Help, I'm in Another World and All the Men Are Are So Dangerous! [BL]-Chapter 145: Rocco’s Resolve

It wasn’t just Laxus who was in the wrong.

They were both at fault.

There were no excuses Rocco could make.

He knew the original story too well—he knew Laxus’s circumstances far better than anyone else could.

Even the shallow, cheerful smile Laxus often wore had a reason behind it.

Rocco understood that.

Laxus’s twisted personality would eventually be reshaped through his interactions with Sylas, but that was something far in the future.

The Laxus of now was still stuck at the beginning of the story, a version of himself that hadn’t yet grown.

And so, for now, Laxus only knew how to handle things in his own warped way.

Rocco knew that.

He knew all this, and yet... he had let his anger get the better of him and said such arrogant things to Laxus.

"Sniff... I have to apologize... I have to say I’m sorry..."

He turned to his Mr. Bunny, as if asking for reassurance.

Although it didn’t reply, Rocco felt as though the plush gave him a gentle, encouraging nod, silently pushing him forward.

With renewed determination, Rocco clenched Mr. Bunny tightly, steeled his resolve, and leapt to his feet.

Without hesitation, he dashed off at full speed.

Tonight marked an important occasion—the Del Fiore family was hosting a grand evening gala.

The Del Fiore family frequently held such events to strengthen their ties with other families, and tonight was a particularly special one.

It’s because It was the first time anyone from the Di Malvento family would be attending the event.

Rocco, as usual, was supposed to stay behind and watch the house.

However, now, he had an important mission of his own, and staying behind quietly was no longer an option.

And so, his first destination was his father’s study room.

Still clutching his Mr. Bunny tightly, Rocco knocked softly on the door.

A deep voice soon responded from inside.

"...Enter."

It wasn’t his father’s gentle voice from their dinner conversations, nor the sweet tone he used when singing lullabies.

It was a cold, heavy voice, calm yet oppressive.

Although it made Rocco a little bit nervous, he pushed down his fear, scolding his trembling body, and slowly opened the door.

"F-Father... It’s Rocco..."

"...Rocco?"

Rocco had rushed here on impulse, but now that he was standing outside his father’s study room, he realized barging in during work hours might not have been the best idea.

Still, there was no turning back now.

Peeking timidly through the door, his tearful eyes caught his father’s attention.

His father, who seemed to have immediately recognized his son’s small voice, stood up from his chair with a loud clatter.

His stern expression softened instantly, and Rocco let out a small sigh of relief upon seeing that expression.

"Rocco, what’s the matter? Did you want to your father? Were you feeling lonely?"

His father, clearly jumping to conclusions, apologized for being tied up with work.

Rocco hadn’t come because he was lonely or missed him, but he nodded his head vaguely for now and stepped inside the room, his small feet padding softly on the floor.

As he tried to sit politely on the sofa, his father scooped him up and plopped him onto his lap.

Noticing Strasbourg, his father’s assistant, nearby, Rocco flinched slightly, but Strasbourg greeted him warmly with a smile beneath his glasses.

"Hello, Young Master Rocco."

"Hello!" Rocco replied cheerfully, quickly bowing his head.

Ignoring his father’s dramatic reaction to the exchange, Rocco quickly moved to the point of his visit.

"Father, I’m sorry for barging in like this!"

He spoke as politely as he could, showcasing the formal speech he’d been practicing with his tutor.

His father groaned softly in response, clearly moved by his son’s manners, but Rocco pressed on, determined to explain his purpose.

"I heard you’re going to a gala tonight!"

"Hm? Ah, yes. That’s right. You’ll stay home, of course. But if you’re afraid of sleeping alone, you’re welcome to use my bed. I’ll make sure the pillow has my scent on it."

"Master, that’s honestly kind of creepy," Strasbourg interjected flatly.

Rocco blinked his eyes, he was momentarily thrown off by his father’s bizarre comment about his pillow.

He had been about to ask to join the gala but now needed to gather his bearings.

Shaking his head slightly, he puffed out his chest again, ready to make his request.

"Father, please! I want to go to the gala too!"

"Hm? No. Absolutely not."

"Whaaaaat?!"

Rocco gasped in exaggerated despair.

Rocco had not anticipated being rejected so quickly.

His face turned paled and his shoulders slumped in defeat.

Seeing this, his father began to panic, flustered by Rocco’s sudden dejection.

"What is it? Did I say something wrong? Why are you so upset?"

Even as his father hugged him tightly and patted his back in an attempt to comfort him, the weight of Rocco’s sorrow refused to lift.

At least hear me out, Rocco thought mournfully, his spirits sinking further.

Above his bowed head, his father and Strasbourg began whispering to each other.

At this point, Rocco was too drained to even care about what they were saying.

"Master, the guidebook ’1001 things That Parent Should Never Do’ clearly states, ’Never dismiss your child’s requests outright!’" Strasbourg pointed out.

"What?! Is that true?" his father exclaimed, clearly shaken.

Rocco, still wallowing in his own despair, didn’t notice his father suddenly glancing his way with a nervous, fidgety energy.

Noticing the shift, Rocco lifted his head.

His father seemed conflicted, scratching his chin and muttering as though grappling with an internal debate.

Finally, with a decisive shake of his head, he declared. "Fine... I understand. I grant you permission to attend the gala."

For a moment, Rocco thought he’d misheard.

However, as he blinked rapidly and focused on his father’s face, he noticed the mix of resignation and determination there.

Realizing it was not a misunderstanding, a bright smile spread across Rocco’s face.

Overcome with joy, Rocco leapt at his father, wrapping him in a tight hug and rubbing his cheek against his.