Hi, I’m the Hero’s Father ～I’m Sorry For All The Trouble My Foolish Son Has Caused You～ - Chapter 40

Chapter 40   The first prince is a blockhead

Seventy percent.

If taken at face value, it means that Croix acknowledged Colt’s strength as being up to seventy percent of his own.

Conversely, it implies that seventy percent is sufficient to handle Colt now.

In Colt’s heart, the latter interpretation prevailed.

“Tch──!!”

Croix’s words touched Colt’s pride deeply.

His spirit ignited, but his mind remained cool.

He positioned his sword in the eight stances and approached Croix at super speed.

However, the same trick wouldn’t work on Croix again.

With his enhanced dynamic vision and reflexes, Croix effortlessly grabbed and stopped Colt’s hand.

“Ha!”

“?!”

Croix twisted Colt’s arm.

Colt immediately rotated towards the bent arm and kicked Croix’s hand, forcibly freeing himself.

He quickly stepped back and checked his arm.

It wasn’t broken. It could still bend and grip.

“Good judgment. If you had been five centimeters slower, it would have been broken.”

“What if it had really broken…?”

“I’m not worried about that. I trust in your abilities.”

“Ugh… you’re such a big bro…”

“Is this really the time to be embarrassed?”

“…!?

This time, Colt lost sight of Croix.

He wasn’t being careless. He hadn’t blinked. His focus was entirely on Croix, but he also kept an eye on his surroundings, using his keen perception to stay aware.

And despite Croix’s large stature, Colt didn’t expect to lose sight of him.

He checked his surroundings with his sense of presence, but the dense aura and pressure had completely vanished.

However, Colt was a seasoned warrior who had overcome many life-or-death situations.

He concentrated all his senses.

Even Croix would leak his fighting spirit during an attack.

If there was a chance to catch him, it would be in that fleeting moment.

He concentrated intensely.

A slight tingling sensation at the back of his head.

“There!”

As he turned around, he slashed his sword upwards.

There he was, Croix. Croix was there, raising his fist.

But there was no holding back. If it was Croix, he would be aiming to kill…!

Without hesitation, Colt swung his sword with full force──Splat!!

“…Eh…?”

The familiar sensation transmitted through his hand.

Cutting through flesh, severing bone.

Blood splattered. The torso was severed.

Colt’s thoughts and body froze at the shocking turn of events.

But in the next moment, Croix’s body vanished as if melting into the air.

“…Huh?”

“Over here.”

“Wha—!?”

Suddenly, a jarring impact hit Colt’s head for the first time in his life.

His consciousness fleeting in an instant, he dropped his sword, a knight’s life, and collapsed onto the ground.

“Hm. You’ve never faced an opponent who could create such a solid afterimage with a dense presence before… You’ve still got a ways to go, Colt.”

“That’s really childish of you, Croix.”

“No, I actually learned this from His Majesty.”

“Hm? Was that so?”

Croix and Ashtar continued their otherworldly conversation.

Mion, trying to ignore them as much as possible, ran over to Colt with a damp towel.

She supported his head on her lap and cooled the bump that had formed on his head.

“Are you okay, Colt-sama?”

“…Uhh… Uuuh…? …Huh, who are you?”

Colt seemed to have regained consciousness even though he thought he had hit hard.

“Oh, I’m Mion, the apprentice of Croix-sama and Wiel-sama.”

“I see. The apprentices of those two… Hm? …Huh!?”

Noticing his current position, Colt’s face turned bright red as he leapt up.

“I-I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to lay my head on a lady’s lap…!”

“No, it’s fine, I don’t mind… Hehe. Colt-sama, you’re so innocent. I thought someone as strong as you might also be strong with women.”

“W-Well, um… I’ve been so absorbed in seeking my brother’s strength that I haven’t had much interaction with women…”

The last time Colt met Croix was twenty years ago. Since then, he had lived a life focused on strength—seeking, desiring, and pursuing it. Because of this, his interactions with women had been extremely limited.

“Hm… There’s a problem with both Alka and you. To have no experience with women at your age…”

“I-I didn’t say I have no experience with women! I didn’t say that!!”

“Eh, Colt-kun is still a virgin──”

“That’s not true!! That’s not true!!”

Colt’s face turned bright red under the warm gazes from Croix and Wiel. In this era, it’s not uncommon for someone to become a parent at fifteen. Even if they don’t get married, they usually have some experience by the age of twenty.

Colt is twenty-five. And as a prince, it wouldn’t be surprising if he were married.

“Your Majesty, does Colt have a fiancée?”

“He does, but this training fanatic has neglected her so much that he hasn’t even met her yet. Recently, she seems to have grown tired of it and might annul the engagement.”

“So foolish…”

“Ugh.”

A critical hit to Colt’s chest. A different kind of pain pierced through him compared to the punch to his head.

“Ugh… But if I don’t work hard, I won’t become strong like my brother…!”

Tears flowed from Colt’s eyes. Seeing this, Wiel placed a hand on Colt’s shoulder.

“Colt-kun, training and work are certainly important. But do you really think that’s all it takes to become like my husband?”

“Huh…? What do you mean by that…?”

“My husband is not only strong but also cherishes me, his wife, above all else.”

“I’m going to meet my fiancée!!”

((((Blockhead)))))

Everyone present at that moment shared the same sentiment.