The Villainess Who Was Dumped Got Married into My Family, a Mob Noble from the Frontier, and Turns Out, She's an Amazing Capable Wife? - Chapter 113: Passing Down

Chapter 113: Passing Down

“What’s wrong? Already finished?”

The first hero, Ragna Brave, taunted me as I lay buried in the rubble.

His face… it resembled mine.

It was like looking at an older version of myself, maybe about 15 years older.

He looked like me in my thirties, which I found quite unsettling.

If he had been a charming gentleman, it might have been different, but a lecherous old man? No, thank you. 

Even though he was a different person and I wouldn’t follow that path, the similarity in our faces made me very uncomfortable.

“Don’t underestimate me, old man.”

I immediately burst out from the rubble and landed a right straight punch to his face. 

The first hero grinned, clenching his teeth as he took the hit head-on.

It felt like punching a massive iron object.

“Too light, too light. Put more heart into it.”

“Not a barrier, you’re taking it directly?”

The sensation was flesh. 

I wondered what kind of body he had. 

I could understand a bit why he was described as immortal.

“And you use a barrier? Covering the skin by a few millimeters, using it for both offense and defense, quite a well-crafted magic. And self-healing within the barrier… that’s incredibly intricate. Are you really my descendant?”

The first hero effortlessly analyzed my magic, tilting his head in curiosity.

“First Hero, the young master here isn’t the intuitive type, but rather the intellectual type.”

“Wow, that’s definitely not my child.”

“But the barrier he uses is designed to be unbreakable, as if it’s the ultimate magic he could think of. So, he must be your descendant.”

“Yeah, that sounds like my descendant.”

“You’re really saying whatever you want…”

Sure, the barrier was created to be unbreakable, but getting to that point had been a tremendous struggle.

“It’s because you died leaving behind these strange traditions that we’ve had such a hard time.”

As I swung a punch at him while he was casually talking with Sebas, the hero dodged it by just moving his head, as if he knew the attack was coming. He then pulled back his fist and said,

“Idiot, in a family quarrel, you take turns arguing and hitting each other. Now it’s my turn. Your magic is well-made, but something about it bothers me. According to personality analysis, anyone who makes a barrier is shy, single-minded, and naive.”

“Ugh!”

His attack pierced through my barrier, hitting me directly. I was sent flying next to Sebas, who smiled and said,

“Not entirely wrong, is it?”

“Is this really the time for that?”

Ignoring the carefree Sebas, I pondered why the first hero’s attacks could penetrate my barrier. 

After all, this hero existed within our bloodline’s memories, and his movements were powered largely by my magic.

It was no wonder my own magic couldn’t protect against him, and the pain was transmitted directly to me.

“It looks similar, but it’s a little different.” 

The hero said with a sly smile, as if reading my thoughts.

“Sure, I exist within you, but I’m not using your magic power to attack. It’s just that the quality is different.”

“…Quality?”

“You could say it’s the raw power of a hero, or simply put, it’s like a soul.”

The first hero continued.

“It’s strange, isn’t it? Usually, living beings rely on their memories and thoughts. I thought the same until I ended up like this. But it’s just like it was back then.”

In this world, magical essence plays a significant role in forming one’s body.

People often talk about memories etched into DNA, but creatures strongly tied to magical essence retain these memories deeply. It’s a place where willpower plays a major role.

“He must be waiting too… Oops, I’m rambling again. Come on, let’s fight! With all I’ve told you, you should know what to do, right?”

“Yeah.”

I walked towards the first hero. We both raised our fists and punched each other in the face.

“Oof, hey kid! What’s happening in the land of Ydaina now?”

“Ugh, it’s still as poor as ever!”

Because of you, it’s called the abandoned land and despised. 

The miasma in the area probably hasn’t completely vanished. 

Or maybe Sebas helped move some of it to the mountains? 

It’s still a harsh place to live.

“Is that so? But it’s still there, and people are still living!”

“Yeah, everyone is standing on their own two feet, living with their own strength!”

“Kid! Have you ever eaten a monster? My body is tough, so if you’re ever starving, go ahead and eat one!”

“Until recently, they were on our dining table! What a terrible custom to leave behind!”

“Hahaha! They’re not very tasty, are they?”

“Not at all!”

We kept punching each other, brawling face-to-face. 

It reminded me of the fights I used to have with my father and brothers. 

But this time was coming to an end.

This fight was not just a clash of similar but different souls, but also something close to a fusion.

I could feel the first hero’s strength gradually weakening.

“…You’ve aged.”

“Hah, hah… It’s a new feeling. I died before I could become an old man…”

“You could’ve handed it over peacefully…”

“If I didn’t vent a bit, you’d be the one embarrassed. Right, Sebas?”

“To be safe, I used survival instincts as a trigger. If it was passed normally and couldn’t be controlled, your sexual desires would have exploded.”

“Ha?”

“…”

So, this was the true nature of Brave’s beastly side. 

The first hero, now an old man with completely white hair, placed his hand on my cheek, breathing heavily.

“Kid, let me ask you one last thing… Do you have someone important to you?”

“…I have many. In the Brave territory you left behind.”

“Haha, I see… I see.”

The first hero smiled, relieved, and I continued.

“I’ve even found someone I love. Someone I want to protect for the rest of my life.”

“…Then I’m relieved. Oh, and I’m not talking about when your sexual desire explodes.”

“…You ruined the moment.”

“Indeed. First Hero, let’s be mindful of the mood.”

Even Sebas frowned slightly at this.

“It’s just a final joke… Anyway, kid, no, Ragna.”

The hand on my cheek grew warm.

“I’m not asking you to fulfill my wishes. Just make sure to protect the people who are important and the ones you love, no matter what.”

“…”

“That’s why you need power, right? That’s why you came here, right? Then take it all.”

From the first hero’s palm, a hot, surging magic flowed into me. 

It was a strong, blue-white light. A power so far removed from human norms, it was acknowledged by dragons and allowed to stand alongside them.

The moment I felt that magic, I understood why he was called immortal. 

No matter if his head was cut off or his body was burned to ashes, the boundless magic would restore him.

“That’s incredible… It’s the real deal.”

By the time those words spilled out, the first hero had vanished before my eyes.

Despite having such power, if the person you want to save doesn’t reach out to be saved, there’s nothing you can do. 

Memories from the past, preserved in our bloodline, flashed in my mind, and I felt a pang of sadness thinking about how the first hero must have felt back then.

“Good job, young master.”

“You look sad, Sebas.”

“Not at all. I got to see the first hero with an aged face.”

“I see, he’s been here all along, hasn’t he?”

Reflecting on his friends within the barrier, I realized that waiting like this within the bloodline is something only truly kind people can do.

He could even tell how much time had passed to the second.

As I stared at the spot where the first hero had been, I spoke.

“They’re one of the things I need to protect now, so leave the rest to me.”

—Thank you.

I felt like I heard that voice resonate in my heart.

“Shall we return?”

“Yeah, there are people waiting for me.”

I wasn’t sure who the enemy was anymore, but things became clear now.

First, I’ll break the barrier, and that should be enough.

◆

“First Hero, can you talk a little longer?”

“What? I want to disappear now that my role is over.”

“Please, just wait a little longer.”

“It’s your fault. What is it? I was finally about to go back…”

“Come on, when you touched, didn’t you notice something?”

“Huh? …Oh, there was a bit of Onyx’s magic too. He’s a good guy, even if he has a foul mouth. And faintly, what was that? It was small, but there was some of Menou’s magic too…?”

“The reason the Brave family, hated and feared, has survived despite your mishandling of the miasma and death, is thanks to Lady Menou’s support.”

“What do you mean?”

“Haha, that’s the interesting part. Despite many generations passing, the deep, deep story of love continues to be woven even now.”