Aoba, A Viscount?

--- Chapter 10 ---

In a high-class restaurant, the vermilion emperor has invited the entire watase family to have lunch together.

They sat on the highest floor and served many high-quality dishes, which caused the watase family to become slightly uncomfortable.

Well, almost everyone because Kyojuro and Aoba calmly sat with stoic expressions on their faces.

Lucien Vermillion has observed this extraordinary family for a few minutes already, and they were so distinct in every way.

Even though some of them were nervous, they still naturally acted despite sitting around a royal family.

'Well, this is normal. I guess, but...' Lucien thought while slowly shifting his gaze to a middle-aged man and young kid, who quietly sat without nervousness.

Elucia Vermilion also thought the same as her husband and observed Aoba with a slight interest.

'What an interesting kid...' Elucia naturally thought.

"Everyone. Let's eat before the dishes get cold." Lucien said with a polite smile on his face, and the watase family responded with a nod despite their nervousness.

Watase Tomoe tried hard to use a fork and knife, but she has been using chopsticks since she was small, which caused some problems for her now.

"Just use chopsticks, Tomoe-nee," Aoba stated while casually drinking water.

"Eh, but..." Tomoe responded with a complicated expression because they were in front of a royal family, and at least she should use a table manner right.

"Don't worry, Tomoe-nee, because your highness won't mind it, right?" Aoba naturally asked Lucien, who slightly smiled at him.

"Yeah. We were just casually having lunch together." Lucien answered with a nod.

"You don't have to mind about table manners because our culture is different after all." He added with a carefree tone, and Tomoe sheepishly nodded her head.

The maids, who were standing in the corner, suddenly walked toward the watase family and politely served them a few chopsticks.

Rose Vermilion pouted a little because she didn't like this quietness and looked at Aoba with gleamed eyes.

"Aoba. Do you want a steak!" Rose suddenly said, and everyone snapped out of their thoughts, which caused Lucien to laugh.

She gracefully cut a steak and placed it on a plate, pushing it to Aoba, who naturally nodded his head.

"Thank you," Aoba slowly thanked, and Rose's smile widened.

"Ara, Aoba sure is mature for his age." Elucia suddenly jumped into the conversation and gently giggled.

Watase Shizuka also giggled a little and replied, "Aoba has been quite mature since he was small."

"Oh?" Elucia became more interested, and it was because Aoba was clearly at the same age as her daughter.

"Hehe, it's because Aoba-chan is astonishing..." Tomoe confidently declared with a proud smile on her face.

The women and girls talked for quite a bit because their topic basically connected, but we could see there was some tension between Lucien, Aoba, and Kyojuro.

'What an awkward atmosphere...' Aoba thought while chewing a steak given by Rose a few seconds ago, which tasted amazing in his mouth.

Cough!

Watase Kyojuro suddenly coughed a little and moved his gaze to Lucien, who also had been staring at him.

"Now... Shall we talk about the main topic?" He calmly stated.

Lucien Vermilion put the tableware and wiped his mouth a little with a handkerchief.

"Sure." He responded with a relaxed tone.

"If Aoba accepted your offer, can you really protect him from those villains?" Kyojuro bluntly asked, and the entire watase family frowned.

Lucien Vermilion coolly looked at them and released a sigh as he knew just how anxious they are because one of their family is a target of a villain group.

He closed his eyes a little and answered, "If little Aoba accepted my offer, I would guarantee his protection."

"Not only that, but I'll also grant a knight honor to him for saving our princess, giving him a noble title as a viscount." He firmly added because saving nobility is no joke, especially when they were from the Vermilion Empire.

The watase family was shocked for a moment, and even Aoba looked at Lucien with a surprised expression.

"I actually wanted to grant him a higher title than a viscount, but because of his age and a few old empire rules, I couldn't do it." Lucien suddenly continued with a chuckle, which caused them speechless even more.

"I see... But isn't this too excessive for a child to receive such a title?" Kyojuro responded while calming himself down a little.

Elucia Vermilion released a sigh and pinched her husband's arm because he's sometimes too insensitive.

"You don't have to worry about that, Kyojuro-san," Elucia said while smiling at them.

"Before Aoba's adulthood comes, one of you could become a representative of the title." She gently continued, and Kyojuro nodded his head in consent.

However, the watase family is actually also a noble clan and has been declining for hundreds of years. So, he or his wife couldn't become Aoba's representative because of the tradition.

"Shizuka." Kyojuro looked at his oldest daughter, who understood what her father thought.

"Your highness, I'll become Aoba's representative." Shizuka calmly answered.

The rest of the watase family didn't have any problem with Shizuka's statement because this is for Aoba's good. Even Aoba himself didn't mind much about it.

"Good then," Lucien responded with a chuckle.

"What do you think about this, little Aoba?" He asked while shifting his gaze to Aoba.

"It's okay..." Aoba plainly responded like he doesn't really care about a noble title.

"Eh?" Lucien and Elucia couldn't help but look at Aoba in awe for a second because from his tone, he clearly understood what they have been talking about, but he seems indifferent.

"Aoba, you don't like to become a noble?" Rose suddenly asked while tilting her head because every noble kid in the empire would jump around in happiness if this happened to them.

Aoba looked at Rose and answered, "I don't have a problem with becoming a noble."

"Then why you seem didn't happy about it?" Rose once again asked with an even more confused expression.

Watase Aoba thought about it for a moment and said, "Well, becoming a noble seems a troublesome duty. I only want to live peacefully with my family."

Lucien and Elucia once again looked at Aoba with surprised expressions on their faces because they didn't expect such an answer from a child's mouth.

'He didn't seem like a child at all...' Lucien thought while slightly curiously looking at Aoba.

The first part of his answer might be childish, yet the latter part of his words of someone who has passed through hardship.

'Like an old warrior who wants to have a peaceful rest...' Elucia suddenly thought while looking at some image of a tired silhouette behind Aoba.

"Well, since it has settled, we'll proceed with the coronation when you're ready," Lucien said while thinking about something.

The watase family looked at each other and nodded their heads because it's time to have a family meeting.

"Then, your highness. We'll have to make you wait for at least a day." Fuyumi said with a polite smile.

Lucien Vermilion lightly nodded his head in understanding and said, "You can have more time if you want. We are not in a hurry after all."