Chapter 21: Being Played

"Argg… Huff…"

I was leaning on a tree while catching my breath and clutching my chest. I think I broke a rib or two, but I could still move.

Thankfully, despite being a child, I had a sturdy body, or I would have passed out from that kick. After fighting with him, I remember something from my memories where Shin appeared as a proper boss.

It was a short route where the heroine didn't need to level up to proceed in the game. Shin was one villain that appeared in the game to kidnap the heroine and take her as his daughter. Now I understand why he was so eager to take me as his son.

Shin is obsessed with raising children to the point where he would even kidnap kids from their houses. No, guys, he isn't a kind nanny. He is just the duke's loyal dog who will only raise his puppies for the duke. His children would even die for him.

Since his role in the game was so small, I didn't even consider his background. He is a Lightning Nature user who relies on his speed for everything.

Well, not that I could do anything about him now. All I needed was to survive and hit him. Fortunately, I had a plan to tackle him.

"Got you!" As I was thinking, Shin appeared right before me, carrying his cunning smile, and swung his sword.

Before the blade could hit me, I used [Shadow Hide] skill by sinking in the tree's shadow and emerging from the other side.

[Shadow Hide F: -3MP]

[HP: 24/34, MP: 10/18]

"Stop acting like a creepy old man!" I groaned as I clenched the hilt of my blade tightly.

"I am just showing my love for my new son~! What is wrong with that?" She said as he slowly walked towards me.

"Everything!" I said as I slowly stepped to the right side, taking a position, "You said you were going to stop me from getting stronger? Why do you want me to remain weak?"

"Simple. If you get ahead of yourself, you won't be loyal to the duke for keeping you around. By raising you by myself, I would be able to educate you to be a 'good person."

"And what is bad about me?"

"I heard that you don't like killing…."

Annoyance surfaced on my face this time, and I gazed at him. He must be talking about assassins I didn't kill when saving Anastasia. Though I didn't think he was aware of the dark knight whom I fought when arriving in this world.

"So you see, letting go of your enemies is 'bad'. This can be considered warm-hearted or heroic in the capital, but here in Flareottems, blood for blood is a rule. I don't want my child to remain in the small box."

I have had enough of his BS. I sighed and looked at him coldly.

"So you are saying that I am warm-hearted; that's why I let go of those enemies?"

"This is true. That shall be the possible conclusion for a boy with talent and innocence."

I smiled, "You have been mistaken, Mr Shin. I am not innocent, and I know the consequence of letting the enemies go but saying that I am warm-hearted is a misstatement of my decisions."

I sighed and looked at him, "Let's add more to the bet."

"Ho~? You think you can get the upper edge now that we are in the woods? None of us are elves where we can become invincible in a forest. But let's hear it." He rubbed his chin and said.

"One request. You have to fulfil my one request every week or whenever we are on a mission if I can wound you in this duel. If I lose, take me as your slave. I will become your loyal dog."

"Hmm, sweet. I am in it." Shin smiled and nodded, "I will still keep a light hand since if something were to happen to you, Lady Anastasia would make me sit on an ice slab for the rest of the day."

"Don't worry. She will do it anyway…." I whispered and smirked.

Time to punish this butler.

---

Just as Ivan muttered something, he started running circular around Shin.

Shin didn't know what Ivan was planning, but he was interested to see what kind of technique this little kid would pull.

However, seeing no end to his action, Shin thought the boy was bluffing.

Shin leaped at lighting speed and, in no time, was standing before Ivan, who had a look of horror.

"You were bluffing, weren't you?" Shin smiled.

"Oh, was I?"

"Yes." Shin nodded and then caught Ivan's bade aimed at him from the air.

When Ivan was running, he probably tossed his sword in the air predicting where Shin would stop and hit him.

"Khe!" Ivan gritted his teeth and tried to stab Shin, but Shin didn't even bat an eye before placing a solid kick, sending the little boy flying a few meters in the air before crashing on the tree.

"Cough! Cough! Cough!" Ivan began coughing blood, finally losing all strength to move. "Huff! Huff!" Ivan, while grasping his breath, turned and lay on the ground.

He had a look of a loser with no chance of winning against Flareottems head butler.

"Oof! Didn't expect that but great strategy. I will put a word for you to the duke." Shin came forward and spoke, "Now don't be hard on yourself and give up. I don't want Lady Anastasia to lose her precious butler, but I also dislike losing in games."

"Hah…" Ivan smiled with blood rinsing out of his stomach and closed his eyes.

"Yare, yare~. Children these days are hard to give up. Well, no worries now since I will be personally guiding you." Shin said and stepped forward to pick Ivan's body, but t then he felt something on his right foot. "Hmm?"

But before he could look for such, something tucked on the other side.

"Arrow, blood?" Shin touched his waist and found an arrow stuck in it with blood flowing out.

Shin winded his eyes and turned towards Ivan again, only to see him showing his middle finger and a smile on his face.

It took a long for Shin before he realized a kid played him. He had lost.

"It is my loss then." Shin smiled and unplugged the arrow from his waist. Since he had good defence, the arrow wasn't able to penetrate any muscle. However, he felt itchy for some reason.

"Though it is your win. It's not like there is any contract between us, so the bet was invalid. Though I would help you a little as a sign of gratitude." Shin smiled and scratched his cheek.

He wasn't going to submit to a kid, would he? It would ruin his pride.

"Oh, really~?!"

It was then shin heard a feminine voice and saw a silver-haired girl standing with her arm crossed, looking at Shin with vexing eyes.

"L-Lady… Milady, when did you get here…?" Shin asked with a wryly smile and scratched his other cheek and then his waist. 'The heck?! What the hell it is itching so much?'

Shin didn't know what was happing. He tried to look for answers, but Ivan had already passed out, and Anastasia was fuming with anger.

He didn't know how she got here.

"I was here the whole time. From the beginning to the end."

Shin widened his eyes and then saw a scroll in Anastasia's hand. It was a Unique Ranked Treasure that could hide one's presence for 15 minutes. Although Shin could have detected her, the possibility of her presence never crossed his mind.

He was played by Ivan this time. He underestimated Ivan.

"Is that so…?"

"Yes! I think head butler needs a reprimanding secession seeing how well he can break the lady of Flareottems' 'property'."

"Ah, ha ha ha…. Sh*t."

---

I opened my eyes under the familiar ceiling while wrapped in bandages. The same guest room where I opened my eyes first time in the castle.

'Man, how many times I have broken my bones since arriving in this world…?' I wondered.

[Vivi: If you had Saiyan physique, you would already be more potent than Krillin-san.]

'Stop using Japanese honorifics. I already have enough with the two.' I ordered Vivi and got up. I can already see several empty bottles of healing potions on a bedside table. My body was still itching with pain, but I could rely on Anastasia to fix me up.

[Vivi: Why don't you already make her your Sugar Mama like Vegeta-san? Your life is already the living reference of Dragon Ball Z.]

'Hmm, not a bad idea.'

Hey, it's not like I had any pride living as a servant. Besides, Anastasia was already wealthy as an heir. Just imagine what kind of wealth she would possess as the grand duchess of the empire. Well, it would depend on her uncertain future.

Speaking of her.

"Ivan!!" Just then, Anastasia, napping on her seat, opened her eyes and looked at me with a smile. Realizing her Young Lady Character was leaving, she coughed with rosy cheek. Ah, she still looked so cute! Maybe I always loved children but never realized it.

"Ivan, you told me to play along, but I never agreed to let you meet such injuries. Don't you have a job to serve me?" Anastasia crossed her arms and asked.

"Haha, sorry, Milady, but it was the only way to prove my worth, or I would never be recognized by duke or anyone in Flareottems."

Asking Shin to teach martial arts wasn't my only reason. I wanted duke and Shin to recognize my potential and give me a chance to explore outside. That way, I can level up by killing some monsters and searching for treasures.

"Anyway, let's meet Shin and make him sign an oath. He isn't someone who would listen to anyone but a duke."

Before the fight, I discussed this matter with Anastasia. She told me that Shin wasn't a fair person who would listen to anyone but Duke and Anastasia.

That's why I requested her to be a witness when Shin and I would place bets.

Anastasia is a little naggy, but she started to listen to my requests. After all, we knew what it felt like to be weak.

On the way, Kasumi also joined us.

"Ivan, can you tell me what kind of relationship you have with Kasumi?" Anastasia asked.

"He is my little brother."

"I don't know her."

I sneered at the maid. She was dangerous enough as Shin's daughter and an unknown character, so let alone making her my older sister, I didn't even want to come near her.

"Then what was she doing lying with you in the bed."

I glared at Kasumi, who turned her head away. First time I wish to have the FBI in this world so that I can report this person.

We then went to the castle freezer, where the meat used to be preserved.

We found Shin in white underwear and tied ropes around his body while sitting on a pointy, triangular, sharp ice slab. He had red pores all over his body and pleading gestures in his eyes.

I used the pores of a poisonous flower that can infect an average human with a constant itch.

I felt terrible for him, but it served him right.

Anastasia then brought a contract, and Kasumi helped her father sign the contract. Although there were several types of contracts in this world, like slave contracts or blood contracts, it was just a simple contract signed under the name of Grand Duke Tsar and Anastasia.

I then bid farewell to my foster father, leaving him to complete his punishment, and we came out. I still had things I wanted to talk to Shin, but for now, I wanted to spend some time with this cute silver head.

"Milady?" I called Anastasia as we walked.

She raised her eyebrows and looked at me, "What is it, Ivan?"

"Thank you, Ann." I smiled.

She went silent before her cheeks went red.

"H-humph. Don't break yourself next time." She scorned as we continued to walk.

"Hehe, can't guarantee." I laughed.

"Whatever. Suit yourself." She said and then came closer and silently picked the corner of my sleeve. Ah, even if she was shy, she still looked cute.

Maybe I do like children.