Azel-kun!”

Having finished my meditation, I opened my eyes feeling refreshed.
Even a genius like me remains a fragile existence in this world, bound by the laws of nature.
For example, no matter how intensely I meditate for a few minutes, I can’t stretch those minutes beyond their fixed duration.
But in my mental world, things are different.
What felt like mere minutes to the inferior was compressed into several days within my mental realm.
I was now unshaken by any words and capable of responding with compassion to any action.

“—Then it’s a promise! You’ll team up with me in the next mock battle! I heard Hein’s too ferocious to ever find a partner and always ends up alone, right? I bet we’d make a great match!”

A mock battle was a game where we sparred with blunted swords. Hadn’t we just done one recently?
…Ah, right. The swordsmanship tournament was approaching.
Regardless, I’ll kill him.
Who does this inferior think he can compete with? I thought.
But upon closer inspection, Alphaidos seemed surprisingly polished.
Maybe I could humor him with a mock battle.
Just as I was about to agree—

“Excuse me, but is this appropriate? Lord Azel, you’ve been rather rude since earlier. Lord Hein clearly hasn’t given his consent. And Lord Azel, perhaps you shouldn’t make such grand claims… The House of Aster is the most renowned martial family among the Twelve Ducal Houses. While the House of Alphaid is also a distinguished martial lineage, they still fall short compared to Lord Hein. How about a mock battle with me? I’ve been wanting to test my skills against you for some time.”

Sarionmes interjected.

“Emi… Ah, Esmeralda. I don’t think family background matters that much when it comes to strength.”

“I agree that lineage isn’t everything… but inherited talent from bloodlines is significant. What about you, Lord Azel? You seem quite confident in your abilities.”

“Huh? Oh, yeah, I’m strong. Speaking of which, Esmeralda, you seem to be holding your own lately. Have you been training recently?”

“M-me? Just ‘holding my own’? And why are you being so familiar…?”

I was starting to find this all rather tiresome.
I had no obligation to entertain their conversation.
Every moment I wasted here was time I could be spending improving myself.
Still, if I completely ignored them, Alphaidos would chatter endlessly, and Sarionmes would likely join in.
So, here’s what I proposed:

“After school, you two can spar. I’ll team up with the winner for a mock battle. The Training Ground should suffice.”

The Training Ground, as its name suggested, was a facility for practical combat training, whether with swords or magic.
It was designed to withstand large-scale spells and could even serve as a shelter in emergencies.

[Illustration]

The structure had been built by the Duke Calliste Family, who ruled the lands around the Olkenstein Mountains northwest of the Imperial Capital.
One of the Twelve Ducal Houses, the Calliste Family excelled in stonework and wielded the art of imbuing inanimate objects with temporary life.

“Sounds good! Of course, Hein will act as the referee, right?”

Alphaidos’s remark prompted me to turn to Fafnirmes, who had remained silent until then.

“Huh? Um… Lord Hein, what is it?”

I didn’t answer.

“Um… are you asking me to… make the judgment?”

I didn’t answer.

“…I-I understand. I’ll do it.”

“Is that so? Thanks, Miss Serena. …So, it’s settled.”

With those words to the two of them, I resumed my meditation.
I didn’t care which of Sarionmes or Alphaidos won.
Though, in all likelihood——— will be the one to come out on top.