Acting as a Slit-Eye Chapter 60

Chapter 60. You Reap What You Sow

"Tsk..."

Joshua clicked his tongue once and looked up with a displeased expression at the building prominently marked with the insignia of 'Blind Eyes'.

"Young master, even though it's a ssage from the family head, there's no need for you to go personally. You could send one of the servants..."

"Then why don't you go?"

".... Ahem."

When a confidant trailing behind him spoke up, Joshua lazily opened his eyes and responded.

The confidant, displaying signs of discomfort, cleared his throat awkwardly before letting out a self-conscious laugh.

"Stupid bastard."

Although he hurled an insult, Joshua was resigned to such reactions. After all, the very reason he ca here was to see 'Yulian Cryphart Frason'.

"Never mind, I'm going alone. You all wait here."

With a deeply furrowed brow, Joshua entered the building of 'Blind Eyes'. His followers, left behind, squird with unease.

Joshua had his reasons for leaving his entourage behind.

'... That guy holds my weakness.'

In the process of attacking Yulian, he had relied on a dubious organization called 'Dawn Society', and Yulian knew it.

Furthermore, wasn't Yulian part of 'Blind Eyes', a prestigious institution directly affiliated with the royal family?

While many might look down on his mixed blood, none dared to underestimate his standing.

If Yulian were to report him?

'It won't end well.'

Thus, Joshua complied with Yulian's request, hoping that his disgrace would remain subrged.

'No one must know.'

Absolutely no one.

"What brings you here today?"

Upon entering the building, a woman who seed to be a receptionist smiled warmly and asked.

"I'm here to see Yulian. Lead the way."

"Ah, just a mont."

At his words, the receptionist started scanning the chalkboard behind her.

"Sir Yulian is currently unavailable due to personal matters."

"Where did he go?"

"As for that...."

Joshua's forehead twitched upon hearing that Yulian was not present.

To be told that the person he disliked most was absent, even after going through all the trouble to et him here?

And they didn't even know where he was.

"Why don't you know?"

"Pardon? Well, it's just..."

"Isn't it your job to know?"

As Joshua glared at her with wide eyes, the receptionist's face rapidly drained of color.

"That's enough, shall we?"

A voice suddenly interjected, seemingly observing the situation.

Joshua turned his gaze toward where the voice had co from.

"You know full well that Sir Yulian is unpredictable, don't you?"

Speaking calmly as she approached, Ordwin, the commander of 'Blind Eyes', was a petite woman, but her presence exuded confidence.

"It's been a while, commander Ordwin. Or perhaps calling soone from a fallen noble family 'Commander' is too much, hmm?"

Joshua's mocking tone suggested he was greeting her, but Ordwin seed unfazed, as if this was a routine occurrence.

"Call

whatever you like; it's of no consequence to . That said, seeing you co all the way here to et Sir Yulian suggests sothing has happened, hasn't it?"

Ordwin lightly smiled as she spoke, prompting Joshua to click his tongue inwardly.

Though there was no way Ordwin could know the details of his relationship with Yulian, just the re speculation was grating to Joshua.

"You presu too much—nothing of the sort."

"Oh my, so you're here with no reason to see Sir Yulian, then?"

Ordwin's smile widened slightly.

"What wonderful brotherly affection."

Crack.

Her words made Joshua involuntarily clench his fist, his neck veins bulging more prominently than usual.

'Damn woman.'

There was no way she didn't know about the relationship between Yulian and the Cryphart family. Her comnts could only be an attempt to get under his skin.

A destitute noble trying to dean the prestigious Cryphart family.

"How dare soone like you..."

"It's been a while, Joshua."

At that mont, a familiar voice echoed in his ears. Recognizing it as Yulian's was not difficult.

Joshua slowly turned his head. It was a familiar face, but one wearier than usual.

"What is your business here?"

"Elder brother, I ca to talk for a mont."

"You wish to talk?"

"Yes, if you could spare so ti, please?"

Seeing Yulian's face, Joshua asked politely. In the dynamic between him and Yulian, it was Yulian who held the leash.

Moreover, Yulian did not seem to be in a good mood today. Offending him now could lead to unpredictable consequences with the secret he held.

"...... This is unexpected. To see your stubbornness softened."

Observing Joshua's deanor, Ordwin muttered to herself softly.

Since they were close enough, Joshua caught the mumble and bit his lip slightly, his neck bulging more prominently than usual.

"For now, please co in. It doesn't seem like a conversation to be had outside."

***

What brings him here?

That was my imdiate thought upon seeing Joshua waiting for .

I knew that Joshua loathed . If he had fulfilled the request I made during the family eting, he wouldn't be visiting

now.

I hope it isn't botherso.

Especially since I already had many things to ponder over with the matter of the 'Black Knight'.

"Father... I an, the family head, wishes to have a serious discussion with you, elder brother Yulian."

Ah, it seems it is botherso.

"The family head, huh?"

"Yes."

"Does he really need to?"

I verbalized my thoughts.

I ant it literally: questioning the necessity of eting him.

Until now, the Cryphart family had treated 'Yulian' as an outcast. This treatnt would include the family head, 'Oben Cryphart,' as well.

"I'm not quite sure of the reason."

Of course, one possible scenario is that Joshua had failed to carry out my orders accurately.

I subtly turned my head and glanced nonchalantly at Joshua.

With an unintended audible sigh, a 'Color of Negativity' darkened over Joshua's head.

While much of his dismissiveness towards

had lessened after previous incidents, he seed exceptionally formal today.

"Was the request I made too challenging?"

"N-no! I supported you as the successor at the family eting, just as you asked!"

Joshua's voice grew louder, almost as if in protest.

The favor I had asked of him was to support

during the family eting and draw attention to make

a potential successor.

Because the Cryphart family officially recognized successor candidates.

Once my na was raised, it would beco difficult for the Cryphart family to make a move against

lightly.

"I suspect... it's not for a negative reason that the head wishes to see you."

There was an underlying frustration in Joshua's muttering voice.

"What would you like to do?"

"Hmm...."

Deliberately, I trailed off, organizing my thoughts.

'Now is the ti to focus on the Heiden Reich affair and the Dawn Society.'

I have no ti to waste.

"Understood."

"Then at your convenience, please contact the main house. The family head will..."

"No, I will not be going to the main house."

Joshua appeared visibly taken aback by my words.

"What? Elder brother Yulian... didn't you just say you understood?"

"I did. However, I am busy with more pressing matters."

As the conversation progressed, Joshua's face hardened. It seed he could roughly predict what I was going to say next.

"If the family head would co personally, I might be able to make ti amidst my busy schedule."

I spoke with a smile, and Joshua's gaze began to dart around, unable to settle.

As a re family offshoot, I was 'summoning' the family head.

Even he isn't a fool. Surely he realizes this is a 'firm refusal.'

'The head wants to et .'

I had a vague idea about the reason.

They likely wanted to capitalize on the notoriety 'Yulian' had garnered amidst the peculiar atmosphere in the royal court.

It didn't matter if it was infamy or not.

'Thanks to the ntion Joshua made at the family eting, things likely wouldn't seem strange if the focus shifted.'

However, ever since I talked with Herand, I couldn't help but feel contempt for the Cryphart family.

It's likely due to the original 'Yulian' and the person he had been.

"... Rather than that, wouldn't it be better for you to go personally, elder brother?"

*Screeech.*

Sohow, I heard a grinding sound, like teeth gritting. Even without looking, I knew it was coming from Joshua.

"If you summon the family head personally like that... it will likely be looked upon unfavorably both inside and outside the family, won't it?"

"So Joshua is soone who values the family's reputation. That's why you secretly ca to et

at night."

Upon hearing my sarcastic remark, Joshua's pupils dilated slightly before he eventually averted his gaze.

Not long after, Joshua began to gnaw on his lips.

"I will... relay your words to the family head precisely."

***

Once the office fell silent, I got up and imdiately moved in front of the mirror.

Then, I started to shape 'Sombra' in the palm of my hand. What materialized was a mask.

The design wasn't exactly the sa as the one I used in 'Twilight Flas', but the mood was similar due to Sombra's pitch-black color.

".... The appearance doesn't matter much, as long as it's a black mask."

The habit of resorting to formal speech had vanished without a trace.

It seed that the character of the 'Black Knight' took precedence over 'Formal Speech' when I wore the mask.

***

Upon exiting the building, Joshua's neck was pulsing with prominent veins.

As he erged, his aides, who had been waiting impatiently for his return, rushed to him yet hesitated to speak due to his harsh deanor.

'Damn it... Damn it!'

Currently, there was a strange undercurrent within the Cryphart family.

Talks erged about accepting Yulian, who had never been acknowledged by the family, and even removing the derogatory title 'Frason'.

Of course, it ended as re proposals. The notoriety he accrued was far too imnse to accept lightly.

'The problem is that these discussions are starting to surface.'

Having been educated on the importance of lineage from a young age, Joshua found it infuriating that a half-blood, a collateral, was being discussed so prominently.

Moreover, the catalyst for this shift.

'It was my doing....'

Who would have thought that fervently backing him at the family eting to spur disdain would boorang like this?

And who would have expected Elder brother Herand to harbor sympathy for Yulian?

As Yulian's status rose, his own standing in the family inevitably dwindled.

After all, it was Yulian who held the reins.

'Only one recourse remains.'

Joshua clenched his fist.

'Father, the head, must et Yulian sohow.'

The reason why the head wishes to summon Yulian.

It is likely due to the frequent ntions about him that have arisen during the 'family eting.'

There's no other explanation.

'Father wouldn't harbor sympathy for Yulian like Elder brother Herand, never.'

Indeed, once the family head and Yulian et, this unsettling current within the family will naturally dissipate.

Facing that overbearing scoundrel would surely result in such an outco.

'.... There's no way, no way my actions have allowed his montum to build once more, is there?'

Stricken briefly by a passing unease, Joshua shook his head in denial.

Surely, that can't be.

Clacky's Corner:

So it was Yulian who asked Joshua to bring up the family headship. It seems I have misunderstood.