Rather Than The Son, I’ll Take The Father
Chapter 97

I explained to Shaula about the powers of Gilbert’s biological father.

But, in the span of 1 minute and 1 second, I was lecturing too quickly, perhaps because it was a disappointing situation.

“So, Gilbert wants to kill the Lord and take over as Master’s successor, but he lacks the ability, so he has to sacrifice himself to his biological father?”

“……That’s right, no.”

It was a strange summary that showed signs of developing into something even worse than now.

If I had even explained that Gilbert’s biological father and Aedis were brothers, it would have been a disaster.

“Your Grace, in my head, this is the limit.”

Yes, you worked hard…

I encouraged Shaula, who was struggling with her head after a long time.

“Anyway, you said that you would help, so I will only trust you, Shaula. You protect Aedis while I summon Paimon and take Gilbert’s powers.”

“Your Grace, isn’t it better to just kill Gilbert and reveal the truth to the Lord honestly?”

“I don’t think Regen knows at all.”

Gilbert also used violence against Regen.

Even if he was protected, Regen would have known what Gilbert thought of him.

Shaula tilted her head.

“Isn’t that better then?”

“Still, Gilbert might be nice.”

She looked as if she had heard a dog whistle.

“Your Grace, have you been brainwashed? Oh, it may be a biological brother, but how can you take a side when his real brother sacrifices himself to kill the Lord?”

“Well. Since you said that their biological father is looking for Gilbert’s body and Regen’s head, he might have done something to them right after they were born.”

It was difficult to be sure of anything because it was questionable whether Gilbert and Regen were born normally.

“What is that crazy bastard?”

Shaula gave up on her thoughts and stretched her tongue out as if she had given up.

After finishing the warm-up, Shaula finally used her body instead of her head. She ran out, and I picked up the golden key.

The usage was so simple that even Shaula quickly remembered it when she said that continued thinking for more than 3 seconds would cause her a headache.

I made a space by putting the key in the air and calling my spirit.

“Paimon? My spirit? Can you hear me?”

[……you.]

“Yes?”

[“I can’t hear you!”]

A voice of a boy pretending to be an adult could be heard from the other side of the space.

You seem to hear very well, but…

As this was a Paimon-style reunion greeting, I wondered if I should match the rhythm, and then I

heard a sniffing sound.

“Sniffle.”

Huh?

“Paimon? Are you crying?”

[“I’m… I’m not crying!”]

Paimon snapped back loudly like a chick.

It didn’t look like it was a momentary cry that caused the voice to split.

I drew a longer golden key to open a gap in the air.

“Take me to where Paimon is.”

The landscape began to change.

But even though it felt like I had moved very far, only the tip of the key was stained black, and there was no damage.

I don’t know how much magical power Aedis put into the key. Shaula shouldn’t have damaged the castle by a lot.

I furrowed my eyebrows as I looked into the damp, gloomy cave that appeared before my eyes.

The ceiling was very low. In a space so narrow and deep that even my mood could sink, the dragon was curled up in a circle.

“Paimon, what are you doing here?”

[“What does it matter? I’ve never been called before! As expected, I don’t believe in humans!”]

Hey, who made me unable to call you!

I should be hurt, but you shouldn’t be more hurt than me!

“I can’t whistle.”

At my explanation, Paimon didn’t even laugh and ignored it.

[“Are you ignoring spirits? No matter how humans are compared to spirits, I know that they can whistle.”]

……Does this guy want to see it?

As a human being who can’t even whistle, I clenched my lips to demonstrate.

There was a pitiful sound that seemed like the wind was escaping. Paimon pursed his lips.

[“This…… you idiot! Then you should have said it earlier!”]

“You didn’t even give me time to respond and you just left. And if I wanted to see you, you could come see me in person, right?”

[“Then if you don’t come to see me?!”]

In the beginning, do the spirits play well alone like this, beating drums and digging tunnels?

“I wanted to see you, Paimon.”

I said, dumbfounded.

[“……Really?”]

Paimon sniffled again. I want to wipe your runny nose…… but I don’t think it’s even the size of my handkerchief.

I focused only on soothing the giant spirit who was sniffling.

“Of course. I’m only looking for you every day, so I wanted to see you. Aedis even made me a key like this? Rather, I was hesitant because I was afraid I would disturb you.”

[“It can’t be! This Paimon never neglects the contractor!”]

“Of course I know. I’m sorry I couldn’t find you sooner.”

I patted the giant dragon’s torso.

Paimon groaned as he moved his head toward me.

[“Hnngg, it wasn’t fun to look around alone.”]

“Then would you like to look around with me?”

As if feeling better, Paimon smiled and his scales trembled finely.

[“Before that, I’ll listen to why you called me. You hesitated because you thought you’ll bother me? You called anyway, is there something wrong? Is someone bullying you?!”]

Paimon turned me back and forth with his feet that hid his claws.

From my head to my toes, the eyes that thoroughly checked my front and back seemed bigger than before.

“Paimon, you seem to have grown a little bit?”

Is it just my feeling or not? Still, it wouldn’t be that only his eyes got bigger.

The ceiling of the cave was so low that Paimon was curled up like a snake with a crossed body. As if he wasn’t frustrated, Paimon affirmed it insignificantly.

[Oh, was it a rainy day in the North? From then on, it suddenly became like this.”]

Huh…

That day was also the day that Regen ran away and I drank the blood of a beast.

“Originally, if you sign a contract, will the spirit grow according to the condition of the contractor?”

[“Well? This is the first time I signed a contract, so I don’t know, right?”]

“……”

It seems that the blood of the beast I drank had an effect on Paimon as well.

[“More than that, Eve, what is wrong?”]

Paimon grabbed me very gently.

Thanks to this, I was able to sit on Paimon’s front feet.

“Um, well, I need your help.”

[“Where is the one I need to kill?”]

Hey, excuse me?!

I opened my eyes, dazzled by Paimon’s irrationality.

“I heard from Aedis about your abilities. It is said that your fire causes destruction that cannot be rebuilt.”

Just 10 seconds ago, the dragon, who asked where is the one to kill, flinched.

[“What, what is that? Now, even if you ask to cancel the contract because you feel bad about my abilities, you can’t do that!”]

What kind of rhythm do you want, you bastard?

“It’s not just about burning things like wood. I heard a strange story that you rebelled by igniting the first Grand Duke’s magic.”

In the end, the ending was sealed, but it was said that Paimon also resisted formidably.

Aedis said he had never seen such a tenacious spirit before.

“……”

Paimon swallowed his saliva and waited for my next words.

I didn’t even think about breaking the contract. And it was very comfortable to sit on Paimon’s front feet.

“Could it be possible to burn the aura like that time? To the extent that they can’t get it back?”

Then Paimon tilted his head.

[“…Huh? You don’t ask me to barbecue someone, but to burn the aura? Isn’t it more simple to just send them to the next world completely? Well, if you are a swordsman who can’t use your aura, your life as a swordsman would be almost over.”]

“You are saying the same thing as Shaula.”

[“I don’t know who the dog is, but I like her.”]

Suddenly, I thought that I should never let Paimon and Shaula face each other.

“As much as possible, I want to finish it in a way that hurts Regen… the Lord less. But Gilbert can’t come to his senses with words. Even now, he only wants to kill Regen and eat me and the Grand Duchy.”

[“Do you want me to torture him? Like chewing his fingers off one by one in front of him and eating them!”]

“Whatever we do, let’s get out of here.”

Maybe it was because oxygen was scarce, breathing gradually became uncomfortable.

[“Ah, that’s…”]

“Yes?”

[“That’s it, that’s.”]

Paimon hesitated.

……Why do I have an ominous feeling?

“What is that?”

[“The reason I’m here…… I didn’t mean to come here.”]

Suddenly, Paimon began to speak respectfully.

I had a worse premonition than before.

[“I was just looking at the sky like this, and I could see more diamonds.”]

Paimon opened his eyes exaggeratedly wide.

“Diamonds?”

[“Yes, diamonds. A lot too. So it was like I had just been possessed.”]

It was the moment when an ominous foreboding hit.

“Is this another Aedis’s treasure trove?”

[“I think so……”]

“……”

[“When I see jewelry, I am instinctively drawn to it! Sorry! Even so, I thought it was fortunate that it was locked-in rather than a barrier that bounced me back painfully like last time…… Hahaha.”]

I took out the key.

“Could you possibly get me and Paimon out of the cave?”

The key gleamed with golden light, then went out like a broken lamp.

“……So what about just me alone?”

Then the light of the key returned as if it was before.

Paimon was also watching the change intelligently.

[“……Ma-ma-master? Are you going to throw me away? I can even set fire on this and that.”]

……Throw away?