Lord Baby Runs A Romance Fantasy With Cash [EN]: Chapter 33

Luaetisha collapsed, vomiting blood.

Ixion watched her small body crumple in what felt like slow motion.

He moved with the speed of an arrow loosed from a bow.

In an instant, Ixion was at Luaetisha’s side, catching her as she fell.

Only then did the people around them react in shock.

“Kyaa!”

“Young lady! Oh, what do we do! Blood, blood…!”

“A doctor, a doctor! Get a doctor here immediately!”

It was as if a war had broken out.

Amidst the loud commotion, Luaetisha thought.

‘No… don’t panic. I’m not sick….’

It was just that her body was reacting to the positive changes from being loved.

Really.

[Immunity increases!]

[Fatigue is relieved!]

[The stiff and tense back of your neck is becoming soft!]

[Quest completed.]

[1000 Cash has been awarded as a reward.]

The notification window that appeared before her eyes was proof of that.

‘But wasn’t my stiff neck all because of that devil! Is he giving me medicine after making me sick!’

Luaetisha opened her mouth, feeling the stiffness in the back of her neck, which had been seized due to high blood pressure, melt away.

“Ixion… calm… down. I’m really, cough, okay….”

Thud.

Before she could finish speaking, Luaetisha’s body went limp.

“…tisha?”

Ixion’s lips trembled as if in disbelief.

However, her large eyes, which had always looked straight at him, were tightly closed and wouldn’t open again.

“Luaetisha! Luaetisha!”

A pale-faced Ixion cried out his youngest sister’s name.

‘Hey, stop shaking me. My head is spinning.’

[Headache is relieved!]

It doesn’t spin.

‘He always turned me away at the door.’

Seeing Ixion so surprised made her feel strange.

She wanted to tell him again that she was okay, but her mouth wouldn’t move.

Soon, Luaetisha’s consciousness faded.

* * *

“You can’t find the cause?”

“I, I am sorry, Your Excellency.”

As soon as those words were spoken, black magic began to coalesce in Duke Paeraton’s hand.

“Trash who can’t fulfill their role is not needed in this castle.”

“Plea, please calm down, Your Excellency!”

Anna knelt, blocking the path of the prostrate doctors.

Red eyes turned to Anna.

He looked ready to kill even Anna if necessary.

Anna swallowed hard. She hadn’t stepped forward to save the doctors’ lives.

“I also want to grab these people by the collar right now, but treating the young lady is the priority. In any case, they are among the best doctors in the duchy. Without them, there will be no one to check on the young lady’s condition.”

Duke Paeraton’s gaze turned to the prostrate doctors.

His brow twitched as if he didn’t like it, but the black magic in the Duke’s hand dissipated.

The doctor, who had narrowly escaped death, let out a sigh of relief and cautiously opened his mouth.

“Um, Your Excellency. According to the examination, the youngest young lady is healthy. Her condition is even better than it was after the kidnapping.”

“Then why did my daughter vomit blood and collapse?”

“That is….”

It was a problem that even a skilled doctor could not clearly answer.

However, if he said he couldn’t find the cause as before, his head would be the one to fall this time.

The doctor’s brain raced.

“The human body is mysterious. Especially since the young lady is of the Paeraton bloodline. Even if she doesn’t have magic, she is likely different from ordinary humans.”

It sounded like nonsense, but it was a statement that might appeal to a fool obsessed with his daughter.

“…Seeing my daughter’s brilliance, she is certainly special, unlike other humans.”

“Yes, so the young lady’s body is also special, and I think she has released the bad energy that has accumulated in her.”

His tongue was running away with him.

Feeling a suspicious gaze, the doctor hurriedly spoke again.

“Why, don’t aura users release the evil energy or impurities accumulated in their bodies through aura [a magical energy]? I think it’s similar to that.”

“Then why did she collapse?”

“Releasing impurities requires a high degree of concentration even for aura users. Naturally, it would have been exhausting for the young lady’s young body. Falling into a deep sleep for recovery is the same for ordinary people. Isn’t that why?”

It was a fabricated story, pieced together by racking his brain to survive, but it wasn’t entirely wrong.

Originally, even a blind man sometimes grabs a doorknob while walking backward.

This man was not blind, but originally a very outstanding doctor.

“The conclusion?”

“If she stays in this condition, the young lady will wake up safely.”

Honestly, he didn’t know the cause at all, but he was certain that the youngest daughter was safe, so the doctor answered in a fairly firm tone.

Duke Paeraton let out a low sigh.

“Leave.”

The doctor let out a sigh of relief at the finally granted permission.

He was about to leave the room, bowing, when.

“If there is even a slight problem with my daughter.”

Duke Paeraton’s voice, like frost, grabbed at his ankle.

“You will think it would have been better to die.”

Red eyes flashed and stared at the doctor.

“I, I will keep that in mind, Your Excellency.”

After the doctor left the room, Duke Paeraton approached Luaetisha, who was lying down.

The child’s innocent face looked peaceful, as if she were in a very deep sleep.

“Why is it that you never let me have a peaceful day?”

Not only was she almost kidnapped, but this time she vomited blood and collapsed.

And that’s not all.

When he finally returned from the war, she was trembling, looking like she hadn’t eaten a bite of food.

He thought it would be solved by bringing her in, feeding her well, and dressing her nicely, but she kept asking him to stay by her side.

She reached out her hand to be held, asking to be put to sleep, to be fed, to have her hand held.

She wanted so much.

Then later, she even cried, saying she hated him and that he wasn’t her father.

Such a troublesome child.

He had three children, but this was the first child like this.

“But I like you….”

The hand stroking the sleeping child’s hair was as careful as if touching fragile glass.

“Luaetisha Paeraton.”

Just pronouncing the child’s name made him feel as if he had bitten into something sweet.

He didn’t like sweet things, but it was irresistibly addictive.

“My daughter.”

Blood relative.

A child who inherited his blood.

Was this what it felt like to have such a being in the world?

“I wouldn’t mind being swayed by you for the rest of my life.”

* * *

Duke Paeraton, who had been by his daughter’s side for a long time, came out.

In fact, he wanted to stay by her side until she woke up, but he couldn’t.

“Ixion.”

The child, who had been crouching in front of the door, raised his head with a start.

The face that had always been smiling and carefree was haggard, as if it had weathered a storm.

He had no choice but to come out because of this kid.

Because of Ixion’s presence, who hadn’t moved an inch from in front of the room since Luaetisha had been moved there.

“Father….”

It was the first time.

It was the first time that his third son, who had been so arrogant, called him so completely helpless.

“It, it’s because of me.”

A face like a lost child.

“I kept, kept using magic in front of her….”

Ixion’s hand clenched his clothes tightly.

“Even if it wasn’t for attacking, magic itself is a burden on a child’s body, but I knew that and kept using it.”

The boy was regretting it for the first time in his life.

“…Do you remember why Luaetisha was sent elsewhere?”

“Yes….”

A being who has not been born for long is vulnerable to external stimuli.

Magic, which can be said to be an aggregation of powerful forces, is almost fatal.

A minor Paeraton cannot perfectly control his power and inevitably leaks magic.

At the time, there were three minor Paeratons in the dukedom.

Duke Paeraton’s three sons.

“Luaetisha, who was not born with magic, could not protect herself. So she was sent to her maternal family.”

“You’re missing one thing.”

“Yes?”

“If I had been in the dukedom, I could have protected Luaetisha from the magic you were emitting.”

At those words, Ixion raised his head.

“But I had to go to war because of my oath with the Emperor.”

Luaetisha was sent to Marquis Tarenka because there was no Duke Paeraton to protect her.

“I am in this castle now.”

It was a simple but weighty statement.

No matter how much magic Ixion emitted, he could not harm Luaetisha under the protection of Duke Paeraton.

“Bu, but I didn’t just emit it… I even covered her with magic.”

He did it on purpose.

To test her.

Without even knowing why he wanted to test her so much.

Now he finally seemed to know why.

‘I wanted to believe it.’

He couldn’t believe that she was approaching him so casually.

He wanted to confirm whether her words, that she wasn’t scared and wanted to be friends, were sincere.

‘If I can confirm it and believe it, then what? What are you going to do?’

He didn’t know.

No, in fact, he knew.

‘So I can love her as much as I want.’

For such a simple reason.

He couldn’t be more foolish.

He was just scared.

He was afraid of being hurt if he just believed her and loved her.

So he kept checking. Was it okay to believe her, was it real, wasn’t there a clear reason not to believe her.

‘I made that little kid so sick because I didn’t want to get hurt.’

It was such a useless thing to do.

Ixion had actually believed in Luaetisha long before.

Because he had already fallen in love.

“……Ugh.”

Overwhelming regret stained the boy’s eyes red.

“Ixion.”

Duke Paeraton called out to his son, who was bowing his head, in a low voice.

“You take care of Luaetisha.”

“Ca, can I?”

Ixion, who had raised his head in delight, soon shook his head.

“No, I can’t. It will get worse if I’m by her side.”

Duke Paeraton’s face did not show any sign of comfort at his son’s self-blaming appearance.

“You’re being presumptuous.”

He even scolded him.

“No matter how much magic you pour out, I won’t be able to protect my daughter properly?”

A crooked smile hung on Duke Paeraton’s face.

Ixion stared blankly at his father.

An arrogant and confident appearance.

But who would dare to call Duke Paeraton arrogant?

Life slowly began to return to Ixion’s desolate face.

“No! That’s not it at all!”

Ixion jumped up from his seat.

He had been crouching for a long time, but he didn’t seem tired. The boy’s face was full of energy, like a flower soaked in spring rain.

Ixion, who seemed about to go straight inside, hesitated in front of the door.

Only after Duke Paeraton nodded did he open the door as if he had made up his mind.

And went inside.

Into the room of his youngest sister, where he had been unable to enter and had been lingering for a long time.

Duke Paeraton silently watched the back of his third son.

It was a strange feeling.

One he had never felt before.

* * *

A cool sensation caressed her cheek.

‘Feels good.’

The room was being heated to the point of sweating.

In her sleep, she smiled and rubbed her cheek against the cool sensation.

Twitch.

The object stiffened for a moment, then caressed her cheek more firmly.

‘…But what is this?’

The sleepiness was slowly receding.

It felt like a person’s hand.

‘Anna? Or is it Dad?’

She lifted her sleepy eyelids.

But the person caressing her cheek was neither Anna nor Dad.

‘Ixion?’

Why is he here?

He’s the one who always locks the door when I try to visit.

The question was brief.

‘That’s right, I collapsed.’

She had forgotten for a moment because she had slept so soundly.

Her body was not in bad condition, but very light, so her memories began to come back vividly.

Come to think of it, the last Ixion she had seen before collapsing was….

‘He had a face like he was about to cry.’

She stared blankly at Ixion.

“What are you looking at?”

Ixion frowned and spat out.

‘Was I wrong then?’

There’s no way this prickly kid was looking at me like he was about to cry.

She was about to pout and get up when she noticed a basin, a wet towel, a thermometer, and other things next to Ixion.

“Ixion, were you taking care of me?”

“…….”

“Really?”

“……It can’t be helped since you’re so weak!”

Ixion turned his head away with a snap. His ears, which were barely visible, were red.

‘No, weak? I’m completely healthy.’

As she was pouting, Ixion turned on the bedside lamp on the side table.

His face, which was brightly lit, was more haggard than usual.

‘He really stayed by my side the whole time?’

She was a little surprised.

‘I didn’t even have a fever.’

It seemed like he had been constantly taking her temperature in case she got a fever.

Wriggle. She fiddled with her fingers for no reason.

It was the first time she had been cared for by her family like this.

‘…Even though I wasn’t sick.’

She looked at the remaining notification window.

[Body aches are receding!]

[Your internal organs are getting stronger!]

[Your visceral fat is decreasing!]

It was a really annoying ability, but she was still happy that her visceral fat was decreasing.

…That’s definitely why the corners of my lips are going up.

Not for any other reason.

She glanced at Ixion.

‘Maybe Ixion isn’t such a bad kid.’

She had been calling him a mean kid because he was always being prickly and tormenting her.

“Luaetisha.”

“Huh?”

She was surprised and looked at Ixion.

It was the first time Ixion had called her properly.

Ixion frowned deeply and stared at her for a long time.

Just when she thought he was barely moving his lips, he pressed them shut again.

Ixion didn’t say anything, but she heard everything he was trying to say.

“If you die, I’ll kill you.”

“I won’t die. Open your eyes [be honest with your feelings].”

“It was my fault.”

“……I wanted to be friends with you too.”

Because Ixion’s voice, which she had heard in her sleep as she was fully awake, echoed in her ears.

She doesn’t know what kind of life Ixion has lived. How would she know?

‘But I know that this little kid has some kind of wound.’

Ixion is a fool who doesn’t even know that he’s been hurt.

Like her in her previous life, this child has not grown up properly.

“Luaetisha, I’ve been alone for a very, very long time. So I really needed someone else. I prayed every day that they would be by my side.”

But she didn’t know why she needed them so much.

She just accepted it as everyone else did, thinking, ‘Because being alone is lonely.’

Now that she’s not alone, she realizes why she needed someone else so much.

‘Because being together, being with someone, makes me stronger.’

Because it allows me to get back up even if I stumble or fall.

Because it gives me a very, very happy and warm heart.

Because that heart is filled to the brim, I can be sure that I am a very precious person.

‘Ixion needs someone like that too.’

A person to be with.

A solid ground to stand on.

“Ixion.”

“……Why.”

“I need Ixion.”

Ixion’s expression changed.

“Can you be my brother?”

The red eyes that contained her trembled finely.