Chapter 66
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Chapter 66
* * *
Perhaps it was due to attending the Temple every single day—my abilities and Lucian's had grown noticeably stronger.
I had become adept at sensing even the faintest traces of magical energy, while Lucian could now purify magical essence without direct contact with magical beasts. As a bonus, he could now control his abilities at will.
The purification range he could cover had even expanded to more than twice its previous size.
"Lucian, you're amazing!"
Yet despite my praise, Lucian only looked dejected.
Normally, he would puff out his chest and laugh with delight.
"My little chickpea, why the long face?"
"What good is purification if my body isn't muscular?"
Lucian looked down at his belly as he spoke. True to his seven-year-old nature, his stomach was quite round.
"Lucian, it's actually strange for someone your age to have rippling muscles."
I held back the urge to tease him about his belly.
"But... Sister said she likes muscular men."
"That's true."
Now even Edwin, standing beside him, began to look downcast.
"Why aren't my muscles growing? And I'm not getting taller either."
These days, Edwin was undergoing various studies under his tutors' instruction, which included physical training and sword practice.
Though Edwin was naturally diligent, he was especially devoted to those two lessons—all to impress Amelia.
"You two, muscles don't develop overnight!"
"But it's been a week and two days, and nothing's happened."
"Overnight doesn't literally mean a single night..."
I gave up on the explanation. Trying to teach idioms to children who barely reached my waist was clearly futile.
Instead, I shifted to a more straightforward approach.
"You see, muscles develop through time and consistent effort."
"How much time?"
How would I know? I'd spent my entire life doing nothing but breathing for exercise.
But I couldn't tell the children the truth when they looked at me with such sparkling eyes.
"Well, I'd say you need to keep at it for at least a year without missing a single day."
"A... a year...?"
Lucian flopped down on the floor. A year represented one-seventh of his entire life so far. It was only natural that it felt impossibly distant.
"You have to endure all of that and train consistently to build muscle."
"What about height? How do I get taller?"
Edwin tugged at my skirt as he asked.
His upturned gaze seemed quite earnest.
"Well, you have to eat without being picky. Growing tall requires nutrients, and to get plenty of nutrients, you need to eat a variety of foods without discrimination."
"But you don't eat carrots, Aunt."
"..."
Lucian's sharp observation left me momentarily speechless.
This is exactly why I need to be careful with my words and actions around children.
I was racking my brain, unsure of what to say.
"Ah, so that's why Aunt isn't very tall?"
Lucian clapped his hands together as if he'd just realized something, his face brightening.
"Your height is small, isn't it, Aunt? If you'd eaten carrots, you would've grown really tall. You didn't eat them, so you ended up this small. Right?"
"...."
I couldn't bring myself to respond immediately.
To prevent the children from being picky eaters, I had to admit that Lucian's logic was sound.
But my pride wouldn't allow me to concede so easily.
My height may be modest, but it's not so small that I deserve to be lectured about it like this....
"If you're a picky eater, you end up like Sister Lucella. I didn't know that."
"Right. So we shouldn't be picky eaters. We need to grow tall."
"...."
This is... somehow irritating?
Regardless, Edwin's eyes left the snack bundle on the table. He then spoke to the servant standing beside him.
"Bring us something healthy to eat instead of these sweets."
Oh, he's been living at the Bellomen Mansion for a few months now. He's become quite skilled at giving orders.
"Healthy snacks, you say...."
"Broccoli, carrots, bell peppers, milk—things like that."
"Understood."
Lucian stopped the maid just as she was about to leave with the tray.
"Bring chicken breast too! Chicken breast is the best for building muscle!"
"Understood."
I shook my head as I watched the children munching away on foods they rarely ate otherwise.
"Aunt!"
"What, in the middle of eating?"
"Let's go watch the Lacrosse Stadium again."
"All of a sudden?"
"Yeah. I need to see what those muscular bodies look like one more time!"
Edwin opened his mouth at Lucian's words.
"I think we need to conduct further investigation."
"Investigation, even...."
I tried to subtly back out, but the children's momentum overwhelmed me, and I reluctantly nodded in agreement.
* * *
Lucian, Edwin, and I gathered at the Lacrosse Stadium again. Amelia was with us as well.
If there was one difference from last time, it was that Claude wasn't here. Beside Amelia, who wore a cheerleading slogan banner, stood only two escort knights.
"Amelia, where's your uncle? Did you come alone?"
"I'm not sure. He seemed busy from this morning, and when it was time to leave, he was nowhere to be found."
"Is that so?"
Was he busy with demon subjugation preparations? Or perhaps he received a separate order from the Emperor?
"He's not coming at all?"
"I think he mentioned he'd arrive partway through, but I'm not entirely sure."
"Then let's head inside for now, just the four of us."
I led the three children into the Lacrosse Stadium. Just as before, the stadium staff guided us to the same seats we'd occupied previously.
It wasn't long before the players who had been warming up in the corner of the field began taking their positions one by one.
"Ooh!"
Amelia's wide eyes began rapidly scanning the players, both from the opposing team and our own.
"Huh? The players seem different from what we saw last time?"
"Depending on tactics and physical condition, the lineup changes from match to match."
"Is that so?"
Amelia nodded as if she understood.
The whistle blew, and the match began.
Edwin and Lucian, who had been watching the players with envious eyes moments before, quickly became absorbed in the game.
Claude, whom I'd been glancing toward the entrance to check on, soon focused on the match as well. It was because my team was winning.
"Wow, who is that player?"
"Number 9, right? He's really incredible."
One player's movements stood out distinctly. As he ranged freely across the field, whenever he caught the ball, he immediately created a goal.
Aside from his skill, his unusually tall stature caught the eye even among the other large players. Every defender who rushed at him was knocked aside by his shoulder and sent tumbling away.
"Who is he?"
There's no way I wouldn't recognize a player this talented.
I narrowed my eyes to get a better look, but his helmet obscured his face.
I simply assumed a skilled newcomer must have made their debut.
"Sister, look at number 9. He's really amazing, isn't he?"
"Yes."
"He's incredibly talented. The best player!"
Every time I looked away, Amelia pointed out number 9 again.
Regardless, thanks to his performance, the score gap between us and the opposing team widened overwhelmingly.
"Yes! We won!"
In the end, our team claimed victory.
The three children, who had been jumping excitedly with their slogans, suddenly grew serious.
"Now that number 9 has taken off his helmet..."
"Will he take off his uniform too?"
Lucian and Edwin exchanged glances.
"He's probably got muscles like that too, doesn't he...?"
"That would be... problematic."
Lucian and Edwin's shoulders sagged dejectedly.
Unlike the two dispirited boys, Amelia clasped her hands to her chest, her eyes sparkling brightly.
"I bet his face is handsome too."
Thump-thump. I could almost hear the sound of Amelia's heart racing.
'I'm curious too, honestly.'
I found myself equally anticipating what would come next.
I absolutely wasn't curious about that player's physique. I was simply interested in seeing the face of the hero who led our team to victory. Truly.
"Wooooow!"
The players, having finished their victory ceremony, rushed toward player number nine and removed his helmet.
The face that was revealed was....
"...Marquis Agris?"
He bore a striking resemblance to Claude.
No. It wasn't a resemblance at all.
It was simply Claude.
"What, what?! I wondered who that magnificent player was, and it was our uncle?"
Amelia's gesture of covering her mouth in surprise seemed rather stiff.
Claude, who had been conversing with the other players, fixed his gaze upon where we sat.
And suddenly, he removed his upper garment.
"What, what is this?"
At Claude's sudden action, I covered my face with my hands.
Yet I found myself unable to prevent my hands from gradually slipping downward.
Brought to you by Valir Scans! To support our team and enjoy the latest releases, please read directly on our official site: valirscans.org