The Villainous Son Loves His Mother - Chapter 45

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Did I go a little too far near the castle?
Well, I covered my tracks, so there shouldn’t be any problems.
Besides, that level of force was necessary for that opponent.
Could it have been a Demon King or a Demon God, or something like that? No, that’s impossible.
Still, the magical power reeked too strongly.
It smelled like rotting flesh, and burning something like that requires careful procedures.
If I’d been too restrained, the stench might have spread elsewhere.
With that done, I returned to the carriage where my mother was waiting.

“Mother, I have dealt with the insolent one who threatened the Imperial City.”

My mother looked utterly bewildered.
As she listened to my words, she glanced back at the Imperial City several times before finally sighing and gently reaching out to touch my head.

“Well done, Hein.”

I feel relieved inside.
Of course, I was pleased to be praised, but seeing my mother’s expression soften was far more gratifying.
Feri, ever loyal, repeated her usual refrain, “Magnificent, Young Master,” without tiring. It was practically her catchphrase, so it didn’t carry any special weight.
While her unwavering loyalty was admirable, Feri would praise me no matter what I did.
Once, she even complimented me for straightening my disheveled clothes. So I wondered if she was making fun of me.
If her words were hollow, I might have taken offense, but they came from the heart, leaving me no room for complaint.
More than anything, witnessing my mother’s relieved expression was enough for now.

“Hein, I’m not sure if this is appropriate to ask, but I would be grateful if you could tell me more about what happened in the sky earlier.”

I nodded slightly.
I’ll explain what happened in the earlier battle, though I hesitate to even call it that.
After I finished recounting the events, Mother pursed her lips and murmured in a grave tone,

“Could it be… the Former Demon King’s Army?”

The Former Demon King’s Army—now that I think of it, I remember such a group existed. Weren’t those inferior lizards from the other day part of them, too? It seems they might be looking for trouble with the Empire again.
The magical power they exuded carried a foul, rotting stench, like rancid leftovers. They were clearly on a different level than those inferior lizards—we mustn’t underestimate them. Hmm, perhaps they’re like venomous insects.
Still, those inferior lizards should have been content to live humbly under their rocks like the vermin they are.
So, it’s the Former Demon King’s Army. I’d never paid them any mind before, but if they’re practically begging to be exterminated, then I suppose I have no choice.

“Mother, rest assured. I will soon make those insolent fools feel the full weight of Duke Aster’s House’s authority and bring them to their knees before you. Now, give me your command! Order me to crush those inferiors!”

As I spoke, Mother looked at me with a troubled expression.

“No. First, you must rest. Your chest wound hasn’t fully healed yet.”

I nodded obediently.

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“Young Master, you mustn’t move.”

Feri’s warning shot out the moment I twitched.

“I’m not moving!”

Feri shook her head.

“You were about to. I can tell.”

Well, Feri was right. I was about to move. But I didn’t see what was wrong with that.
Because—

“Madam is worried about you, Young Master. She has forbidden you from leaving your room until your chest wound is completely healed.”

That’s right. Mother had ordered me to stay put. To rest.
Two days had passed since I returned home, yet I still hadn’t taken a single step outside my room.
My injuries had already healed…

“But Feri, what if the Former Demon King’s Army comes causing trouble again? You didn’t see that insect, so you might be taking this lightly, but they seem to have a pest in their ranks that requires considerable effort to deal with. I doubt the dimwitted nobles of this country could handle it.”

“If Young Master says so, then it must be true.”

Feri replied, wiping my completely naked skin with a steamed cloth.

“What would happen if swarms of those things appeared? What would become of the innocent citizens of the Empire? Feri! Aren’t you worried about them? I couldn’t care less.”

“No, Young Master. I have little interest in anyone beyond you, the Madam, and Duke Aster’s House.”

The conversation ended there.
Well, that was the truth.
I couldn’t care less about what happens to the Empire’s foolish masses.
I only intervened back then because they attacked the castle. If they’d just harassed the castle town, I might have ignored it entirely—but whatever!

“Young Master, isn’t it time you stopped getting involved? This country is fundamentally flawed. Nobles are supposed to have both duties and rights, but how many noble houses actually fulfill their obligations?”

In other words, Feri was implying that if something happened to the country, it shouldn’t just be Duke Aster’s House that had to act, but all the other noble houses as well.
She seemed to have other thoughts on her mind, but I decided not to pry into what was clearly a private matter.
Regardless, Feri was right.
I had no reason to concern myself with the remnants of the so-called Former Demon Lord’s Army.
None at all—

“But still…”

I couldn’t shake this nagging feeling.
Did Feri not understand?
Imagine a bug crawling into your room.
The insect was tiny, foolish, and fragile.
I could crush it with a flick of my finger.
I could stomp it underfoot.
But what if it scurried away to hide somewhere?
Under the bed, behind the furniture… How would I feel then?
Wouldn’t it bother you?
Wouldn’t you need to find it and squash it to sleep soundly?
As I was pondering this—

“Then, Young Master, please command us to clean up this mess. The former Demon King’s Army, which recently launched an attack on the Empire, is believed to be headquartered across the Nezasia Sea on the Maristel Continent. We will launch a surprise assault there and eliminate your concerns.”

Us?
That meant…

“So, the old man’s coming too? Hmm, Feri. You planned to go from the start, didn’t you? This is all too smooth. Which means he’s already been informed. Damn… dragging that troublesome old man into this…”

Even I have people I struggle to deal with.
In a good way, that’s my mother.
But in a bad way, it’s…

“Young Master!!! I heard the story from that little girl!!! How could you keep this from me?!”

With that shout, the door to my room was kicked down.
The culprit was Graman—Graman Sera Rockgard.
The steward of Duke Aster’s House.
This ancient man had managed all affairs of the ducal family for three generations.
He wasn’t a Delphen like Feri, nor a half-ogre like Gaddem.
And certainly not some incomprehensible creature like Oma. Just an ordinary human.
Yet he was a mysterious old man who had lived for over two centuries.
Graman had taught my mother the intricacies of governance, trained Feri and Gaddem in the fundamentals of security both inside and outside the estate, and even served as my tutor during childhood.
For better or worse, the only people in this house who can speak plainly to me are Mother and Gramman.
And I can’t stand Gramman.
Not to the point where I’d kill him on the spot for kicking down my bedroom door, but close enough.

“The Empire’s enemy is Duke Aster’s House’s enemy! Especially if there’s a formidable foe that even Young Master deems dangerous—we can’t leave this to mere girls or boys! Certainly not to those spineless Empire nobles! Until now, I’ve respected Young Master’s judgment and refrained from interfering, but since Young Master has clearly declared them enemies, it’s my duty to join the fray and prove my loyalty! With Oma’s little brat as my mount, we could even cross the Nezasia Sea!”

Gramman’s loyalty isn’t to me or Mother, but to Duke Aster’s House.
It wasn’t that it was bad, but everything just felt awkward.
Mother trusted Gramman, and I didn’t exactly distrust him either.
But it was still awkward.
Not uncomfortably so, but if you asked me why, I’d struggle to explain.

“I see… Well, don’t push yourselves too hard. But if you all leave, who will protect the house?”

“Rest assured! Only Oma and I will be joining the battle! We’ll leave that little Feri girl and Gaddem to guard the fort!”

I glanced at Feri and noticed her cheeks were slightly puffed up.
That’s a new expression on her face, I thought, but I was too tired to care. I gave a vague reply and burrowed into my bedding.
Gramman wasn’t unreasonable, but his voice was too loud, and he was just too… intense.

“Feri! Young Master is trying to rest! Look how restless he seems! Use your skin to cool him down!”

In short, he was telling me to sleep next to her.
My body temperature was far higher than normal, which often made it difficult for me to fall asleep as a child.
During those times, Feri, whose body temperature was unusually low, would lie next to me to help me sleep.
I almost said I was too old for that now, but stopped myself.
Gramman was a stubborn old man who wouldn’t listen to reason, so I decided to let him have his way.

“H-haah… Then, Young Master, please excuse my rudeness…”

As she said this, Feri lay down beside me. Her skin was still cool and pleasant to the touch.

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In the “original history,” Gramman Sera Rockgard disappeared after the swordsmanship tournament.
The rumors surrounding his disappearance never ceased.
Some said he had abandoned Duke Aster’s House and vanished to some distant land.
Others claimed he had been assassinated by assassins sent by rival noble families who resented the Duke’s House.
Whatever the truth, no conclusive evidence ever surfaced, and no one truly knew how much of these tales was fact.
Amidst the murky rumors, the most credible whisper was that Hein himself had personally executed Gramman.
Gramman, the “Earth Dragon Slayer” from his adventuring days, had been ennobled for his valor and served Duke Aster’s House. Even in his old age, the legendary dragon slayer remained a formidable figure, leading many to believe that few assassins could possibly defeat him.
Yet this old man, utterly devoted to Duke Aster’s House, would never willingly abandon his post. Therefore, the theory that Hein, his supposed master, had killed him held a strange, compelling power over people’s minds.
It was also rumored that Hein and Gramman had never seen eye to eye. Hein’s every action seemed to tarnish the reputation of Duke Aster’s House, fueling their discord, though the exact details remained unclear.