My Dad Is a Popular Villain in a Comic Book - Chapter 18

After breakfast, the carriage set off once more. As if sensing something, Albin clutched tightly to the corner of Zeman’s coat, becoming exceptionally clingy, like a bird startled by the mere twang of a bowstring. Seeing him so anxious, Zeman knew that if he were to simply abandon the boy without a word, it would be too much for a child to take, and it would likely lead to trouble.

Zeman pondered for a moment before saying, “I have some business to attend to. I won’t be leaving for very long.”

Albin keenly sensed what he meant. “Is Dad going away again?” He pouted, immediately protesting, “You promised you would take me to the Rose Kingdom!”

Zeman lowered his eyes. “You two can continue toward the Rose Kingdom. I will catch up once I have finished my business.”

Albin remained skeptical. Out in the middle of nowhere, in the pitch-black middle of the night—what kind of business could there possibly be? This sounds like an excuse! Just as he was about to retort, he realized that he didn’t even know what his father’s profession was, leaving him without any ground to argue. He only knew his father had plenty of money, knew people in the Honeysuckle Chamber of Commerce, was acquainted with Prince Edward of the Rose Kingdom, and knew a little magic—though he was sickly and never used it. As for who his father really was or what his actual status was, Albin knew absolutely nothing.

This world already has weird professions like priests, Albin thought. Maybe there really are jobs that require working in the middle of the wilderness?

“What does Dad do for a living?”

Zeman remained silent; it seemed to be a question he couldn’t answer.

“Can’t you bring me along for the business you have to do? I’ll be obedient, I promise—I won’t cause any trouble.”

This time, Zeman replied without hesitation: “No.”

Albin’s head drooped. He didn’t understand his father at all; perhaps his father had always seen him as a burden. Even before now, his father seemed to always be secretly avoiding him.

“I understand…” Tears welled up in his eyes, and he bit his lower lip to hold back his emotions. “Then… is the business you have to do dangerous? Will you really come back after you leave?” If the three-month limit for us to be father and son passes, will Dad never come to see me again?

Zeman rubbed the top of his head and took off a necklace he was wearing, placing it around Albin’s neck. It was a gold, sunburst-styled necklace, with an exceptionally pure, top-quality ruby embedded in the center, like the eye of the sun. Albin recognized the necklace; the sunburst design seemed to express Zeman’s faith, and he had often seen his father staring blankly at it over the past few days—it was clearly something he cherished.

Zeman helped him adjust the pendant and said, “There is a tracking spell on this necklace. No matter where you go, as long as I am alive, I will be able to find you.”

Albin stopped crying, inspecting the sunburst necklace with its unique radiance. It was as if he had taken a tranquilizer, and his distressed expression gradually smoothed out. “Mm!” He nodded forcefully. “I will always wait for Dad to come find me!”

The carriage continued west, and they left the Lythrum Kingdom behind. Sometimes Zeman would suddenly leave in the night; at first, it left Albin uneasy for long stretches, but Zeman always kept his promise and returned, regardless of how far they had traveled. Gradually, Albin grew used to it and was no longer as terrified or anxious as he had been at the start.

One day, as the sky began to darken, Zeman left again. It was already too dark to travel, and there were no post stations nearby, so the two coachmen from the Honeysuckle Chamber of Commerce decided to pitch camp for the night. They had been commissioned to deliver the father and son out of the Lythrum Kingdom to a stronghold of the Honeysuckle Chamber in the neighboring country. They had already crossed the border, and they would be there soon.

Unfortunately, a light rain began to fall that night, making the firewood damp and impossible to light. The carriage was spacious enough and the rainproof tarp covered the front and back securely, and they had plenty of food; however, without a fire, they would still freeze to death. The rain grew heavier, and the temperature after dark became terrifyingly cold. Under such conditions, there was absolutely no way they could spend the night in the carriage.

One of the coachmen climbed to a high point through the rain to scout, returning with news. “There is a manor villa not far from here with lights on. We can go there and borrow a room for the night.”

Albin, as the employer, gave his permission, and the three of them hurried to the villa without delay. As it was quite far from the city, villas in such areas were usually hunting or vacation villas owned by local noble lords. Not long after the coachmen conveyed their intentions and identities to the guards, they were allowed inside. The villa was heated by a furnace, and a wave of warmth hit them the moment they entered. They were soon introduced to the master of the villa.

The owner was a wealthy Earl, as stout as most nobles. He was currently complaining irritably to his butler, who was wearing a tuxedo and white gloves.

“This godforsaken weather has ruined all my plans! The invitations for tomorrow’s banquet have already been sent out. If I don’t catch a good hunt by tomorrow, I’ll immediately become the laughingstock of the social circle!”

His butler was a man with pink hair tied into a ponytail. He had a pleasant appearance, eyes squinted so that their color was indiscernible, and he maintained a refreshing, gentle smile. The curve of his lips was so precise it looked like it had been practiced. He leaned over, his smile confident: “Do not worry, sir. You will surely catch the prey you desire. And I will certainly cook your hunt into a delicacy that will have them singing your praises.”

Hearing footsteps, the two turned toward the door. The Earl leaned up on his cane and examined them with interest. “I hear you are from the Honeysuckle Chamber of Commerce, just coming from the Lythrum Kingdom? The merchants coming from that side this year are earlier than usual. Why is there a child here?”

Albin, appearing obedient, stole a glance at the pink-haired butler, feeling like he had seen him somewhere before but unable to place it.

One of the coachmen picked up on the hint, tipped his hat, and said respectfully, “Indeed, my lord. In order to ensure that noble guests like yourself do not have to wait, we departed early, carrying the finest wine as well as specialty crops from the Lythrum Kingdom…” He listed several commodities and added, “We hope the goods we bring meet your approval and that you will allow us to stay the night. As for this child, I have been entrusted to deliver him to his relatives on the way.”

These goods served as both their accommodation fee and the taxes they were required to pay; the amount would decrease with each territory they passed, and greedy nobles were never polite.

The Earl was ecstatic. “Wonderful! I have a grand feast tomorrow and happen to need excellent wine. Padma, go arrange lodging for our guests.”

The pink-haired butler acknowledged the order and led them toward the guest rooms on the first floor. Albin asked curiously, “The weather is so cold, and it seems like the animals are all asleep. Does the Earl still plan to hunt in this weather? We haven’t seen any prey in the surrounding area on our way here.”

The two coachmen also felt it was strange. Winter was setting in, many animals were hibernating, the weather was harsh, and prey was scarce; it was rare for a noble to hunt at such a time, let alone send out widespread invitations without having caught anything yet.

The butler, Padma, smiled and explained: “Because the Earl’s prey is not ordinary wild beasts, but monsters.”

“I see,” the coachmen replied, a look of sudden realization on their faces.

“Monsters?” Albin was even more curious. “Isn’t that very dangerous?”

“That is correct. Monsters are very dangerous, and the meat of all monsters is highly poisonous to humans. If a human were to mistakenly consume the flesh or blood of a monster, they would grow deformed body parts and, within a short time, lose their sanity, go mad, and die.” He smiled kindly, saying slowly, “Those who are poisoned can only be cured and restored to their original state if they receive purification from a priest in time.”

Albin gasped in horror upon hearing this. “That’s terrifying… but as long as you don’t eat it, you won’t get poisoned, right?”

“Indeed… you won’t be poisoned if you don’t eat it.” Padma’s smile deepened, yet there was no warmth to be felt. “Yet, such ingredients, which are impossible for commoners to enjoy, are eagerly sought after by the nobles.”

“Why is that? Won’t they be poisoned if they eat it?” Albin’s eyes widened, unable to understand it at all.

“Precisely because it is a delicacy that commoners cannot hunt or consume, those who have the ability to hunt monsters, enjoy their meat, and hire priests to cure the poison are seen as capable and status-holding people.”

It had absolutely nothing to do with whether monster meat tasted good; some nobles believed this was the only way to demonstrate their uniqueness, outstanding ability, and refined taste. Hunting monsters also ensured the safety of the residents in their territory, highlighting the responsibility and heroism of the lords it was a pursuit rich in significance for the nobility.

Albin suddenly thought of the little boy he had seen in the blood-wine pool. He had been tricked by a noble couple from the slums to stand in for their child, taken to participate in a monster hunt to show off the noble’s status, and when he returned, he discovered that the “guests” were priests there to take him away for sacrifice.

Padma added, “Furthermore, the monster served on the table must be fresh enough to demonstrate the host’s power.” Therefore, by custom, the hunt had to take place before the feast captured that day, slaughtered that day, and cooked that day. If the prey had been sitting for too long or was purchased elsewhere, they would be questioned.

“It really feels like they are courting death,” Albin muttered.

Padma didn’t comment, merely smiling. “Nobles love to pursue thrills.”

They continued toward the rooms, but halfway there, they heard the sound of an infant crying. Albin peered over, and Padma maintained his consistent smile, explaining to the guests: “This is the bait required for tomorrow’s monster hunt. Please rest assured, he will not disturb you tonight.”

“Infant… bait?” Albin’s mind went blank; he simply couldn’t connect the two words.

“Monsters possess wisdom, making them very difficult to hunt, and they will hide once they discover groups of humans. In such instances, nobles use the sound of an infant’s cry to lure the monsters out.” Padma gave the wooden door a deep look. “It is said that the cry of a monster’s cub and a human infant are identical, which allows them to trick the monsters out.”

He withdrew his gaze and revealed a meaningful smile. “However, monsters that discover they have been tricked usually bite the bait to death in a fit of rage.”

Albin shuddered, staring at the infant’s room, his face crumpling. Even the two coachmen wore looks of pity.

Padma added, “That is the child of a slave. Everything a slave has belongs to the master, and the Earl is free to dispose of this child as he pleases.”

Albin found it increasingly difficult to understand, murmuring, “Why would nobles do such things…”

Padma’s smile was faint; his squinted eyes opened slightly, revealing a hint of coldness in the depths of his pink fox-like eyes: “Because they are humans.”

Albin had not yet recovered from the shock when they arrived at the rooms where they would stay for the night. The two coachmen shared one room, and Albin, considering Zeman might come by, requested a separate one for himself.

Before walking into the room, Albin whispered to stop Padma.

“Brother Padma… can I come with you on the hunt tomorrow?” His eyes twinkled as he said, rather unnaturally, “I’m a little interested in the hunt you mentioned. May I follow along to see it with my own eyes?”

“I don’t think the Earl would refuse a young spectator to witness his heroic moments.” Padma smiled gently, but the smile did not reach the depths of his eyes.

After Albin happily turned and returned to his room, the smile on Padma’s face vanished instantly, his cold, sharp eyes opening completely.

In the dead of night, everyone was fast asleep. In Padma’s room, a small, emerald-green snake slipped through his window.

“Padma! I finally found you!” The emerald snake wound its way to him excitedly. “You are always so hard to find! I asked so many monsters before I found out your location, and I even had an eagle give me a ride here. Why did you suddenly leave the Lythrum Kingdom this time? Didn’t you always stay there before?”

Padma looked at the monster he considered a friend, pressed his temples, and said, “I don’t know. A long time had passed by the time I woke up.”

“Is your old illness acting up again?” The emerald snake grew worried. “I’ve heard that humans become senile when they get old; don’t tell me you’re getting senile?” His friend had a strange habit sometimes, whether it was sleepwalking or something else, he would wake up in strange places having lost a period of his memory. Fortunately, he was good at protecting himself and had never been discovered by humans as a monster.

Padma was accustomed to his intermittent memory loss, but hearing the snake’s words, his smile froze, and he grit his teeth as he flicked the snake on the head. “Say that again?” he threatened with a smile.

The emerald snake rubbed its head with the tip of its tail, aggrieved. “Considering the lifespan of a fox, you’re already over twenty; you really are an old fox.”

“Don’t forget, our lifespan is equal to that of humans,” Padma reminded him.

Hearing him mention humans, the emerald snake looked around at the décor and asked, “Changing targets again this time? When are you going to do it?”

Padma glanced toward the main bedroom. “Tomorrow night.”

“Need my help?”

“No need.”

The emerald snake grumbled at him, “You could kill these annoying humans in an instant, but you insist on chopping yourself into pieces to serve on the dining table it’s truly perverted.”

Padma did not reply to the evaluation, merely asking, “What did you come to see me for this time?”

The emerald snake remembered its purpose and began to speak excitedly: “You probably don’t know what has been happening lately. I heard over in the City of Thorns about a child with special abilities, and then…”

It chattered away about what had happened between it and Albin, even mentioning the strange dreams that seemed to project another world.

“Oh, and call me ‘Emerald’ from now on! Albin gave me that name.”

Padma’s smile didn’t change, but he mercilessly commented, “Idiot.”

The emerald snake was startled. “Huh? Who are you talking about?”

“You.” Padma sneered, “You actually believed a human truly stupid.”

“I am not stupid! And Albin might not even be a human.”

Padma thought of the child interested in monster hunting.

“Still stupid.”

He would never trust a human, especially a human child.