Rolando glanced at the visibly resentful Felis. "Ah... I never expected you to look so much like me."
"It was just a fleeting affair," he said languidly. "Your mother wanted to disgrace the Hainalson Family, and I wanted a little pleasure. Having a child was a welcome bonus. After all, your mother really was a very suitable woman to bear one."
Felis did not turn around. He merely gave a cold laugh. "Don't mention her."
Rolando smiled faintly. "Stop acting as though you've been wronged. Look, didn't I give you the only potion I obtained that an intermediate apprentice could use?
"Though it will prolong your time as an advanced apprentice, it's not as if you have no chance of becoming a mage.
"Heh.
"Even if I'd given you more resources before, you probably would have needed another few decades to become an advanced apprentice."
"That's because I was the only suitable candidate, wasn't I?" Felis said carelessly.
"If it weren't for the business with the Hainalson Family, that potion would never have found its way into my mouth."
Rolando could not help laughing. "You're all grown up. Why are you still saying such stupid things?
"What matters is who ends up with the goods. That's the real benefit. How and why they got there don't matter.
"If you've benefited, just accept it!"
Felis turned and smiled back at him. "That's different... different."
The corner of Rolando's mouth twitched. This son of his really did take after him. He refused to take even the slightest loss.
If he, as a father, had gone through countless hardships to find a potion for his child's future, then Felis certainly ought to have been deeply grateful.
But if his reasons were mixed with other motives, or even dominated by them, then Felis owed