The Genius Son-in-law of the Swordmaster Household—Blessed by Authority Chapter 88 : Deserted Island Survival (7)

Deserted Island Survival (7)

Ian thoroughly collected the na tags of Hector and his gang as well.

He tore off a total of 12 na tags. Converted to test score, that's 2,400 points.

Including Kuga's na tag, it amounted to 2,600 points in total.

He had singlehandedly defeated 13 cadets in just one day, earning an enormous point total.

No matter how skilled Yuria was, there was no way she had taken down 13 people in one day, so Ian was probably in first place at this mont.

But there were still six days of the test left.

If he beca complacent, Yuria might catch up in points.

To secure the top spot for certain, he needed to keep gathering other cadets' na tags and find as many hidden elixirs and magic orbs around as possible.

'And I need to check if Yuria is safe.'

On this deserted island, there was little that could threaten Yuria, but since Aris was supervising this test, there was always the possibility of unexpected dangers.

Above all, Aris's true intentions had not yet been figured out at all.

With a week ahead of them and everything unpredictable on this island, he couldn't feel at ease unless he kept Yuria close by and continuously watched over her.

'But before that.'

Both Sophia and Charlotte were badly injured.

Their arms and knees were covered in wounds, with so places still bleeding.

'I should get them treated before moving around.'

Protecting Sophia was just as important as keeping Yuria safe, and Charlotte was the daughter entrusted to him by the Heavenly Sword Lord, so he had to make sure nothing happened to her as well.

They would be moving together from now on, and he couldn't have them carry injuries as they went.

"For now, let's move to where there's water."

Ian led Sophia and Charlotte.

After about five minutes of walking, they found a good spot.

There was a comfortable rock to sit on and many dicinal herbs visible around a brook.

"Sophia."

Ian washed his blood-stained hands and called to Sophia.

"Yes?"

"Rest here with the lady for a mont."

"Huh? Young master, what about you? Where are you going?"

"To get herbs... and a few other things we need."

"If it's just that, let go with you? I'm not that badly hurt."

"It won't even take three minutes. Just sit tight. Lady Charlotte, please rest for a bit too."

"... Y-yes."

Ian briefly disappeared into the forest.

—drdrdrdrdr...

Charlotte clasped her hands and trembled.

"Miss?"

Sophia asked with concern.

"Are you all right? Are you cold?"

"H-huh? Oh, n-no, I'm fine... it's just..."

"Wait a mont. I'll get a fire going quickly."

"L-let's do it together, Sophia."

"Hey! Just rest! You're hurt! Don't touch the dirt now!"

"... O-okay. Thank you."

"Hehe, there's no need for thanks."

As Sophia arranged stones for a campfire, she looked up at Charlotte.

"... How's your arm wound?"

A scratch from Hector's claws.

Charlotte's forearm was still damp with blood.

"It must hurt a lot... right?"

"No. This much doesn't even sting."

Though she said so, her hands continued to tremble.

"... I'm sorry, miss. All because of ..."

"Huh?"

Charlotte blinked her eyes wide.

"Why are you apologizing? It's Hector's fault, not yours."

"Still... I fell into the trap like an idiot..."

"And Hector dug that trap, didn't he? Enough, stop."

"Miss..."

"If you're sorry, don't make that sad face. I hate it. And don't go wandering alone where it's dangerous again."

"Y-yes..."

"Good!"

"But are you sure your wound is okay?"

"Yeah. I'm fine."

"... But you're still shaking. Aren't you overdoing it?"

"I told you, I'm all right..."

Charlotte clasped her trembling hands together.

"... It's not because I'm hurt that I'm shaking."

"... What?"

"Sophia... Are you okay? Are you really fine?"

"What do you an?"

"... How can you really be so unphased?"

Charlotte glanced around for a mont and swallowed.

"Haa... People were getting broken and torn apart. It's the first ti I've seen soone's eyes getting gouged out like that..."

The grueso, chilling scene replayed in her mind.

Ian breaking the minions' arms, ripping ears, shattering jaws.

Then crushing and pulling out both of Hector's eyes. That long, horrific scream.

Blood dripping from Ian's hands.

"In the middle... I was afraid Ian might really kill Hector... My head was telling to stop him, that I had to step in, but I just couldn't..."

She had feared that such horror would spill over onto her.

Charlotte had known Ian was strong beyond reason, but she hadn't imagined that he could also be so ruthless.

"Oh... So that's what you ant..."

Sophia smacked her lips.

"Um... Maybe you'll get used to it soon?"

"... What?"

Charlotte frowned.

"You think I'll get used to it?"

Sophia's tone was sohow...

"You... You're talking like this has happened often before?"

"... Uh, what? Umm..."

"...? Why are you answering like that?"

"... Y-yes? Wh-what?"

"If it happened, it happened. If not, it didn't. Why are you dodging the answer..."

Charlotte's hairs stood on end.

"I-it did happen! That's why you're so calm, right!? You're used to it now, aren't you!?"

Sophia panicked.

"N-n-no! Wh-what do you an!? I don't know anything! I know nothing! Really!"

"Don't lie! You're just pretending because you can't deny it anymore!"

Charlotte glanced around once more.

Ian still hadn't returned.

"Has Ian killed soone before...?"

"H-Huh!? I-I said I know nothing! This conversation is over! Over!"

"W-why can't you even deny that!?"

That ans he has killed before!

"S-Sophia!!"

Charlotte grabbed Sophia's shoulders and shook her.

"W-woaah!? U-uh! Why are you doing this!!"

"Tell ! You can tell everything!!"

No normal person starts killing people in their mid-teens.

Anyone who did was either a devil or a monster in human form.

How had a kind child like Sophia ended up beside such a monster!

'I have to save her! Right here and now!'

Now that Charlotte had seen Ian's ruthlessness, she had no choice but to completely revise her original plan.

Win him over? Recruit him?

What good is it to recruit a talented genius if she herself can't handle him.

How many tis in history had people been eaten alive trying to ta a monster.

Keeping a monster by your side was a disaster waiting to happen—you could be devoured at any mont.

If she ever provoked him, she and Sophia could end up just like Hector...! Ahh!

'Of course! Ian! His eyes never looked normal!'

No wonder she'd always found him scary when they made eye contact!

Her instincts had been warning her all along:

ss with him, and you won't even leave bones behind.

All the tis she had never rebelled out of fear during her ti as a servant in the mansion—it had all been because of that terror.

Back then, swallowing her pride had hurt, but now she realized that fear had saved her.

If she'd lost her temper even once... what would Ian have done to her then?!

She shuddered just imagining it.

"L-let's run away!! Sophia, with !!"

Charlotte's desire to win Ian over vanished.

Instead, the vacant space left by that ambition was filled with terror—the need to escape.

"W-what!? What are you saying all of a sudden!?"

"I'll take responsibility! I'll feed and support you sohow! I—I even have an adventurer's license! I can make money doing wall construction!"

"S-seriously, what are you talking about!?"

—rustle!

Then, she heard the sound of grass being stepped on right behind her.

"Ah!"

"If you talk that loudly, it's dangerous."

Ian returned.

"You never know what could be around."

"Ahh!"

Charlotte's face turned stark white.

"...?"

Ian's brow furrowed.

"Your complexion doesn't look good. Are you alright?"

"N-nothing happened!"

"...?"

Ian could tell Charlotte's state wasn't good.

"I'll disinfect and bandage you imdiately."

He set down what he had brought.

A salve made by crushing dicinal herbs.

A natural disinfectant—tree sap with sterilizing properties, diluted with clean water.

A large, sticky leaf cut into a natural bandage.

"First, let check your arm, miss. Please sit here."

Ian pointed to the nearest rock.

"Y-yes..."

Charlotte moved stiffly, like a wind-up doll.

Once she was seated, Ian carefully rolled up her sleeve.

"Ow, ow...!"

The fabric, stuck to the dried blood, pulled open the wound, exposing the raw, red flesh.

It was quite a severe wound.

'... She blocked Hector's claws barehanded.'

The claws of a Yellow Hellhound are heavier than most axe blades.

Blocking such vicious claws barehanded, without using aura, could have easily resulted in far greater damage.

Had it not been for Hisperion's robust physique, both arms would have been ripped off.

'... Honestly, I'm surprised, Charlotte.'

He had heard she'd leapt in to save Sophia.

She had thrown herself to this extent to save soone else.

For Sophia's sake?

Charlotte, of all people, overexerting herself for soone else.

This was the first ti Ian recognized this side of her.

"Thank you for helping Sophia."

Ian expressed his sincere gratitude.

Of course, it wasn't as if this single act had opened his heart to Charlotte, who had been a traitor in his past life, but he did see her in a slightly different light.

"If Lady Charlotte hadn't bought us ti first, I would have been a step too late."

"... Ah."

This was the first ti in two months of living at Lunabreeze that Charlotte had ever heard a thank you.

"... Ah, ah!"

Charlotte stamred, lips trembling, searching for a reply but unable to find the right words.

Ian hadn't been expecting an answer, so he just continued what he was doing.

He gently took her arm.

"I'll disinfect it first. It will hurt a little."

—stream!

Ian carefully washed Charlotte's wound with the disinfectant he'd brought in bamboo.

"Hyah!? Hiccu...!"

As the disinfectant stung her wound, Charlotte gulped back a sharp hiccup.

"Miss! Hold my hand!"

—grab!

As soon as Sophia reached out, Charlotte quickly grabbed her hand.

—stream!

Clenching her eyes shut and stomping her feet, Charlotte gritted through the pain.

"Well done."

Disinfection was complete.

Now it was ti to apply the salve and bandage the wound.

With skilled hands, Ian treated Charlotte's wound with care.

"..."

Except for when he poured on the disinfectant, none of Ian's first aid treatnt was painful.

His hand was delicate and gentle, his expression so calm that she strangely felt reassured just watching him.

He looked completely different from the person who had ruthlessly dealt with Hector's gang monts before.

'... How can one person's deanor flip like the back of a hand...?'

It was as if there were two personalities in one body.

Just a mont ago, she'd seen him as a monster she ought to run from, but as he took such delicate care of her wound now, for so reason...

She felt... A little reassured.

"... Hm?"

Sensing Charlotte's gaze, Ian lifted his brows.

"Why do you look at like that?"

"Ah! N-no!"

Charlotte flushed and turned away.

Her heartbeat grew a little faster.

Ian looked at Sophia.

"Sophia. I'll have to disinfect your knee too, so roll up your trousers and wait."

"Okay!"

"Are you hurt anywhere else?"

"The inside of my elbow and my shoulder. I think I twisted them a bit."

"... Haaa. All right."

Finishing Charlotte's treatnt, Ian tended to Sophia's wounds next.

"..."

Charlotte studied the leaves carefully wrapped around her arm.

'He's so thorough...'

The leaves were wound so tightly and securely over the wound, and yet she didn't feel uncomfortable moving.

'He's really skilled.'

Moreover, the disinfectant and salve Ian had made were all 100% natural ingredients.

'And I have no idea what he made these from.'

Charlotte had learned the basics of herbal dicine and first aid at the Sword Dragon Hall, but the natural dicine Ian made followed combinations she'd never seen taught there.

—peek! peek!

"Um..."

Charlotte feigned distraction and kept stealing glances at Ian's profile.

He was absorbed in treating Sophia's knee.

Every gesture of his hands spoke of confidence and skill.

'... Ian. What is this guy, really?'

It had been astonishing enough when he effortlessly overwheld Hector's gang, but on top of that, even his skill and knowledge in treating wounds was extraordinary.

'He's on a completely different level... He doesn't feel like soone my age at all.'

It felt less like being around a fellow cadet and more like sitting with a seasoned veteran who'd seen it all.

'Truly an enigma.'

Just monts ago, she'd seen him only as a monster she desperately needed to escape from, but seeing this side of him made her see things differently.

He didn't seem frightening at all now, but it wasn't quite the sa as her old desire to make Ian her own person, either.

It was a subtle feeling, a bit different from all the emotions she had felt toward Ian so far.

The strange sense of reassurance she felt from his profile.

She could almost understand why Sophia chose to stay at Ian's side.

'Maybe there's really no need to run away after all...'

In fact, if she could beco one of Ian's people, wouldn't his side be the safest place of all?

Unconsciously, Charlotte began to have such thoughts.

-------------= Clacky's Corner -------------=

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