Lord Baby Runs A Romance Fantasy With Cash [EN]: Chapter 182

It was completely different from how he spoke to me before. A voice that seemed to freeze you to the bone. Just listening to it made my skin crawl.

But the hand holding me was as warm as ever, and the touch that covered my eyes was gentle.

‘Strange.’

How could such a cold voice make me feel relaxed instead of tense?

I lowered the defenses I had raised and leaned my head against Zeon’s chest.

As if that were a signal, a scream erupted.

“Kkyaaaa!”

“Aah! Hng, aaaah!”

“D-Don’t come near me! Don’t come near me!”

Voices filled with fear echoed from all directions.

‘What’s going on?’

It seemed like Zeon was teaching those young masters, numbered one through five, a lesson.

I couldn’t see anything, which was frustrating.

It was the moment I slightly turned my head.

“Shhh.”

With Zeon’s soft voice, the screams that had been deafening my ears stopped abruptly.

“My youngest must have delicate ears. You need to be quiet, okay?”

No sound was heard.

Except for Zeon’s voice.

The screams that had been piercing my eardrums, the sound of leaves rustling in the wind, and the chirping of insects all stopped in an instant.

It felt like a world encased in glass, isolated by Zeon’s hand covering my eyes.

* * *

‘W-What is that?!’

Esteban couldn’t hide his bewilderment and opened his mouth.

Jet-black magic power covered the sky and earth, its cruel maw wide open.

‘Why is this happening…….’

As expected, it was good that the foolish young masters were bothering the Paeraton Princess.

But as he was assessing the situation, waiting for the perfect timing to step in…

A dark-haired man suddenly appeared and picked up the Paeraton Princess.

‘What the—?! Zeon Paeraton?!’

Jet-black hair that didn’t allow a single ray of light even in the middle of summer, and red eyes that held no emotion whatsoever.

He could tell at a glance that he was Zeon Paeraton, the eldest son of the Paeraton ducal family.

He was glaring at the young masters while holding his youngest sibling.

‘Why did he have to show up now……!’

Esteban ran his hand through his hair, annoyed.

Hadn’t the stage he had painstakingly set up been ruined?

But Esteban’s anger didn’t last long.

Because jet-black magic power began to rise and cover all directions.

The ferocious energy, as if it would swallow even light and air, swelled up and stretched out towards the young masters.

Esteban couldn’t help but be taken aback by the response that far exceeded his expectations.

No, the response wasn’t the problem.

“Aaaah! N-No!”

“G-Get away! Don’t come near me!”

“M-Mommy! Mommy!”

The young masters were crying and screaming, falling over while trying to run away, not even thinking of getting up as they crawled.

But he didn’t feel like sneering at them.

He couldn’t move his head, but he glanced sideways with his eyes and saw that the escort, a skilled imperial knight, was sweating profusely, his forehead bulging with veins as he tensed up.

Esteban bit his hardened lips and looked forward again.

Even though the magic power wasn’t directed at him, an immense pressure made his limbs stiff.

Fortunately, thanks to the imperial family’s blessing, he didn’t make a fool of himself by screaming and collapsing.

‘If you think about it the other way, is this the extent of it even with the imperial family’s blessing?’

Could he even stand if he faced that magic power head-on?

Even now, his arms and legs were tingling from the aura the magic power was emitting.

The young masters were on the verge of fainting even before they properly came into contact with the magic power.

‘This is… magic power.’

He had only heard about it, but this was the first time he had witnessed it directly.

He felt like he understood why the Paeraton ducal family was so special, ostracized, worshiped, ignored, revered, and shunned.

The source of all those ambivalent reactions was right there.

Saaaaa—.

In an instant, the boys’ screams ceased.

Within the jet-black magic power, their figures, sounds, and traces could not be found.

A perfect void.

Even the sounds of the world stopped.

Just as Zeon had said he would clean up, the space swallowed by the jet-black magic power left nothing behind, only clean darkness.

Esteban distorted his face at the sight of that foreign black void.

It was an unknown and terror too great for an ordinary person to face.

However, Zeon Paeraton simply twitched his eyebrows as if he were annoyed and lightly lifted the child in his arms.

His touch was gentle, unlike someone who had just swallowed five boys into endless darkness.

He slowly moved his steps.

The predator who had finished hunting seemed like he was about to leave.

‘Hoo…….’

It was the moment Esteban breathed a small sigh of relief.

Suddenly, Zeon’s gaze turned to Esteban.

Those bright red eyes.

In an instant, his back became damp, and goosebumps rose to the top of his head.

He had only made eye contact.

Zeon didn’t make any threats.

Even so, his limbs trembled and his heart pounded like a fawn in front of a lion.

He couldn’t move.

If this continued—.

“Zeon?”

A soft child’s voice rang out in the tense air.

Without hesitation, Zeon turned his gaze away from Esteban and looked at his youngest sibling.

“Yes.”

“It’s stuffy.”

“Sorry. I don’t want my youngest to hurt her eyes.”

“It doesn’t hurt anymore.”

“After seeing so much ugliness?”

“……I think it still hurts a little.”

“Should I blow on it?”

While Zeon was talking nonsense with his youngest sibling, he moved his long legs and walked away.

Even while Zeon was saying crazy things to his sibling, Esteban remained frozen in tension.

Only after Zeon had completely disappeared from his sight did Esteban let out a rough breath.

His legs were trembling so much that his body swayed on its own.

“Y-Your Highness! Are you alright?”

The knight was startled and supported Esteban.

His face was as pale as if he had seen a ghost.

Esteban lowered his head, supported himself on his knees, and remained silent for a moment.

Looking at him, the knight shouted in a seemingly indignant tone.

“We should formally protest to the Paeraton ducal family regarding this matter—.”

“Ha…… ha, hahaha, hahahahaha!”

The knight was surprised and closed his mouth at the sight of Esteban laughing as if he had lost his mind.

After laughing wildly for a long time, Esteban suddenly stopped laughing.

“So that’s what magic power is like.”

Esteban wiped his mouth.

“Isn’t it funny?”

“Pardon?”

“I used to laugh at those who said the Paeraton ducal family’s unique red eyes were scary. But I was the one who knew even less than them.”

Today, he saw the true nature of Paeraton.

“Did you say you were going to formally protest to the Paeraton ducal family earlier?”

“Yes? Yes! How dare they be disrespectful to His Highness the Prince—.”

“With what?”

“Pardon?”

“What is so disrespectful that we should protest?”

“…….”

“Just because he looked at me?”

The knight had no answer to that.

Zeon was very threatening, but the only thing he had actually done to Esteban was look at him.

“B-But didn’t he k-kill those young masters earlier!”

“Are you talking about those bugs lying over there?”

Esteban pointed with his chin at the young masters who were collapsed with pale faces.

The magic power that seemed to have created a hole in the world had already disappeared.

The young masters had fainted, but it was clear at a glance that their lives were not in danger.

“Are you afraid of Paeraton?”

“Pardon? N-No!”

“You’re afraid of that immense power, so you want to protest and have the rest of you band together to impose restrictions.”

“Your Highness…….”

“But.”

Esteban looked in the direction where Zeon and Ruatisha had disappeared.

“Isn’t it because it possesses such immense power that it’s so coveted?”

Trembling and fearing, revealing contempt and hating to hide that fear.

That’s what those who are ruled think.

The true ruler wants to have that immense power in their own hands.

And he is the son of the Emperor, the Prince of the Empire in name and reality.

A born ruler.

‘Now I know why Mother wanted to get her hands on the Paeraton ducal family so much, even forgetting her dignity.’

But Mother’s method was wrong.

Even if Aphelia had succeeded in marrying the Paeraton Duke, she would never have been able to get her hands on that family.

A new Duchess was a precarious position that could be blown away by a single tear from the Paeraton Princess.

That little child was holding the reins of the Paeraton ducal family, which no one, not even themselves, could control.

“The more I see, the more I covet.”

“Pardon?”

The knight asked back, but Esteban didn’t answer.

He simply repeated the name Ruatisha Paeraton in his mind and smiled an inscrutable smile.

* * *

Zeon didn’t seem to have any intention of removing his hand covering my eyes.

“I said it’s stuffy.”

“You mustn’t hurt.”

“It doesn’t hurt anymore!”

“Liar. It was too much ugliness to be contained in my youngest’s pretty eyes.”

……No, it’s a bit much when handsome Zeon says that.

Belatedly, I felt sorry for those young masters, numbered one through five.

I tapped Zeon’s hand.

“Take your hand off.”

“Okay.”

No, he listens when I order him to?

I should have told him to take his hand off sooner.

I blinked my warm eyes and looked around.

There was nothing.

Only the panoramic view of the wide-open forest.

‘It’s probably gone because we moved.’

I’m uneasy…….

“Zeon, you didn’t kill all the young masters, did you…… did you?”

“Should I have killed them?”

“No!”

He’s saying something that could cause real trouble!

“I didn’t kill them. I thought my youngest wouldn’t like it.”

‘Whew, that’s a relief.’

I stroked my chest.

“Did I do well?”

“Yes.”

Zeon slightly lowered his head towards me.

“You did really well. Good girl.”

I stroked Zeon’s head.

Rustle, rustle.

Zeon’s arms supporting my body were firm, and his fine hair slipped smoothly through my fingertips.

A pleasant sense of stability.

Is this animal therapy?

‘……What am I doing, healing.’

A chilly feeling rose in my chest, and I lowered my hand.

I could feel Zeon looking at me with regretful eyes, but I deliberately looked away.

‘Do I deserve to feel stable?’

At that moment, Zeon brought his face close to mine.

“……?”

“To purify your eyes.”

Zeon continued with a blank face.

“Something good for your eyes.”

Something good for my eyes?

Of course, Zeon’s face is good medicine for the eyes, but why suddenly……?

Belatedly, the words I had shouted came to mind.

“Ugh, my eyes! I’ve only seen good things every day, so my eyes are weak because I have no resistance to ugliness, but I’ve seen too much ugliness.”

I opened my mouth wide and looked at Zeon.

My face and ears became hot.

‘So he heard all that?!’

I didn’t even intend to be cheesy, but I ended up being cheesy.

* * *

“…….”

“…….”

“…….”

I looked at the faces of my family members filling my vision and eventually closed my eyes.

“Open your eyes.”

“We need to treat your eyes.”

“But you said you have no resistance to ugliness because you’ve only seen good things, so should we show you something ugly?”

“Why are you looking at me, Young Master!”

From over there, I heard Baron Dierre’s unfair cry.

He had a reason to feel wronged.

Baron Dierre was a popular handsome man in his own right.

But Ixion smirked.

“Are you better looking than me?”

“Th, that’s……!”

“Are you better looking than Ares? Not that Ares is good-looking, absolutely not.”

“That’s not…… true…….”

His voice became inaudible as he went on.

“Zeon, Father, Grandpa—.”

“Aaaah! Okay! Okay! I’m ugly! I know that now, so please stop asking. It makes me sad.”

His voice was already full of tears.

‘Originally, teasing Baron Dierre was my specialty.’

I opened my eyes slightly—.

“……?! Dad?”

Dad’s face was right in front of me.

Ah, you startled me.

“You can be weak.”

“Pardon?”

“I’ll protect you.”

Uhm, he does look serious.

“Only look at handsome things.”

“…….”

I knew it!

Dad brought his face even closer.

Ha, he’s really handsome, so I can’t say anything.

“Here, purify your eyes.”

Ares smiled like sunshine and brought his face close to mine.

“Me too, me too!”

“…….”

Ixion, of course, and even Grandpa and Zeon were subtly joining in.

Are my family members okay?

I feel like they’re becoming more than just doting, but their mental state seems to be getting stranger…….

‘They’re even persistent…….’

They’ve been like this since the picnic, and it’s been a while since we got back, but they’re still bringing their faces close.

Faces are floating in front of my eyes, so I’m very disturbed.

I can even feel their gaze when I close my eyes.

I’m trying to sleep, but at this rate, I won’t be able to sleep and will stay up all night!