My Career is Useless in this World!!

Episode 168- Protect your mother

"S, sister. You can stop n, now." The image was getting a bit too gory for Aernest hence he reached for Eugene's hands and grabbed it to stop her from moving. Eugene stopped but when she turned over, her face was filled with complete shock!

"YOU'RE VERY INJURED!!" She shouted!

Eugene did not think Aernest would be this injured when she saw him from behind. All she had seen were bruises, and cuts all over his body and clothes! Aernest's face soaked in blood scared her so much that the more she thought about it, the angrier she got! Just as she was about to release her anger on the child again, Aernest stopped her for the second time. 

"No. Sis. This was your doing." He said in a very monotone voice. He also looked at her blankly with a look that showed, 'Why are you blaming someone else?'

"...." Eugene furrowed her eyebrows as she turned to Aernest. She stared at him for two minutes straight. Her rage gradually turned to anger, then to neutral, and finally to embarrassment.

One of the knights  dissipated the awkward atmosphere for Eugene and asked, "Eldest Miss, what will we do with the enemies?"

Eugene's eyes trembled before turning to the knight. She glanced at the child who was tied and thought for a few seconds, "Let's leave them." She shook her head as she said. 

"We have to get back to the estate as soon as possible." If they brought the enemies with them, it would not only slow them down, but it would make it difficult for them to reach the mansion quickly. 

Also… More than finding out the enemy's identity, she was more worried about Moniqua and Euria. Though they were close to the mansion, she couldn't help but worry for them. She didn't know why, but saving Aernest didn't stop her from feeling anxious. As if something bigger was headed to them. As if they had yet to overcome the most dangerous situation yet. Maybe it was because she has yet to understand the motive of the attack today. Her eyes moved from the knight to the boy that was tied up. She felt a picture coming to her, however, because there wasn't enough information, she quickly dismissed it. 

"Is everyone safe?" Aernest asked amid silence. 

Eugene turned to him with her lips pursed. Suddenly, one of the meetings she had with Levis came to her mind as thought about Moniqua. This conversation happened right after they came back from Zene.

Flashback…

A small child sat opposite of a male adult as she dug herself into the couch to make herself comfortable. As always, Levis's study room was filled with the aroma of fresh Jasmin tea. Levis said he only prepares Jasmin tea for Eugene, but even when she comes to his room randomly, his room would smell like Jasmin tea anyway! This big man was a big liar!

-Cough- Back to the main point. 

"Do you know why I called you here, Eugeneia," said Levis as he crossed his legs.

Eugene shook her head to indicate that she didn't know. Why would she know why he suddenly called her here? She wasn't a psychic. 

Levis smiled and continued, "Do you remember what I said about protecting your mother?" 

Levis's sudden mention of Moniqua confused her. But she nodded her head to indicate that she remembers. He had mentioned this in Zene when Ario was bullying Moniqua.

"Then do you know why I am overprotective of your mother?" he asked. His eyes turned soft the moment he said 'overprotective' and Eugene could do nothing but stare at him blankly.

"...Um." She pursed her lips, 'What's this? Does he want to confess his love to her to me?' Her arms shivered from an upcoming goosebump. Though the answer was very obvious, Eugene answered Levis anyway, 

"Because you love her?"

The moment Eugene's answer left her mouth, Levis chucked. He put down his cup of tea and smiled, "Yes. Yes, I love her." his smile was warm as they smiled at  Eugene. But soon, Levis's lips lowered down, and was not smiling. His eyes moved to the floor and he muttered,

"Your mother is injured…" His mutters were said but also loud enough for Eugene to hear.

'Injured?' Eugene's eyebrows twitched. This was the first time she has heard of this. She stared straight into Levis's face to check if he was serious and repeated his words, 

"She's injured?" But how and when? This was the first she's ever heard of this! Not to mention, Moniqua looked bubbly and cheerful all the time that it was hard to associate an injury with her!

"She appears to be fine and strong, but her body is badly damaged. She used to be very strong, perhaps as strong as the Great Nobles, but an incident caused her to lose that strength." He explained, his face solemn as he told Eugene. He continued, "She could have recovered, but there was no turning back for Moniqua after giving birth. She..."

Eugene's eyes were widened and she finished Levis's sentence for him, "She can't recover."

Levis nodded slowly. Moniqua's body was ruined, and it may have been able to recover if they hadn't had Louis. Her body had deteriorated after giving birth and she lost 90 percent of her physical strength because of it. But after a few years of recovery, her body stabilized, which was how Ramon and the other children were born. 

"Why does no one talk about this?" This, Eugene found odd? Shouldn't everyone know about Moniqua's injury? Or was it a secret that Moniqua's body was injured to prevent bad rumors? 

Levis shook his head, "Only a few select people know. The head physician, the head butler, head of maid Sara, the Great Nobles, His Majesty Emperor, and Her Majesty Empress." He responded, "No one knows she is injured because she doesn't show it. You know your mother well. She is a strong woman."

Eugene sighed. What Levis's said was true. Moniqua went on about her day normally and showed no signs of injury at all. If Levis hadn't told her this, she wouldn't have ever known. She had thought that Levis's love for Moniqua was beyond the sky which was why he was overprotective of her, even more, protective of her than his children. But, if Moniqua's injury was the reason… It wasn't odd at all. 

"But… why are you telling me this?" Eugene asked. Why tell her of all people? Why not Louis instead of her?

"Because you are strong," Levis answered almost immediately. 

".... Huh?" What on earth is this man talking about? She's still three and a half years old okay?

Levis smiled, "You are a strong child. And you wouldn't make yourself feel guilty over your mother's body."

Though his words were very roundabout, Eugene understood the hidden meaning behind his words. He couldn't tell his other children because they would blame themselves. No one was mature enough and would worry for Moniqua 24/4. But Eugene was different. She wouldn't feel guilty over something like this. 

"Protect your mother." He smiled gently. 

Eugene did not hesitate and nodded almost immediately. Though there was something he was wrong about slightly. Yes, she wouldn't feel guilty. Yes, she wouldn't get the matter on her head. But, because she knows, she now feels a sense of responsibility. After all, Moniqua gave birth to her body, hence she couldn't deny the responsibility she had.

Flashback end...

"Sister?" Aernest saw Eugene's expression looking not too good and shook her sleeves shamelessly.

Eugene turned to Aernest and immediately jolted, 'The damn blood.' 

With a frown on her face, she walked towards a bush and pulled a bag out. She grabbed 5 big bottles and threw them to the knights and Aernest. Aernest got two to cleanse the blood on his body while the knights got one each. Eugene first used some to rinse the area of her mouth, before drinking the water. After that, she rinsed her face.

Eugene shook her bottle and walked to Aernest who was leaning over to rinse his face. She raised her water gourd and began to help him clean up. As she was helping, she couldn't help but feel apologetic to Aernest. If she had arrived earlier, Aernest wouldn't have had to stain his hands. Not to mention, he wouldn't have witnessed her stabbing the boy's face like minced meat.

"Thanks for being alive." She muttered. Loud enough for Aernest and the trained knights to hear. Despite her guilt, she wanted him to know that his survival was more important than the people he had to kill in order to live. It was either him or them who would be the last one standing, and he made the right decision. 

Aernest said nothing and only hummed. Once everyone was done cleaning, they departed to the estate like a mad man.. Like Eugene, everyone had an unsettling feeling.