Black Killer Whale Baby [EN]: Chapter 51

“Shall we talk?”

“Huh?”

“Over there.”

Turning my head, I saw the branch families and some retainers milling about.

I shook my head.

“No, it’s okay.”

“Why? It would be helpful.”

As if.

“There’s no ‘real’ one among those who rushed over here right after the meeting today. They’re all chaff [worthless or trivial people].”

“……”

“The real ones will just say hello today and disappear.”

I had no intention of aiming for the position of head, but even if I did.

I wouldn’t have looked at those who came groaning like they were after prey as soon as this meeting ended.

‘They have no substance.’

I habitually scanned the branch families, recalling their histories, and then I unconsciously stopped.

Wow, old habits die hard.

“Sometimes when I talk to you, I think your height should at least reach here.”

Dad patted my shoulder.

I chuckled.

“Even if I grow, I won’t grow that tall.”

“You speak as if you know. Have you ever grown before?”

“Yeah. Maybe.”

Dad didn’t respond, probably thinking it was a silly joke.

Instead, he seemed to scan the hall for a moment.

“So, are you planning to accept greetings from these so-called real ones?”

“Why?”

“I’m willing to chase away the annoying small fries.”

…Why are you being so kind?

His being so agreeable made me wary.

‘Is he going to go back and say, “I’ve been holding back until now to punish you myself for deceiving me!”?’

“No, it doesn’t matter if I don’t see them.”

Just as I was about to leave the meeting hall with Agenor, I had no choice but to stop.

“Agenor-nim!”

“Oh, um. Little sister. Something urgent came up. See you later.”

Agenor hurriedly said goodbye.

“M-Master, I’ll visit you at your residence!”

He misspoke. I watched Agenor’s back as he walked away.

Along with the sight of a large man chasing after Agenor.

“Who is that?”

“A branch family member who follows the third.”

“Ah.”

His face was vaguely familiar, but I soon realized who he was when Dad said his name.

“I just want to be bullied, but those tiresome guys won’t leave me alone. I should have killed them.”

Listening to him, I remembered a story Agenor had told me in a previous life.

There was always a branch family that chased after him.

‘It’s a complete food chain. The third older brother is obsessed with me, and that side is obsessed with Agenor.’

I smiled slightly, but then I felt a gaze and turned my head.

And I made eye contact with someone.

It was Bellus, the first.

Someone passed behind Bellus as I blinked.

It was the second, Atlan.

Surprisingly, that guy actually slept during the meeting?

‘I thought my eyes would fall out even amidst the chaos caused by Ilia’s declaration.’

I had seen him occasionally after Agenor told me, but seeing him sleeping so boldly made my heart race.

If I hadn’t known it was Atlan, I would have thought, ‘What kind of crazy guy is sleeping? Is he bored and wants to be buried under the sea forever?’

Anyway.

‘Why is he stopping and glaring at me again?’

Atlan even stopped walking and glared at me as if a hungry orca was looking at its prey.

His gaze was intense.

But that was only for a moment. Soon, Atlan disappeared, leaving only his back.

I waved leisurely at Bellus.

“Hello, first.”

“……First?”

“Yeah. You’re the first. Or what should I call you?”

Bellus’s expression didn’t change.

He didn’t answer either. He just turned his back like Atlan.

Wow, it’s been a while.

‘Complete disregard. Complete disregard.’

I shrugged and regretted it for a moment as I turned around.

Ah, I should have just slipped away quickly.

Ilia was standing in the direction I was going.

Her smile was brief as she strode towards me.

‘Ugh, it’s too late to run away.’

I managed my expression and cautiously moved closer to Dad.

My hand was holding onto Dad’s sleeve.

I wish she would pay more attention to my dad than me.

“……”

Why, I could feel Dad’s gaze.

Then my body floated up.

‘Wh-What?’

“Dad?”

“Isn’t this why you grabbed me?”

No, it was just a disguise?

I made a dumbfounded expression as I was held in Dad’s arms.

Meanwhile, Ilia arrived.

“Successor.”

I turned my head sharply.

It wasn’t the time to pay attention to Dad.

“Don’t call me that.”

“Then what should I call you?”

“I’m……”

I paused as I was about to speak.

The surroundings were full of people returning after the meeting.

Moreover, attention was focused on us.

“If you have time, would you mind talking for a moment?”

Therefore, I nodded at Ilia’s suggestion.

Since I was caught, I had to talk once.

Whatever the story was, it wasn’t a situation to do it here.

We moved to a quiet place and stopped.

It was a secluded communal area.

Looking around, I saw a huge orca statue and a woman holding a spear next to it.

It was the statue of the first head of the family.

“First, I think you must have been surprised. I apologize for that.”

Ilia bowed politely.

I was still in Dad’s arms, so I awkwardly looked at the top of her head and scratched my cheek.

Lova, her husband and Rugaruba’s dad, who came with her, was also bowing.

“First, get up.”

She stood up and made eye contact.

“Why did you do that?”

No, if you were going to do it, you should have given me a heads up.

Then I would have told you not to.

Ilia pondered for a moment with a serious expression and then opened her mouth.

“The story I’m about to tell you is a story I can tell you because I declared in front of the head that I would follow Calypso-nim.”

I was slightly intrigued by the introduction.

I had a feeling that Ilia’s words from now on might be a story I didn’t know.

I raised my head to see if Dad knew, but he had a calm expression.

“It was about 30 years after the head took office. One day, the head secretly summoned the heads of eight families.”

These eight families included orca branch families, other whale families, and general aquatic animal families.

“At this time, the head gave the eight families that were summoned a special choice. Along with the order to choose one of the successors to follow.”

“……Isn’t that what all families generally do?”

“That’s right.”

Listening to Ilia’s story, one thing suddenly came to mind.

In the previous life, my right-hand man and strategist, the dolphin beastman, once said this.

“If we had been chosen by the previous head, our parents’ lives might have been a little better.”

Was that related to this?

I just brushed it off back then.

He brushed it off as if it wasn’t a very important story, so I thought it really wasn’t important.

“But the eight families that gathered that day were families that were chosen for various reasons. The common point was that the head had talented people in mind. In our case……”

Ilia glanced at her husband.

“It must have been that my partner and I caught the head’s eye.”

“So, what does the choice ultimately mean?”

“When choosing a successor, the head will pass the position to the successor chosen by the most families among the eight families.”

“What? You didn’t announce that fact?”

“To be exact, the support of the eight chosen families is probably worth more than the support of ten branch families.”

Ilia smiled brightly.

……What?

I had a feeling.

A feeling that something was screwed up.

‘That old woman is never one to make empty promises.’

For some reason, she granted them such authority.

What were these guys thinking when they chose me?

If Grandma said that, it wouldn’t be a normal important choice.

So, that’s why she asked if I wouldn’t regret it?

I thought it was unlike her to ask.

“Then when do you decide on the successor?”

“When all eight families have chosen a successor.”

“Who are the eight families?”

“That, I cannot tell you.”

Ilia tapped her neck, saying that a geas [a magical compulsion or oath] was placed on her with the power of water.

I knew what a geas was.

It was an application of the ‘fear’ ability that gives fear to creatures weaker than oneself with the power of water.

I raised my head and looked at Dad, who was silent.

“Hey Dad, can you undo that geas?”

“……I could, but then Mother would notice?”

Ugh, then it would be difficult.

“Excuse me, but is the reason you’re looking for the eight families to go and order them to support you?”