Chapter 74 - The Inevitable Has Come… But Isn’t It Too Soon?
Battle Race in the Fantasy World – 74
EP.74 The Inevitable Has Come… But Isn’t It Too Soon?
After completing the human experiment that left the Department of Magic in shock,
“Are Father and Mother doing well?”
“They’re doing fine. Except for the times when Mother says she misses you, little brother.”
The three siblings finally engaged in a normal conversation.
“Last time, she even shed tears suddenly.”
“Mother did?”
“Yes. She was worried you might meet bad friends and neglect your training.”
“….”
The reason for her tears seemed a bit odd, but Kyle let it slide.
After all, those concerns stemmed from her love for her child.
Though they were overly focused on training, they were undoubtedly good parents.
“There’s nothing much happening back home. Everyone is just doing well.”
“That’s a relief.”
When he said everyone was doing well, it sounded more like everyone was obsessively lifting weights.
“Speaking of which, they’ve made a new exercise machine recently, and it feels much better than expected. Father likes it, and Mother seems very pleased. When you come back during the break, you should try it out, little brother. I think you’ll really like it….”
Leo, usually extremely taciturn, became talkative when it came to exercise equipment.
He practically turned into a child when discussing new equipment.
His usually terse speech was now flowing without a pause.
“…Anyway, don’t worry about home.”
Kyle had never worried about home and had no intention of doing so.
But there was no need to reveal that, so he just nodded.
“By the way, I thought nothing much would change here, but the buildings look quite different.”
“Do you think so too, brother? I feel the same way.”
At Leo and Lea’s words, Kyle let out an exasperated sigh.
Why would the scenery change? Why would the buildings be rebuilt differently?
The reason was none other than Lea’s rage, which had directly struck the academy!
At first, he thought the Minister and the Headmaster were exaggerating, but he understood after looking into it.
The damage was so extensive that it required astronomical costs to repair.
At the worst possible timing, just as the Ministry of Finance was finalizing and approving the budget.
It was infuriating for such an incident to occur at such a dirty timing.
However, while it made sense for Leo, even Lea seemed clueless about the reason.
Thanks to this, Kyle realized why imperial officials would foam at the mouth at the mention of ‘Jonathan.’
If you destroy something and then say, ‘Wow! It’s changed here!’ it’s bound to be infuriating.
“How long will you and sister be staying?”
“We’ll head back as soon as our work is done.”
“I think we’ll leave right after, as brother said.”
“Really? I thought you’d stay a bit longer.”
Leo and Lea almost simultaneously provided a simple reason.
“Muscle loss.”
“Muscle loss!”
“….”
Ah, I see. That’s it. Kyle just nodded.
It wasn’t surprising anymore. He was just going with the flow.
Honestly, he thought he’d rather be working out than wandering around aimlessly.
This must be the Jonathan will, or rather, the Jonathan curse.
“Of course.”
At this moment, Leo spoke in a quiet voice.
“That’s only if the ‘work’ is all done.”
“Huh? What do you mean by that, brother? What work?”
“Just as I said, Kyle. Brother and I have something to do.”
“So, you didn’t just come all the way here to see me?”
“Why? Are you upset, Kyle? Did you think sister and brother came just to see you?”
Lea suddenly hugged Kyle tightly, rubbing her cheek against his, saying, ‘Did you miss brother and sister that much?’
Thanks to this, Kyle had to struggle and shout, ‘Sister, I’m suffocating.’
It wasn’t a joke; the strength of her hug was overwhelming. He was genuinely at risk of suffocation.
If not that, his neck might snap, leaving him in the same state as the intruders.
“Sister, please… I’m dying here.”
“Lea, that’s enough. The little brother is struggling.”
Fortunately, Kyle survived thanks to Leo’s intervention.
“Actually, we were invited to the Imperial Palace earlier.”
Kyle coughed, realizing the preciousness of air.
Then, at his brother’s words, he sighed, “Huh?”
“The Imperial Palace… You mean, the Emperor himself?”
“It worked out well. I had something to report in person anyway.”
“So that’s the matter you mentioned earlier, brother.”
Leo nodded and muttered, “We should get going soon.”
Kyle looked quite surprised, asking, “You’re leaving already?”
Then he showed disbelief, saying, “You’re joking, right?”
“We’re really leaving. Did you really think brother and I would stay here for a few more days?”
To be honest, Kyle had expected exactly that.
He thought they would stick around until at least tomorrow, making him exercise and monitoring his diet.
Leo was the kind of brother who would make him exercise even if he was sick.
Lea was the kind of sister who would make him lift a pole even if he said he couldn’t.
For such siblings to say they were leaving after a brief visit, despite talking about muscle loss, seemed less believable than someone who had failed to diet for ten years saying, “I’ll start dieting tomorrow!”
But as if they knew Kyle’s doubts,
Leo and Lea headed not to the indoor training hall but to the academy’s entrance.
“…Little brother.”
In the distance, the Minister and his subordinates waited anxiously.
Looking at them, Leo spoke.
“Yes, brother.”
“…Hmm. I won’t say you can’t eat at all.”
“Pardon?”
“It’s not a short time, and it’s hard to resist new things in a new place. I understand. I’m not saying to overindulge, ignore it completely, or reject it entirely.”
Kyle understood what his brother meant.
Since they were leaving without much fuss and trusting him, he should regulate himself.
It meant that as long as he was diligent in his training, he shouldn’t overeat.
“Brother is right. It’s actually quite tough. The food here is very different from back home, and you have to be careful with everything.”
Even Lea, who had only been away for a year, deeply empathized.
Kyle suddenly had a thought, ‘Could it be?’ and decided to ask directly.
“Um, brother? Sister? This is just a question out of curiosity.”
He was torn between thinking it couldn’t be and wondering if it could be.
What was the truth? Which side would win between those two doubts?
“Did you two… at the academy….”
“I had some drinks. I was curious about the taste.”
“I had ice cream and snacks. About four times, I think.”
“Oh….”
“Don’t tell our parents.”
“You know, Kyle? Especially not Mother.”
The three siblings had all secretly misbehaved in their own ways.
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“Have you finished all your business?”
The question implied whether they had finished everything at the academy and wouldn’t be coming back.
The Minister of Education had a good reason to ask, as they were leaving the academy much sooner than expected.
He didn’t want them to stay too long, but now he was worried about them leaving so quickly.
Once again, the name ‘Jonathan’ brought a subtle fear.
‘Please say you’ve finished everything. Say you’re done after meeting your brother!!’
It was as if the gods had heard the minister’s desperate wish.
“Yes. We’ve finished everything.”
Leo’s deeply low voice came out.
The minister flinched for a moment, but his fear soon turned into relief.
“That’s a relief… I mean, that’s good. So, you’re heading straight to the Imperial Palace?”
“Do we have to go immediately? The Emperor said it didn’t matter when we arrived.”
Of course, that’s what he said. But who would be happy to wait?
Especially not the absolute ruler of this vast empire, not some minor lord.
The minister then smiled, though sweating profusely, and tried to persuade them.
The Emperor had said that out of consideration.
He had given them an out in case they couldn’t come due to special circumstances.
He urged them to respond to his consideration with consideration.
‘…It’s touching, really touching.’
The secretary sitting next to the minister wiped away tears inwardly.
To think that his harsh and irritable superior had this side to him.
At first, it was surprising, then satisfying, but in the end, it was quite pitiful.
No matter how high-ranking a minister he was, there were too many things beyond his control.
In the meantime, the minister succeeded in persuading the Jonathan siblings.
When Leo finally said, “Then let’s go today,” the expression on the minister’s face was priceless.
It was like seeing a low-level civil servant freed from a month of overtime.
In fact, both Leo and Lea had the ‘work’ they mentioned to Kyle earlier.
That was why they had only spent a few hours at the academy before leaving.
And that ‘work’ required them to meet the Emperor.
In other words, the minister’s efforts to persuade them were unnecessary.
“Let’s go to the Imperial Palace.”
At Leo’s words, the minister eagerly directed the carriage towards the palace.
If they hurried, they could arrive just before dinner time.
“….”
Leaving the beaming Minister of Education behind,
Leo Jonathan, the heir of Baron Jonathan, quietly looked out the window.
“I considered leaving it to others. But for matters like this, it’s best if you handle it yourselves. I trust you, so bring back good news.”
These were the words of Dagon, their father and Baron Jonathan, as he sent Leo and Lea off.
As he said, this was a matter that needed to be handled by the direct descendants.
“And everyone else was afraid of muscle loss from the travel time, so they didn’t want to go.”
That seemed to be the most decisive reason, though.