Chapter 42 – Hermit-sama after Gazes of Doubt
After the maid-san with mofumofu tail left the room in a fluster, I was carried back to the sofa by Ena.
Ena hands me over to Annela Obaasama and the soft feeling of Ena changes to Annela Obaasama’s equally soft feeling that doesn’t lose out to Ena, it was comfortable enough to make me lose all my strength and wish to sit in her lap for a long time.
While savoring such feelings of bliss, Roland Ojiisama moved in front of me and dropped down on one knee.
There are no signs of the good-natured old man from before in his expression. He seems to be thinking about something with a really serious expression.
「Elliana...... can Lilianne really not see?」
Without turning his gaze from me even for an instant, he asks Ena who was sitting next to Annela Obaasama a question.
「Yes, there’s no doubt. Randolph-sama has been monitoring and examining her for a long time, and he researched many documents relating to Cloudy Eyes. In fact, he even went to confirm with the patients who have the same symptoms...... however...... that just a while ago......」
「...... Umu...... she evidently went “around and behind” in order to touch the maid. Those weren’t movements of someone who can’t see. Even if she could grasp the position by sound or presence, getting that flawlessly to that specific place would be difficult」
...... Oh crap, because it was a chance to mofumofu, I did it without thinking. Which reminds me, I can’t see, don’t I...... I always see through magical power began know who’s where, so I have completely forgotten......
「Certainly, I also did consider that. However...... according to Randolph-sama’s investigation, people who suffer from Cloudy Eyes have no chance of recovering their eyesight」
She has the same serious expression and tone as Roland. Theo and Ellie are keeping silent, not cutting into the conversation.
「If that’s the case...... Lilianne is special...... or she might not be suffering from Cloudy Eyes」
「Ojiisama! Lily doesn’t have Cloudy Eyes!?」
Ellie who was staying quiet until now reacted to “no Cloudy Eyes” and raised her voice. Her voice was mixed with expectations and anxiety, but she asked clearly.
「Calm down, Ellistina. It has not been decided yet. Even if we try to confirm with Lily-chan, she’s still just a one-year-old, we can’t do much. Therefore, we can’t be sure of that yet」
「...... Yes」
Admonished by Annela’s calm voice, Ellie replies in a feeble, disheartened voice. If my illness can be cured, Ellie could share the things she loves with me, so she has great expectations.
And, I’m saying this myself, but Elli loves me, Lilianne. It’s natural to be happy when the illness of the person you love can be cured. That’s why she must feel very discouraged.
「B, but! There’s a possibility, right!?」
In the downhearted Ellie’s stead, Theo fiercely stands up clings on. He loves me, Lilianne as well. And just as Ellie, he would like to share the things he loves with me. If there’s a possibility, no matter how small, he clings on with a strong spirit and asks.
「Umu...... the possibility is sufficient. Because the movements she showed were clearly movements of someone, who can see. But, just as An said, Lilianne is still too young. Even if she could see, we can’t tell if it’s just temporary or permanent. It’s not certain whether she can control it herself. Otherwise, Randolph-dono or you should have noticed. However, since we were able to see such delightful actions, let’s immediately call for Randolph-dono to check...... asking Lilianne to confirm would be the fastest way, but......」
「Then, at once」
Roland Ojiisama spoke his thoughts gently, but he shut his eyes and deeply sighed then for a moment with sharp look looked at me――the flow of magical power sharply changed――I did not overlook what I was looking at.
Ena immediately began to act, she addressed a maid-san and told her something.
She’s probably telling her to call over the old man. Since it doesn’t end with a word or two, is she telling her to convey an emergency?
It’s quite a distance from here, so I could only hear murmuring.
This is bad...... hasn’t it turned into a quite serious matter......
I’m beaten...... but, I have received many examinations from the old man Randolph, and he never took notice of the magical power, so won’t it end up in vain like always?
Old man, thank you very much for your effort. When I say words of gratitude in my mind, Roland Ojiisama moved in front of Theo before I noticed.
「By the way, Theodore. I was told that when you read Lilianne a book, she will occasionally caution you by striking the book if you reading the same book again, is that the truth?」
Without removing his serious expression, Roland was asking as if he was an attentive detective. He’s asking calmly without getting rough with passion.
The passion for desperately finding anything in regards to my Cloudy Eyes.
「Yes, Ojiisama. Lily will without a doubt strike on a book which was already read. Even if I forgot that I already read it...... she will do it without a fail!」
「Fumu...... if that’s the truth...... that would mean that Lilianne understands the contents of the books」
「Yes, I think so as well」
「Then, it possibly means that Lilianne also understands our conversations」
Roland Ojiisama’s sharp eyes are totally like eyes of a predator looking at its pray.
Oou...... Ojiichan is sharp, oi.
This person has no prejudice against a one-year-old.
...... Ah...... I showed such behavior a little while ago, he might think I’m special...... didn’t I destroy his prejudice myself...... what to do~
「Lilianne...... are you able to see?」
He directs the piercing eyes of the hunter at me. The sharpness in his eyes is clearly trying to capture the prey now.
Where did the good-natured old Ojiichan vanish? I feel like there’s only a gallant hawk about to assault the prey――me.
But, such dreadful gaze was a calculated risk, I have no intention of letting it tilt the balance of my self-defense.
No matter how strong you are, how much influence you have, there will always be people who disregard that. Even if this is a different world, moreover a fantasy, such people are found anywhere.
Therefore, the actions I can take are limited.
Playing dumb!
That’s my answer.
A one-year-old child understands the contents of the books.
A baby who suffers from a total blindness disease called Cloudy Eyes moves as if it could see.
That’s not normal no matter how you look at it. And if I admit those, I have a feeling that it won’t be long before they realize that I have cheat level knowledge in a world with medieval knowledge.
If that happens, I won’t get off with just being a genius.
Obviously dangerous――it might be a knowledge that triggers a war, even if unintentionally.
Rather than thinking that I will do it myself, it’s more realistic to think that there are people who would use it that way. I will only fall behind if I’m too optimistic.
The difficulty of being crushed at work, I firsthand experienced it at the company I have worked at in my previous life.
Therefore, I can’t let know anyone, even if they are my family tied by blood.
I meet the severe, vigorous and fearful gaze head-on.
The crossing gazes would create sparkling sfx in a manga without a doubt.
But, such time come to an end before less than 1 Rin (minute).
Fuu...... Roland Ojiisama let out a light sigh, and a good-natured old man expression returned on his face at the same time.
「Maa, there’s no way that could be the case!」
As if he gave up...... as if he has been thinking too much, as if it was just a joke.
Released from the tension, the mood can be clearly seen on Theo and Ellie. But, it was only for an instant, but I didn’t miss the dangerous magical power mixed in his expression.
I will be in trouble if you take my compression enhanced vision lightly.
I can see through the difference between seriousness in the flow of magical power.
Because of that, I was able to see through his subtle change between his feelings and actions.
The flow of magical power has an impact in a lot of places. The magical power flow, shade, thickness and strength unconsciously change with emotions. You can learn various things just by looking at it.
This was an obvious feint.
It’s an old trick to surprise the opponent.
Therefore, without changing my expression――it’s always expressionless, though――Roland Ojiisama sighed and stood up.
Then, he sat down next to Annela Obaasama, concealing his claws. Still, I will not remove my gaze yet.
Theo already said that I know who’s where. Therefore, it’s not strange even if I don’t remove my gaze from him.
Rather, chasing after a person who moved in front of me by sound or presence would be more suitable in this situation.
Roland Ojiisama didn’t completely conceal the rustling of his clothes nor his footsteps. He can’t attempt anything risky, but words of a threat because Annela Obaasama is here.
It appears that Roland Ojiisama is still seizing me from the corner of his eyes. What an uncanny Jiisan.
Because of the tension, Jiisan has created, my two siblings became nervous again.
Poor Oniichan and Oneechan.
However, his gaze ended after he sat on the sofa for several seconds.
With the complete change of Roland Ojiisama’s expression from serious to calm and gentle, the tension in the atmosphere got released. Theo and Ellie breathed out in relief.
It seems they were swallowed by Jiisan’s intimidating eyes. Maa, that must have been difficult for a 9-year-old and 7-year-old.
Rather, to look at a 1-year-old with such intimidating eyes...... what a ridiculous Jiisan. Normal children would be already crying, you know?
「By the way, Lilian...... ne!?」
When he wanted to nonchalantly continue, the words of the predator were interrupted in the middle, and I heard a loud “supaa~n” sound.
I saw it clearly because I was watching the predator Jiisan the whole time.
The source of that sound was Jiisan.
It appears that Jiisan who is holding his head was hit by Annela Obaasama on who’s lap I’m sitting.
Acting without a sound, as expected of Expert-san.
I couldn’t help, but to blink in admiration and fear.
「A, An! W, what are...... you!?」
Before Jiisan could utter more words with his distorted face, he was now flying through the air instead of sitting on the sofa.
The big muscle daruma was thrown into the air with no sound while I was still sitting on top of the soft lap.
Because Jiisan was thrown slightly behind the sofa, he immediately took a defensive posture and nimble rotated, but he landed with his head buried in the floor.
This is not the softness of Obaasan’s thighs――I was sitting on a sofa instead of sitting on her lap for some reason.
An excessively shocking scene and the instant transfer into the sofa without being aware. After that, Annela Obaasama’s action.
There was Annela Obaasama’s “foot” on the Jiisan’s miserable head buried in the floor.
No matter how you look at it, it seems like she matched Jiisan’s landing.
Her movements were quick. I should have been on her lap, but she moved over there who knows when. Was that a teleportation? Such question flashed through my mind.
If that’s the case, it might be possible to teleport with sorcery. Annela Obaasama made Jiisan’s head kiss the floor that fast.
Incidentally, there was no sound when he got buried in the floor. This must be a sorcery. Is it the soundproofing Ena has used before? I can only guess, but if you can do that with your body then you are no longer an Expert, but a Hermit.
Obaachan is Hermit-sama. I don’t want that!
However, I came to understand.
Our family is matrilinear without a doubt!