Now This Family Belongs to My Mother Chapter 18

“Looking good, huh?”

 

Faded orange hair. Mischievous-looking brown eyes. Skinny arms and legs with a hunched posture. Nicholas strutted over, sticking out his bulging belly.

 

“Because of you, Mother fell ill, and Stella’s locked up in her room!”

 

Nicholas suddenly yelled at me. I instinctively stepped back. He smirked at that.

 

“What? Scared?”

 

I held back the urge to kick him and replied in a calm tone. “No. I just stepped back because your spit was flying everywhere. It’s gross.”

 

Nicholas’s smirking face twisted in an instant. “Wow, you’re really pissing me off!” he shouted. “Since you grew up on the streets, do you not know fear? Want me to show you what real fear is?”

 

He raised his hand as if he was about to hit me. In his hand was a wooden training sword.

 

“I’m already pissed off enough having to come for this stupid training! Why the hell did Mother make me do this…!”

 

For a moment, his orange eyes gleamed with malice.

 

“This isn’t right. You, be my sparring partner.” Nicholas pointed a wooden sword at me. His face was full of vile anticipation, the kind that comes from knowing you can torment someone weaker than you to your heart’s content.

 

“I’m not suitable as a sparring partner. I’ve never trained in swordsmanship, and I don’t even have a weapon.”

 

“That’s exactly why you should do it!”

 

Without warning, Nicholas swung his sword. I dodged instinctively. It was a reflex, something I did without even realizing it. Thanks to that, Nicholas stumbled awkwardly. He made a fool of himself. His cheeks turned a deep red.

 

“You dare dodge me?”

 

Furious, Nicholas began swinging his sword wildly. I dodged again. And again. And again after that.

 

A look of confusion spread across Nicholas’s face—like, ‘Wait, this isn’t how it’s supposed to go.’ I was just as bewildered. How am I managing to dodge all of this?

 

It was clear at a glance that Nicholas’s skills were terrible. But for someone like me, who had never learned any martial arts, avoiding his reckless attacks should have been impossible. Of course, even with my unusually good luck, there were things I couldn’t avoid, like that damn rock.

 

“Aaah!” I tripped over the rock and fell backward.

 

“Got you now!” Nicholas swung his sword down at me.

 

It was the moment I squeezed my eyes shut.

 

“What do you think you’re doing!”

 

The wooden sword stopped right above my head.

 

“G-G-Grandfather…”

 

I opened my eyes. Hubert was striding into the garden from the entrance. Finally, he’s here. I let out a sigh of relief internally.

 

This garden was a place Hubert often visited. Because it was created by his late wife. That’s why I pretended to take a casual stroll here to meet Hubert. It was all part of the ‘second phase’ to gain his trust. Of course, running into Nicholas was an unexpected variable.

 

Diane deliberately made him train here to look good in front of Hubert. Of course, Nicholas was lazy and often avoided training because he was afraid of Hubert. But now, things are different. With Diane and Stella tied up at the moment, the only one who can catch Hubert’s eyes is Nicholas. Diane must have nagged Nicholas endlessly to go out and make an effort.

 

“Did you really try to hit your cousin?”

 

Well, the result turned out like this.

 

At Hubert’s thunderous scolding, Nicholas trembled and stammered excuses. “N-No! You’ve got it wrong!”

 

Hubert alternated his gaze between the shameless Nicholas and me, sprawled on the ground. His eyes landed on my pale, slender arm clutching the grass tightly. A twitch flickered at the corner of Hubert’s eye.

 

“We were, we were sparring! Yeah, right? We were in the middle of sparring, weren’t we!” Nicholas nudged my shoulder with his wooden sword, urging me to agree.

 

I pressed my lips together tightly.

 

“Hey!”

 

“Nicholas.”

 

Hubert’s cold, low voice cut through the air. Nicholas froze in place. But the words that followed were completely unexpected.

 

“To think you’d train so diligently, I’m impressed.”

 

“What?”

 

“I guess you had no choice but to ask your younger cousin since you had no partner.”

 

“Ah, ah… Yes! That’s right!” Nicholas, foolishly, seemed to think his excuse had worked. “Mother keeps telling me to take it easy with training, but I just love practicing so much. Hahaha!”

 

Hubert curled his lips into a cold smile as he approached Nicholas. “How admirable. You deserve a reward.”

 

A glimmer of anticipation lit up Nicholas’s face.

 

“I’ll be your sparring partner.”

 

“!”

 

Nicholas’s smiling face froze in an instant.

 

Hubert grinned menacingly, clenching his fist tightly. “Pick up your wooden sword. I’ll go without a weapon.”

 

“G-Grandfather…”

 

“Now!”

 

Hubert swung his fist. It didn’t even land, but Nicholas screamed and fell over.

 

“G-Grandfather, I surrender!”

 

“A Blanche must not act so weak. Get up!” Hubert showed no mercy.

 

Thwack! Thwack! Thwack! What followed was a one-sided beating. In the end, Nicolas, who had taken a thorough beating, was carried out by the servant. It wasn’t exactly satisfying—it was more of a chilling sight.

 

Wow, that’s terrifying…

 

“Get up already,” Hubert said, brushing off his hands.

 

I quickly jumped to my feet. When he saw how tense I was, he narrowed his eyes.

 

“What were you thinking about?”

 

“I was thinking I shouldn’t mess with Grandpa.”

 

“What?” Hubert’s expression turned peculiar as if he hadn’t expected that answer. But in the end, he couldn’t hold back his laughter. “Hahaha… So you can say some ridiculous things too.”

 

It wasn’t ridiculous—it was my survival instinct talking. But then Hubert said something even scarier.

 

“I’ll give you a reward too.”

 

“Pardon?! I-I’m really fine!” I shouted urgently. There was no way I could dodge Hubert’s fists.

 

“I’m not saying I want to spar with you.”

 

“Really?” I let out a sigh of relief.

 

“Don’t make it so obvious that you’re relieved.”

 

“Did I? I’m sorry.” I quickly bowed politely.

 

“You apologizing when I said I’m giving you a reward.” Hubert chuckled. “I still haven’t given you a reward for your efforts in securing the contract with Viscount Molon.”

 

“I didn’t do it expecting a reward. I just wanted to do something that would benefit our family.” I spoke rather maturely. Though it was a lie. Honestly, I’m looking forward to it.

 

Hubert shook his head. “The reward is mine to give. It’s not for you to accept or refuse.”

 

“But…”

 

“If you don’t want it, then spar with me.”

 

“I’ll take the reward,” I responded without a moment’s hesitation. It was an extremely resolute attitude.

 

“Is there something you want?” Hubert asked.

 

Finally, the question I’ve been waiting for. I cheered inwardly. There was something I had planned to ask for in a situation like this. My second step.

 

“Please lend me some people.”

 

“People?” Hubert’s brows furrowed. He pressed further. “What do you need them for?”

 

“I want to make more of the Pasa Herb ointment and share it. But I’m short on hands. I can’t even make enough for the employees on my own.”

 

At my answer, Hubert’s expression softened again. He spoke, looking both impressed and a little regretful. “But that ointment only works if it passes through your hands, doesn’t it? What’s the use of more workers?”

 

“That’s why I thought of something,” I explained, my eyes sparkling. “If I handle the herbs when they’re still seeds and grow them myself, maybe the herbs themselves will become potent. That way, I won’t have to make the ointment one by one myself.”

 

Hubert nodded. “It’s worth a try.” But his expression was still cautious.

 

I waited nervously for Hubert’s next words.

 

“Alright, I’ll help you.” It was an unexpectedly agreeable response.

 

“R-Really? Thank you so much!”

 

“But if you succeed—”

 

I held my breath.

 

“Don’t just keep it within the family. Distribute the ointment to the market.”

 

“Huh?”

 

“I’m telling you to start a business.”

 

He took the bait. Just as I expected.

 

Hubert was a cold and calculating power player, but at the same time, he was an exceptional businessman with a nose for money. Someone of his rank as a grand duke could easily leave commercial matters to his subordinates and maintain an air of refinement. But Hubert was different. He was someone who understood better than anyone that money equaled power.

 

There’s no way someone like Hubert would overlook the commercial potential of this ointment.

 

However, as someone who had only recently entered the household and whose position was still unstable, if I were to suggest starting a business outright, it might raise suspicion. So, I led him to suggest it himself.

 

“Why? Don’t you think you can do it?” Hubert asked as if testing me.