BANG!

Bischoff slammed his foot onto the floor.

Unacceptable. A mere 16-year-old surviving an ostracism?

�That foolishness of his� His rude, mannerless actions� He�s only unreasonable due to the fact that I am his father.�

�Then draw your sword. To be ostracized means to be abandoned by your family. If your friend is really worth the fight, then you must risk your life.�

Rian drew his sword without a word. The action angered Bischoff even more.

�Are you really planning on pointing your sword at me, your father?�

�It�s not pointed towards you, father. You don�t believe me, so I have no choice but to do this. I draw my sword because I believe in myself and my decisions.�

�Since when did you cherish your friends? You never once made connections with other aristocrats your age. You said it was because they were dazzling in your eyes. You�re only friends with this commoner because he doesn�t shine. Because he is lower than you.�

�For the first time, you are wrong, father. Shirone is a friend who shines brighter than me. I want to help Shirone shine even brighter.�

Bischoff was despondent.

What did this Shirone do to dazzle his naive son to such a degree?

�Is it you? Did you make Rian like that? How did you persuade him into believing that a commoner and a noble could be friends?�

Shirone spoke.

�Although I did not persuade him, since you think that is the case, maybe I did do something like persuasion.�

Rian stood between the two.

�Shirone, stay quiet. I�ll take care of it. No matter what happens to you��

�Rian.�

Rian turned his head as Shirone spoke with a cold tone he had never heard him use before. Shirone was staring straight at him.

�You are responsible for what you are responsible for.�

Not only the family, but Rian, too, felt chills at the impassive words that were comparable to Bischoff�s.

�Huh? W-Well, yes. Of course.�

�But you don�t have to take responsibility for things that you shouldn�t be responsible for. This situation was created by the two of us. We�ll just have to get through it together.�

Shirone looked back at Rian and smiled.

�Even if I die on this spot, I don�t regret being your friend.�

Silence ensued.

Not only the servants, but also the members of the Ogent family couldn�t help but turn solemn in the moment.

And for Rian, it was like pouring fuel into an already burning flame.

�Yeah! That�s exactly what I�m saying! Even if I�m ostracized, we�ll still remain friends!�

The servants started to murmur amongst themselves. JrNovels.com