Upon Hyliss’s request, after finishing the worship, Sicar and Kian were walking in the courtyard of the temple.

Though they walked hand in hand seemingly affectionate, as soon as people disappeared from sight, they simultaneously let go, creating an awkward atmosphere.

“It feels awkward.”

It was a remark thrown to break the awkward silence, but the tone was rigid.

“Same here.”

Anyway, I’ll win even if it’s just a drop of water in a mouse trap.

But Sicar, just like Kian, was not good at talking around or being diplomatic.

“Why do you dislike me?”

Kian glanced at Sicar as if waiting for it and retorted.

“Even the Duke dislikes you. Is it weird that I like the Duke?”

“That’s because you…”

Since he was trying to use my weakness to kill me, I couldn’t just see it as cute.

From Sicar’s perspective, it was only natural. He couldn’t open his heart to people in the first place, and given the enmity trying to kill him, he couldn’t have looked favorably from the beginning.

If Kian had liked him first, he might have opened his heart a little. However, seeing her snarl and bare her teeth as soon as she saw him didn’t make him feel that way.

But even so, considering his personality, he was having quite a hard time.

“I’m trying to like you. So, you should try too. We have Yura as a common point.”

“I’ll do my best. Since you’ve picked me up… no matter what happens, I’ll protect you, even if I have to give up my life.”

In the original work, she admired and loved Raidos just because he picked her up.

I, too, was the same. If he had given that love to me as well, maybe I could have treated Kian a little more nicely.

“My wife doesn’t need to worry because I’m protecting her.”

“I’m not asking you to protect my mother. I hope you won’t scare my mother.”

Scare her… Sicar thought of Yura again. Trembling all over as if scared but determined not to yield.

“There’s something you don’t know. Your mother doesn’t scare me at all.”

“Speak for yourself. I haven’t scared her yet. And if you make my mother cry, even if the Duke gets stuck in a statue, I won’t let him go.”

Is this tiny drop now a threat as well? Sicar burst into a dry laugh at Kian’s audacity.

“Do you know that what you’re saying is a threat?”

“Yes. Of course. I’m threatening the Duke right now because I’m determined. Please treat my mother more affectionately and kindly.”

Sicar touched his forehead as if his head was throbbing.

“You’re trying to teach me.”
“No, it’s a complete threat. If you don’t treat my mother well, I will ignore even if the Duke gets stuck in a statue, a clear threat!”

“You seem not to know, but I’m already treating her quite well. If there were rumors floating around, I wouldn’t be able to say that, would I?”

“Then what? In my view, you’re just superficially being nice.”

“Really, my head is throbbing.”

He recalled a saying that if you get married, you can’t escape your wife’s nagging.

‘Am I in a position where I have to endure even my child’s nagging?’

“But why does everyone tell me to treat them well? Don’t you have any intention of treating me well?”

Kian, as if the initiative had shifted to him, stopped and clenched his fist, saying.

“I judge from what the Duke does.”

His attitude seemed quite arrogant, and therefore, confident.

Sicar felt strangely pleased to see Kian not being intimidated and showing such audacity. So, without realizing it, he almost lifted the corners of his mouth, but then he realized that the brazen opponent begging him was none other than himself. Sicar sneered at himself.

“There’s one more thing you don’t know. Yura hopes that you and I get along well. It’s not just me being nice to you. You should also open your heart to me. So, if you really want to make your mother happy, you should also treat me well.”

Kian had a sudden realization. Come to think of it, his mother had repeatedly told him good things about the Duke, urging him to get along well with him.

Feeling upset that he hadn’t realized his mother’s deep feelings, he felt like an unfilial son.

Sicar, who saw Kian’s true feelings, laughed as if he had won, and following Kian, he also clenched his fist and looked at him.

“There’s nothing wrong with what I said. So, you’ll remain silent.”

That’s right. Unjust and frustrating, but there was nothing wrong with those words. He was an unfilial son who couldn’t properly understand his mother’s heart.

Kian sighed and, as if declaring surrender, released the clenched fist.

“Phew. I didn’t think about that. I’m still young.”

Sicar, who had been looking at Kian with a triumphant smile, involuntarily made a ‘pfft’ sound at Kian’s words, ‘I’m still young.’

Not because Kian was cute, but because he resembled himself in his early years, scary as it was.

“But why haven’t you said anything until now? Why are you saying such things only now?”

“Because the Duke was so busy with work that he didn’t have time to talk to me.”

“If you had something to say, you could have knocked on my study door anytime. So, now your words are just excuses.”