The Return of the Iron-blood Sword Hound

Chapter 7: The Baskerville Dog (4)

Vikir knows Hugo's personality well.

'... ... Lizard.'

A cold-blooded human with blood so cold that he might be mistaken for a lizard.

He was a being who was only interested in the future of his family and his own actions.

He is a human who thought of everyone but himself as a tool, especially as a weapon.

Weapons basically exist to harm others, and it is unimaginable that weapons independently show mercy or hesitate.

It is also natural that the more weapons he nurtures, the better they would be at killing.

So it was quite possible that Hugo's gaze at Vikir was gradually coloured with satisfaction.

"Do you think you are innocent?"

"yes. Rather, my brothers were wrong."

"What did they do wrong?"

"They were weak."

A world where weakness is sin.

Wouldn't that be Baskeville?

Vikir's words ran right through this core family motto of the Baskeville.

It is not a sin for a lion to hunt a deer.

It was the providence of nature that the strong win against the weak, and insisting that it should be divided into crime and punishment is just foolishness.

It was Hugo's teaching behind the tutors which stuck in his ears like nails during his childhood.

'... So the older brothers bullied me first! Even if I try to whine, it's useless.'

Before his return, Vikir explained his innocence and the sins of his brothers, as a normal child would usually do, but Hugo only expressed contempt.

... And those eyes were the same until the last moment when he knelt on the guillotine at the execution site.

Meanwhile.

Hugo Le Baskeville.

He clasped his hands together and covered his mouth.

And he said in a low, subdued voice.

"Your brothers were here before you."

"... ... ."

"They forgave you."

Vikir didn't bother to answer.

You can tell that he has the experience of keeping Hugo's side for a long time.

Perhaps the triplets did not give Hugo an answer to their liking, and instead annoyed him.

'I must have been very intimidated. And what about forgiveness?'

Vikir replied in an emotionless voice.

"It's okay if they are scared."

"... ... ."

Hugo paused for a moment.

Finally, Hugo let out a faint laugh.

"ha. That's right. When I wanted to the successor, I had to work hard to become the successor."

It was quite an unfamiliar sight for Hugo to talk about himself.

'By the way, he had to become the successor? Can he say that by just working hard?'

Vikir, who was worried for a while at the first sound he heard, soon understood.

Hugo had risen to the position of head of the household by killing all of his older brothers.

'Right. He only heard that the eldest son is unconditionally the one who inherit the family. Even the position of sucessor could be acquired.'

It was the moment when he realized the true nature of the Baskevilles again.

Hugo asked again.

"Whatever. The older brothers reached out first to forgive you. Do you still not feel guilty?"

"... ... ."

Vikir looked at Hugo in silence for a moment.

The warm eyes of his father, which he had never received in his previous life.

However, the already salty and cold frozen heart can never be melted with such feeble warmth.

... When was it before returning?

The last daughter of a family destroyed by the Baskevilles once visited Hugo in person.

After a long time, she became a nun and gave a Mass saying, "I forgive you."

And Hugo, who heard the contents of the mass, said this.

"Wouldn't forgiveness be just an excuse for the weak who have no power to take revenge?"

Excluding the honorifics, the lines are exactly the same as Hugo's at the time.

In an instant, Hugo's eyes widened.

"Hahahahahaha-"

The sound of laughter so loud that the windows trembled resounded throughout the room.

Hugo leaned back in his chair with a look of supreme satisfaction.

"This is how my child should be."

It was the first time Vikir had ever seen him express his emotions to this extent towards his son.

The conversation with Hugo ended here.

"Barrymore."

Hugo, who had summoned the butler, his face returned to the stoic face he knew before.

But the warmth of the embers still lingered in his voice.

"Give Vikir the key to the food storage."

Hearing this, Barrymore's eyes widened.

Children in the Baskevilles always eat the same food until they are 15 years old.

water and Haggis.

It is a dough made by mashing together the meat and intestines of all kinds of animals and a little bit of vegetables.

The amount of food is provided in an unlimited amount and managed in a very hygienic manner, but was tasteless.

So, the children of the Baskeville family are crazy about sweets and chocolate that are sometimes given out when the children get good grades.

It is a system that inspired children at a very low price, cultivate a sense of competition, and further develop them into great members of Baskeville.

Knowing that, Hugo asked Vikir.

"Do you have any snacks you want to eat?"

Then Vikir answered with an innocent smile typical of an 8-year-old child.

"Chocolate!"

Hugo looked at him and nodded his head.

'He must be thinking to the extent of 'I even have a cuteness suitable for my age'.'

Barrymore also smiled.

Hugo beckoned Barrymore.

"Go to the food pantry and take out as much chocolate as you want. But, don't be too greedy. Just carry what you can."

"Yes, my lord."

Barrymore took Vikir's hand and headed for the door.

As they were leaving.

Hugo spoke up, turning his back to the door.

"Perform well at this midterm evaluation."

It is unusual to receive such encouragement.

But what followed was even more unusual.

"... ... Don't lose to direct descendants."

At those words, Vikir's eyes turned red.

Like two suns.

* * *

"We greet, Master Vikir."

Barrymore took Vikir to the kitchen outside the infant castle.

A few chefs followed suit, politely greeting him.

The food storage deep underground.

The cold air blew through the cracks in the stones met with the warm air from outside creating a slight mist.

Barrymore held up his hand to dissapating the mist inside of the warehouse.

It's just a matter of managing mana, but it's not something that makes you feel embarrassed when the old butler did it.

Vikir went inside.

The food eaten by the guardian knights in the family, family members over the age of 15, and other servants was neatly arranged.

"Candies and jellies are over here young master. If there is anything you would like to cook separately, I will ask the chefs to prepare it."

At Barrymore's kind invitation, Vikir shook his head.

"Just chocolate."

At that, Barrymore looked down at Vikir with a slightly sorrowful look.

How much chocolate do you want to eat?

"When you're over 15, you'll be able to eat as much as you want."

It was a sincere advice.

The chefs in the back took out the finest chocolates from the shelf while paying attention to the butler.

"This is the finest chocolate that the women of the House of Morgue who are reputed to be gourmets enjoy eating. This time, we also got a few cans from our side. It is said that the flavor becomes more intense if you add nuts from the south and honey from the west."

But Vikir shook his head.

"I don't need anything processed."

"... ... yes?"

Barrymore and the chefs looked puzzled, Vikir opened his mouth.

"I need coca beans. The type with a very strong flavor."

Hearing that, Barrymore tilted her head.

The raw material of chocolate is coca beans.

However, unprocessed coca beans are bitter rather than sweet.

After hearing the chefs' report, Barrymore spoke up.

"Ugh. If it's beans with a strong flavor... ... It is said that there is. In the past, the family lord personally led the senators in the family to subdue the barbarians on the western front of the territory and cultivated the vast jungles of the area as farmland. It is said that one grain of 'Bloody Bean', a local specialty, can make 100 liters of chocolate."

"Good. bring it."

"How much should I bring?"

"As it is."

At Vikir's command, the chefs moved.

Before long, one of the chefs came with a small leather pouch in his hand.

The pouch, barely big enough for two fists, was filled with bright red beans.

It looks like more than 100 grains.

This is Bloody Bean. One bean has a consistency comparable to 100 liters of chocolate.

Vikir tried chewing a bean.

... Knock it!

Reaction comes right in the mouth.

It was astringent and bitter enough to tingle your entire tongue.

Vikir spat out the peas and nodded in satisfaction.

Barrymore nodded his head.

'You really like chocolate.'

Anyway, Hugo told Vikir to give him as much food as he wanted, so it wouldn't be a problem even if he took all these cocoa beans.

However, this single cacao bean is the amount that can produce 10,000 liters of chocolate.

Barrymore admired the 8-year-old's greed and wisdom.

Maybe Vikir will gorge on his favorite chocolate for the rest of his life.

"young master. Shall I process this and bring it to your room?"

... however.

Vikir gave an answer that made everyone wonder.

"No processing required. This is enough."

Apparently, he didn't want it for eating.

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