FANSiA Originals and KakaoPage
I Became the Genius Bastard of a Noble Dark Clan
[Author/Original: Yuin]
[TL: Dekor]
[PR: Spades]
Episode 29
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"How about you apologize, and I'll forgive you?"
"…What?"
"Your rudeness toward me. Kneel and beg, and I'll graciously let it slide."
Alos didn't flare up; he looked stunned.
As if questioning whether he'd heard right.
Chris twisted his lips and delivered the final blow.
"Oh, does a bastard with stolen blonde hair not understand honor? Oops, was that supposed to stay a secret?"
"You filthy bastard!!!"
The Dark Mana Clan was marked by black hair and blood-red eyes.
But Alos had blonde hair.
Occasionally, such anomalies were born, often whispered to be illegitimate.
'Was that a bit harsh?'
But provocation was meant to be ruthless.
"Look at you fuming—guess the bastard rumors are true. No wonder you don't know honor, with outsider blood."
"Arghhh!! You!!"
It worked like a charm.
Alos lost all reason and charged.
"Young Master Chris!"
"Danger…!!"
The mages gasped—Alos's movements were ferocious.
Blinded by rage, he attacked recklessly.
"I'll kill you!!!"
Murderous intent surged through his mana.
But Chris just smirked.
"Pathetic."
What followed made Alos's eyes widen.
Chris stepped forward with his right foot.
His shoulder twisted, effortlessly nullifying Alos's attack.
A clean dodge.
'How did that disgrace pull that off?'
Alos belatedly realized his rage had led to sloppy, exploitable moves.
That's how this failure dodged him.
But he wasn't too worried.
This was Chris, after all.
The Dark Mana Clan's discarded trash.
He could crush him with raw power…
That's as far as his thoughts went.
"Think that'll work?"
A chill ran down Alos's spine.
Chris's cold eyes locked onto him.
Only then did Alos notice Chris had closed the distance.
Chris's arm was already drawn back.
At this angle, this range, no trick could evade the strike.
Too late to react.
'Wai—?'
WHAM!!
Stars burst before Alos's eyes.
It felt like a hammer blow.
A groan escaped him.
Chris's mocking voice followed.
"Your mistake against me. Want forgiveness? Kneel and beg anytime."
He added curtly.
"I'm generous."
And so.
The duel… no, the beatdown began.
---
The "duel" didn't last long.
Alos was carried off, battered and unconscious.
'Well, that was easy.'
Chris thought to himself.
Alos was his age.
Barely a 2-star mage.
Plus, the Tyramine family's specialty was Demon Training, controlling beasts.
For a Demon Trainer to fight barehanded was like a swordsman brawling without a blade.
Normally, they'd never fight this way, but Alos had underestimated Chris and slipped up.
"…Are you sure this is okay?"
The mages asked cautiously.
Sure, Alos had started it, but beating the Tyramine family's young master senseless was worrisome.
Chris replied calmly.
"I fought for my honor."
"!!"
The mages caught their breath.
He was right.
But the world wasn't that simple.
"Count Tyramine likely won't let this slide."
Chris fell silent for a moment.
'Probably not.'
Count Tyramine had never liked him.
More precisely, he despised the Kazar family.
The Kazar and Tyramine families were bitter rivals, always at each other's throats. They wouldn't let this go.
"It's fine."
"Young master?"
"I've got a plan. Don't worry."
He wasn't bluffing.
Even Count Tyramine's anger was part of his scheme.
[Ohoho. Our young master is truly top-tier. This maiden's heart flutters at your dashing figure today too.]
"Gah?!"
"A g-ghost?!"
The mages recoiled at the sudden appearance of a delicate, smiling banshee.
Chris was just as startled.
"Mari, when did you—?"
[I stowed away in your luggage. I'm your eternal maid, sworn to serve you.]
"…I don't need you."
[Ohoho. Your shy act is adorable. I know you miss my bedside service.]
Mari floated around gleefully, her ghostly tail flapping.
[I'll fetch some virgin's blood juice since you're hungry.]
"…Pass. Booze."
[Booze…?]
Mari tilted her head, and the mages looked shocked.
They'd expected him to drop the delinquent act after thrashing Alos.
But Chris thought.
'Not yet.'
The "disgrace" plan was far from over.
And Alos's nightmare was only beginning.
Until Chris left the Tyramine territory, Alos's torment wouldn't end.
[Ohoho… What shall we toast to?]
Mari had fetched top-shelf liquor, and everyone filled their glasses.
It cost a whopping 1,000 lupe, naturally billed to Alos.
The mages seemed uneasy about whether this was okay but got swept up in the mood.
Chris, though, got ginger ale.
Mari and the mages had objected.
"Young master's underage—no alcohol!"
A mage and a ghost, yet oddly strict about this.
'Damn it, I want a drink too. I hate ginger.'
No choice, though.
[To our master… and my future with him?]
"Nope."
Chris raised his ginger ale glass.
"To wealth and glory!"
The night deepened with heavy drinking (Chris on ginger ale), and news arrived the next day.
An invitation from the count's manor.
Not from Alos.
From Count Tyramine himself, the head of the Tyramine family and the "second spear" of the Dark Mana Clan's branch.
---
Chris visited the manor formally.
The moment he stepped through the gate, piercing glares fixed on him.
The Tyramine family's mages.
Hostility radiated, hardening the faces of Chris's escorts.
But Chris brushed it off lightly.
"Guess I'm too handsome. They're staring holes through me. Well, I am pretty good-looking."
"…"
He meant it.
Christian's appearance was the epitome of a noble's, though his arrogant smirk was a flaw.
Chris chuckled.
"Take me to the count."
His unshaken demeanor caught the Tyramine mages off guard.
But they soon sneered.
'All bravado.'
'Let's see if he keeps that head high before the count.'
They were certain this disgrace would get his comeuppance today.
Soon, Chris faced Count Tyramine.
Beside him stood the family's retainers and Alos, still bruised from yesterday.
*Crunch.*
Alos ground his teeth, his swollen face glaring.
'Still got some fight in him.'
Chris smirked and bowed.
"I greet Count Tyramine."
"Yes, it's been a while."
The count rose.
His massive frame cast a shadow.
A man like a towering beast.
His tiger-like eyes locked onto Chris.
"I heard you fought with Alos."
"Yes, that's correct."
Chris didn't deny it.
"Why? Even if Alos made some 'mistakes' in hosting you, you went too far."
Mistakes.
Blatant favoritism.
Chris smirked inwardly.
'Just as I heard.'
A cheapskate despite his size.
That's how Count Kazar described him.
"I'll give you a chance. Apologize for yesterday and leave at once. Then I won't pursue your wrongs further."
Chris met the count's gaze squarely.
Then, in a voice dripping with arrogance, he spoke.
"I don't follow. All I did was squash a bug that didn't know its place."
"!!"
"And apologize? The strong grant mercy and leniency to the weak, not apologies. Rather."
Chris flashed a thick sneer.
"Alos should be the one groveling for my forgiveness. Bowing to the strong—that's what the weak do, isn't it?"
"!!"
His brazen words made everyone gasp.
The Tyramine mages glared murderously.
The air crackled, on the verge of erupting.
Chris's escorts looked deeply worried.
Then, Count Tyramine's brow twitched.
A heavy, invisible pressure surged toward Chris—mana unleashed.
A force so intense lesser mages would buckle.
But Chris was unfazed.
'This is nothing.'
Far from kneeling, he didn't flinch.
He'd faced worse pressures countless times in the era of ruin.
Willpower alone let him endure.
More importantly, Chris knew.
No matter how petty the count was, he wouldn't dare harm a fellow clansman over this.
No reason to cower.
The count's eyes widened slightly at Chris's unexpected resilience.
"You've changed."
"…"
"But you're insolent. Arrogance without merit is just folly. Are you worthy of it?"
Chris shrugged and replied smoothly.
"At the very least, I'd say I'm more worthy than Alos."
"!!"
Alos, listening nearby, flushed red.
"Shut up, you!! I only lost yesterday because I couldn't use Demon Training!"
The count nodded.
"I agree with Alos. You know yesterday's duel wasn't fair, don't you? How about a proper rematch today?"
Chris smirked.
'Right on cue.'
This was the count's goal today.
To have Alos crush Chris with Demon Training in front of everyone.
A way to humble the cocky Chris while putting the rival Kazar family in its place.
"Of course, I understand fighting a beast might be daunting. To keep it fair, I'll impose a penalty on Alos."
Demon Training involved controlling beasts.
In a duel, facing both a mage and their beast was inherently unfair.
"No need for that. But if I win, grant me one request."
"!!"