Lord Baby Runs A Romance Fantasy With Cash [EN]: Chapter 38

Looking again, the number was -666.

Not just 666, but minus 666.

Being negative was bad enough, but it was also the number of the devil!

“Oh, dear.”

Ares smiled, a hint of disappointment in his eyes.

“I wanted to play the good brother a little longer.”

His voice was dangerously soft.

I stared blankly at Ares.

Slowly, emotions bubbled up from deep within me.

When they reached my throat, I didn’t hesitate any longer.

“How could you! How could you do this to me, Ares!”

I screamed.

“Minus 666! Do you hate me demonically?! Or do you hate me as much as a demon?! Am I a demon?! What is it!”

I was so, so upset.

“I gave you my heart and soul, Ares!”

Hiccup, hiccup.

“Wow, Ares, you…”

Ixion wrapped his arms around me protectively as I sobbed, looking at Ares as if he were a piece of trash.

I burrowed into Ixion’s arms and pointed at Ares.

“How could you do this to me after everything I’ve done for you!”

“No, you didn’t raise me…”

“Sly Ares! Cunning Ares! A face that could launch a thousand ships, Ares!” (A reference to Helen of Troy, known for her legendary beauty).

“A face that could launch a thousand ships?”

Of course, since this was a K-Romance fantasy world, the meaning of ‘beauty that could topple a kingdom’ was easily understood.

Ares seemed a little taken aback, as if he hadn’t expected to hear such words, but soon he smiled, his eyes crinkling at the corners.

“Um, thank you?”

“Aren’t I better looking than that guy?”

Ixion tilted my head up towards him and said.

Oh, you guys…!

“It’s not a compliment! It’s an insult! A sly fox who will ruin the country!”

I gestured wildly.

But Ares’s smile didn’t disappear, and Ixion muttered, “Is his eyesight already failing, even though he’s still young?”

“Eek!”

I stomped my feet in anger.

Ixion lifted me up, making it look like I was kicking in the air.

“Put me down!”

“Calm down a bit. You’re weak; you might collapse from getting angry.”

“Ixion, I hate you!”

“No, curse at him. Why do you suddenly hate me?”

“Hate you!”

“Okay. Don’t calm down. Just get angry. Hate him, not me. That guy is a really bad guy.”

I nodded and pointed at Ares.

“Bad guy!”

“Good job.”

‘…This isn’t it.’

Breath filled my lungs like bubbles.

I see.

Ares hated me.

The kind smile.

The voice that sweetly called me his sister.

The warm touch of stroking my hair.

The moment we laughed while sharing cookies.

The promise to go to the festival together next spring.

All of it—.

“You hated me from the start?”

“…Yes.”

Ares, nodding, was still smiling.

“Why?”

“…”

“Because I couldn’t awaken mana?” (Mana is a magical energy source).

Strangely, my throat felt scratchy.

I didn’t have the courage to face Ares, so I lowered my head.

It’s strange.

I didn’t do anything wrong, but why?

“Because I’m not Dad’s daughter… and you thought I was a bastard?”

Each time I spat out a word, it felt like rough sand was scratching my throat instead of breath.

It hurts.

My scratched throat, my chest—it hurts.

At that moment.

“What are you talking about?”

Ares asked.

I lifted my head sharply.

Ares was looking at me with a face that showed he genuinely didn’t understand.

“You hate me because I’m a Phaeton’s bloodline.”

“…Huh?”

“If you weren’t a Phaeton’s bloodline, there would have been no need to bother with you.”

Ares’s words weren’t properly registering.

You hate me even more because I’m family?

“Siblings are rivals. Only one can become the head of Phaeton.”

I opened my mouth blankly.

‘…Oh, I see.’

I understood why Ares was wary of me and had hated me from the beginning.

‘He recognizes me as a Phaeton.’

Phaeton is synonymous with mana holders, and mana is the exclusive property of Phaeton.

Therefore, various questions and suspicions are bound to be directed at me, who has no mana.

It’s the same even if you don’t doubt that I’m Dad’s daughter.

In the meantime.

Would anyone dare to say that I can become the owner of Phaeton?

Even from the first moment I saw you.

Even if I don’t do anything particularly great, even if I don’t show any ability, Ares recognized me as a competitor.

Not as a defective product without even mana—.

‘As a proper direct descendant of Phaeton.’

A brother and a rival on the same starting line.

That’s how you accepted me from the beginning.

“…”

I clenched my skirt tightly.

“If you hated me so much because I was a competitor for the next Duke position…”

I raised my head and looked at Ares.

“Then what if I don’t become Ares’s adversary?”

Ares’s brow furrowed.

“You won’t believe me even if I say I’m not interested in being the head. So, if I do nothing and stay still, if I don’t compete—”

His red eyes met my blue eyes.

“Will you accept me without antagonizing me?”

I watched Ares’s eyes distort without blinking.

“You…!”

“If you say—”

I smirked.

“Doesn’t it make you feel bad?”

Ares’s face went blank.

It was the first time his face, which was always so composed, looked so foolish, and I burst into laughter.

“It feels so good. Getting one over on Ares!”

Ares stared blankly at me, laughing.

“Right? Doesn’t it feel bad? It’s actually beneficial that a competitor is giving up on their own, but doesn’t it feel bad?”

Ares’s gradually distorting expression was a sight to behold.

The mask that was always smiling was completely removed.

Ares is a very aggressive person.

More than Ixion.

“Why does it feel bad?”

I smirked.

“That’s because! Ares has already started to like me!”

Even though it’s -666!

Anyway, that’s it!

That’s what I’ll think.

Or, if that’s not it….

I lifted my head sharply.

“So, be prepared!”

I pointed my finger and shouted confidently.

“They say siblings are the first competitors, so it can’t be helped! I’ll accept that competition!”

And I turned around coolly.

I endured the urge to run and walked slowly and confidently.

Behind me, I heard Ares muttering, “What, really…”

At that moment.

“Ugh, cough…!”

A mouthful of blood burst from my mouth.

What is this…?

[Your cold hands and feet are being cured!]

Is it real?

Ixion rushed towards me as I collapsed.

In Ixion’s arms, I saw Ares with a flustered expression.

And the affection meter floating next to him.

[-600]

‘Huh?’

Did the affection go up?

[Your indigestion is being resolved!]

[Your stress is decreasing!]

No, you’re the cause of my stress?

Don’t you know how to read the mood?

Why is your ability activating here?

You’re raising my stress and blood pressure.

[Your stress is decreasing!]

[Your elevated blood pressure is stabilizing!]

Damn it.

With that as the last thing, I fainted.

* * *

My head was cool.

My body was light, and I felt like I had the strength of a tiger.

Luatisha slowly opened her eyes and saw the letters.

[Quest Completed: ]

[1000 Cash Gacha Ticket has been awarded as a reward.]

Ha.

‘This thing really doesn’t know when to butt in.’

I was leaving coolly without crying there, but you made me spit blood, and now I have to see you as soon as I open my eyes.

‘Let’s read the room.’

Luatisha, who was sighing softly, felt someone’s presence next to her.

“Ares?”

When I turned my head, Ares was sitting on the bed, looking down at Luatisha.

His face was expressionless, unlike usual.

“You’re really weak.”

“Yeah.”

Actually, I’ve gotten stronger, though.

I’m full of energy right now, so I have even more strength.

Luatisha slowly got up.

“Why are you getting up?”

Ares frowned.

“You’re going to work in that condition after coughing up blood?”

“Yeah. I don’t have mana, so I have to endure the pain and work hard to compete with Ares.”

Hmph, you little rascal!

Luatisha’s cheeks puffed up.

Ares was silent.

It was the moment Luatisha completely got out of bed.

“Kyaa?”

Ares grabbed Luatisha’s arm and pulled her.

Thud!

Luatisha suddenly fell back onto the bed.

Ares was still looking down at her in the same position as before.

However, only his expression was different.

“…Ares, are you angry?”

“Don’t talk nonsense.”

Even as he said that, Ares tucked the blanket tightly around Luatisha.

[-580]

The affection meter was reflected in Luatisha’s eyes.

“I’m really not sick.”

“I don’t want to have someone who can’t even take care of themselves as a competitor.”

Ares’s voice was twisted.

He was always kind, but his tone is different.

Luatisha buried the tip of her nose in the blanket.

“It’s true.”

I’m not being stubborn.

I really don’t hurt.

And I don’t want to be with the changed Ares.

I feel like I’m going to cry.

Ares quietly looked down at Luatisha and then sighed softly.

[-590]

The affection meter went down even more.

“What are you going to do? The mana stone business? How are you going to do it without a staff? Don’t be stubborn—”

“No.”

Luatisha cut off Ares’s words firmly.

“I’m going to catch the traitor who participated in my abuse.”

Ares paused and looked at Luatisha.

“The traitor who colluded with Nicholas Tarenka and helped him embezzle my foster care expenses and abuse me.”

On her shadowed face, her Paraiba-colored eyes shone strangely clearly.

“I’m going to catch that bastard and make him pay for his sins.”

Usually, Luatisha looked only bright and soft.

But now, with an expressionless face, she was saying that she would punish those who dared to ruin her life—.

‘She looks like me.’

A predator itself.

“…Ares?”

Only after Luatisha called out as if she was wondering, did Ares come back to reality.

Ares was silent for a moment before opening his mouth.

“We can’t leave a traitor who has eaten away at Phaeton alone.”

“Then?”

“It’s a temporary alliance.”

“Heung?”

A playful smile bloomed on Luatisha’s face.

“That’s because! Ares has already started to like me!”

Ares frowned because he heard the voice of the child who had confidently shouted in his head.

“I’ll say it again, it’s only temporary.”

“Yeah!”

“And it’s not for you.”

“Yeah, yeah, we’re just cooperating because we have to catch the internal traitor, right?”

Luatisha smiled and retorted as if she knew everything.

No matter how you look at it, it seems like she’s misunderstanding.

Ares frowned.

Whether he did or not, Luatisha smiled brightly and looked at him.

Sparkling big eyes.

That clean and clear color.

Ares raised his hand and covered Luatisha’s eyes.

“Ares?”

“It’s annoying.”

Looking at your eyes keeps annoying me.

Even though it was a discouraging thing to say, the corners of Luatisha’s lips turned up.

“What?”

“No, no. Ares covered my eyes like this before. I remembered that time.”

“…”

The strength in Ares’s hand loosened slightly.

Luatisha’s eyes were revealed through the open fingers.

Ares’s face was reflected in her eyes.

Luatisha’s eyes shook like a blue lake when she saw his expression.

Luatisha opened her mouth.

But no words came out.

Ares was still covering Luatisha’s eyes.

Through the small gap revealed between his fingers, the two looked into each other’s eyes.

[-550]

[-580]

[-530]

Luatisha watched the affection meter rise and fall without stopping.

Why, Ares.

[-499]

Does it seem like you’re trying to hate me?

[-666]

No, but it’s not -666!