Adopting the Male Protagonist Changed the Genre - Chapter 104

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 104

 

Just taking a single step inside the door completely changed the flow of time.

 

Outside the mansion, it was a late night with drizzling rain, but inside the mansion, warm morning sunlight was streaming through every window as if the sun had just risen.

 

I blinked several times.

 

Was I dreaming right now?

 

Perhaps what happened in the main building was a dream and I had just woken up.

 

The scene before my eyes, where time’s gears seemed to have turned backwards, and Leo’s loveliness, carefully wrapped like a gift box, felt so unreal.

 

“A birthday…”

 

I muttered this while unable to take my eyes off Leo with his ribbon.

 

Terry, who now had the bearing of a quite experienced butler, began leading me somewhere.

 

“Now, now, this is no time to be standing around, Master. We’ve prepared so much, but our heartless Master has been emanating a menacing atmosphere since morning before going out, only to return at midnight. Thanks to that, there are only a few hours left of Master’s birthday.”

 

So I hadn’t misheard after all.

 

‘Today was Belinda’s birthday.’

 

It was information I definitely knew thanks to memory fragments, but I hadn’t paid much attention to it. Birthdays weren’t days that held much meaning for me.

 

So…

 

“Everyone is waiting for Master.”

 

I never would have expected that everyone would prepare such an occasion.

 

Brilliant morning sunlight poured through the huge windows of the banquet hall we arrived at.

 

On the table, though it had grown cold, a grand feast was appetizingly laid out, and despite the late hour, not only the household members but even Chaser was sitting in his place waiting for me.

 

“Please sit quickly, Master. Everyone must be very hungry, but especially starving Vivian is several times more ferocious than usual, so we need to put something in her stomach right away.”p>

I sat in the head chair that Terry pulled out for me while receiving her escort.

 

As soon as I sat down, everyone opened their mouths as if they had been waiting.

 

“Belinda, happy birthday.”

 

Vivian, who said congratulations to me without even breathing properly while her gaze was fixed on the huge roasted pig.

 

“Master, sorry but right now I don’t have the energy to greet…”

 

Chaser, who stopped mid-sentence and collapsed onto the table with a magic potion in his mouth like a Monday office worker receiving a caffeine transfusion.

 

“Congratulations.”

 

Lord Penandel, who simply offered a plain greeting.

 

“Belinda! Congratulations!”

 

Leo, who was already telling me congratulations for the third time.

 

“We worked the mages, no, received help from the mages to bring daylight into the mansion with illusion magic. So the sun won’t set until the mages dry up from mana depletion. Please enjoy this endless day to your heart’s content, Master.”

 

Even Terry, who said something terrifying with a gently smiling face.

 

Listening to everyone’s congratulations, I slowly realized.

 

So this was… a birthday party.

 

“…”

 

I opened my mouth to give some kind of response, but no words came out.

 

I didn’t know what to say at times like this.

 

While choosing my words carefully, I suddenly noticed the sunlight pooled in my hands.

 

Illusion magic shouldn’t be able to reproduce the warmth or texture of objects, but strangely my hands, my chest, my whole body felt warmly heated like pebbles.

 

I clenched my hands tightly and finally opened my mouth.

 

“Everyone eat.”

 

Even at my words, which sounded somehow drier than usual, no one showed any sign of displeasure and quickly moved their hands.

 

All the food had grown cold, but no one complained.

 

“Can’t we have Bel’s birthday every day? Huh?”

 

I had generously given Suga, who occupied a corner of the table, a fistful of gold coins, and she was so happy.

 

Suga’s happiness reminded everyone once again that it could only be bought with gold coins.

 

Under the long banquet table, the Cerberus dogs who had performed ‘acting menacing’ very well were enjoying their feast.

 

While everyone was enjoying this morning-like evening, I couldn’t quite swallow the food down my throat. My stomach was churning strangely.

 

It was different from feeling bloated or having indigestion. It felt exactly like something had settled in my stomach and was tickling my insides.

 

“Belinda.”

 

Perhaps seeing that I wasn’t moving my hands, Leo leaned slightly toward me and whispered as if telling a secret.

 

“I was so excited earlier that I don’t think I spoke properly. So what I want to say is… really, really happy birthday.”

 

Had he felt it wasn’t enough even though he’d already told me congratulations several times?

 

The magical sunlight that didn’t tilt at all flickered over Leo’s face as he whispered with an innocent expression, illuminating his cheeks with their soft downy hair.

 

For some reason, seeing that face brought up words I had buried in the swamp of my heart.

 

‘I never wanted something like a family.’

 

‘Or a birthday table set for me.’

 

‘Or hearing “happy birthday” as the first greeting on my birthday morning.’

 

‘Or dinner eaten with everyone sitting around together.’

 

I felt I could now admit that all of that had been nothing but bravado.

 

In truth, there wasn’t a single moment I hadn’t wanted it.

 

A birthday table set for me.

 

Words celebrating that I was born.

 

A special meal proving it was the most special day of the year.

 

While accepting the fact that I had secretly longed for such things all along, I resignedly acknowledged one fact.

 

Even if the opening of 【Hirome】 began, I could never leave this place.

 

Now this kingdom was my hometown, this mansion was my home, and these people who shared a table with me were my family.

 

I fixed Leo’s disheveled hair ribbon and ended up smiling in surrender to the tickling fullness in my stomach.

 

“…!”

 

Leo’s eyes widened round and soon both his cheeks were dyed the color of ripe peaches.

 

Thinking Belinda’s vicious smile might have leaked out again, I quickly turned my head, but everyone’s gazes were directed at me. They all had faces like they’d seen something unbelievable.

 

‘…Was it that menacing?’

 

It must have been so terrifying that Lord Penandel had frozen completely in his pose of trying to pick up salad.

 

I was clearing my throat and pretending to wipe my mouth with a napkin when:

 

“Master, I must be dying. I’m seeing things.”

 

“My goodness, Master. You knew how to smile so gently?”

 

“It’s… incredibly unsuitable but also incredibly suitable.”

 

“What, what? Suga didn’t see! Do it again, Bel!”

 

“…”

 

I glanced at my reflection in the water glass, but the smile everyone was talking about had already completely disappeared.

 

If this had been when I didn’t know much about Belinda, I probably would have suspected there was an error in the translator.

 

I would have thought Belinda was an ice flower-like person who didn’t even know how to smile kindly.

 

But now I know.

 

Belinda was also a child who once knew how to smile like spring flowers.

 

I now knew that the moment I thought of these people as family, her smile that she had only shown to family was revealed.

 

* * *

 

After the banquet ended, what awaited me was Terry with an extremely solemn expression.

 

“This time has finally come. Master, from now on there will be a gift presentation ceremony.”

 

“…?”

 

Was it necessary to announce that so solemnly?

 

But it seemed I was the only one who thought so. At Terry’s words, even Leo’s expression became serious as they gathered around me one by one.

 

“For fair judging, I won’t reveal who prepared which gift. Master, please choose the gift you like most with more fairness than ever before.”

 

…They’re even having judging? Is this what birthday parties are normally like?

 

I was bewildered, but if I absolutely had to rank them, of course Leo would be first place.

 

The problem was just picking out Leo’s gift from among the various gifts placed before me.

 

I carefully picked up the nearest gift first.

 

It was a small box about the size of my palm, and inside it contained what looked like a handmade ticket… or something like that.

 

As soon as I saw it, I had a feeling.

 

‘This is Leo’s gift.’

 

This must be a free massage coupon that Leo made by hand…!

 

[♥Free Assassination Voucher♥]

 

I will kill anything for you.

 

…Assassination voucher?

 

“….”

 

There was only one person who would nicely wrap such a terrifying thing as a gift.

 

When I glanced at Terry, she cleared her throat and avoided my gaze. She was definitely the culprit.

 

I put this horrible ticket back in the box, sealed it tightly, and muttered.

 

“I’ll treasure this for life.”

 

Since I’ll absolutely, absolutely never have occasion to use it.

 

“For life…! Everyone heard that, right?”

 

Terry looked around at everyone with a somehow proud expression and shouted.

 

I gently put Terry’s gift back in its place like I was handling a time bomb, and this time chose the largest gift box.

 

When I opened the lid of the box that was almost as big as my torso, a rich floral fragrance wafted out.

 

“This is….”

 

What filled the box were roses that must have numbered in the hundreds.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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