Black-Haired Dad Isn’t Something You Reap - Chapter 208

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 208. The Demonic Sect Enshrines the Holy Flame? It’s Definitely Modeled After Zoroastrianism (4)
“But Your Majesty, isn’t that a tactic you’ve used multiple times already? Haven’t all the nations prepared countermeasures? Gas masks are standard issue in military equipment these days.”
Damn that stubborn princess—she keeps spouting nothing but inconvenient truths. People from that household bow and scrape while saying exactly what they please.
“Tch….”
True, I’ve used it so many times that whenever we march out for battle, everyone assumes the princess will deploy it again and dons their masks accordingly. Still, there’s nothing quite like a preemptive strike to demoralize the enemy. But developing chemical weapons potent enough to penetrate gas masks from scratch would take too long. I need something simple to overcome this. Hmm.
“Oh! What if we spray an emetic agent first, and then release the poison gas when people are too nauseated to resist?”
“Uhhhhh….”
This time, not just the elderly generals and grandfather, but Choco, Father, and that stubborn princess all looked at me as though I weren’t human.
“If it’s being distributed to every soldier, they’re obviously not using crude activated charcoal masks. An emetic agent would definitely penetrate those, wouldn’t it?”
As I pressed Shirley for confirmation, placing my hand on her shoulder, my strategist ran through the scenario in her mind and delivered the verdict.
“It’s possible. An emetic agent would be solid at room temperature, so activated charcoal wouldn’t be able to filter it.”
“Excellent! Let’s go with this!”
And the Kisomalos Forces would immediately begin developing gas masks capable of filtering solid particles as well. If we enjoyed success with this tactic only to fall victim to the same trick ourselves, we’d become a laughingstock.
Once we’ve fractured Astiages, I’d like to establish peace treaties with the various nations of the Central Continent. After we’ve split off the Northern Kingdom and claimed everything worth claiming, all that’s left is for neighboring powers to backstab each other. Once we’ve stolen this much, it’s wise to draw a line and refrain from eyeing one another.
I successfully concluded the first military conference for the operation to invade Avestha, the capital of Astiages, discussed future diplomatic policy, and then left the Military Ministry feeling refreshed. Worried that if I headed straight to the Princess Palace someone would scold me, I clung to Father and entered the Main Palace Imperial Office, where the Chief Chamberlain, Croa, and Nanakda were waiting for us.

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“Do you two! Have any! Sense! Or not!”
The Chief Chamberlain, who had been waiting for us, wielded a feather duster made of horsehair and began whacking Father and my backs with sharp, rapid strikes. What is this—it actually hurts!
“Ow! It hurts! What is this, it’s ticklish, it hurts, it’s weirdly painful!”
“Both of you kneel down and raise your hands!”
“Why should I!”
“Kneel!”
The Chief Chamberlain shrieked so loudly her Adam’s apple trembled, so I cowered and immediately dropped to my knees on the carpet with my hands raised. Father, being the Emperor, held out a bit longer with more dignity.
“An emperor has his dignity. At least spare me the raised hands.”
“Raise them.”
“Fine.”
He lasted about three more seconds. Father really is different. He even tried to negotiate with the furious Chief Chamberlain.
“I expected you to come looking, but I never imagined you’d know my escape route and set an ambush.”
“Chief Chamberlain, have you considered joining the Staff Office? Your ability to read one step ahead is absolutely remarkable.”
“Both of you are absolutely! This is not! A game! It’s not a game!”
Ow! It hurts! That feather duster really does sting!
I scratched at my back and head, which tingled uncomfortably, resisting the violence. After the Chief Chamberlain had thoroughly beaten us with the duster, striking here and there, she finally demanded directly when the desired response wouldn’t come.
“Cancel your trip to Astiages. Even if it’s just rear support, it’s too dangerous. Both of you—do you have any idea what kind of place that is!”
“The front lines.”
“The capital of the Northern Kingdom.”
“Silence!”
Can’t we even joke around? Father and I tried to trade quips but got hit with the duster again, so we explained the real reason we were going to such a dangerous place.
“Nanakda will definitely insist on coming with us. Someone needs to be there to keep him in check.”
“And the current Emperor’s movements are suspicious. If we try to receive reports on the situation in Astiages from here, it takes a full day’s journey one way—if we don’t go ourselves, we’ll only waste soldiers’ lives.”
“That’s precisely why we have the generals of the Military Ministry to make such decisions!”
“Right now, there’s simply no one suitable to bear responsibility… All the capable ones are too young.”
“I believe the only person capable of commanding an operation of this scale is Lorowi, who’s currently in prison.”
Ah, I’d thought the same thing. If neither Father nor I could go, then Yupi Grandmother would be the most qualified. But we couldn’t possibly entrust the military to her, could we?
If we sent her out there, she’d abandon the campaign and march straight on the Kisomalos Capital. Just like how Chiron Grand Duke did when I died.
“Still, still—how could you possibly both go like that!”
“What are you talking about? We’ve fought wars before, more than once.”
“The scale is completely different! And there’s serious doubt whether that warp stone or whatever will even function properly!”
Well, that’s honestly a gamble. Moving a massive army—if the coordinates overlap, it’s just a catastrophic collision. If only part of it activates, we could end up dropping several airships over the Empire. Or we might arrive somewhere completely different from the Imperial Capital.
“The computer is functioning perfectly, and the safety tests were all successful? Can you please stop finding fault with the warp stone?”
“You kneel too.”
“Ugh.”
Nanakda ended up being punished for talking back unnecessarily. Having lived in the Princess Palace all this time, Nanakda had come to understand just how much authority the Chief Chamberlain wielded, so he obediently knelt. If salt wasn’t distributed for tomorrow’s meals, Nanakda and his subordinates would face serious hardship.
There was once when the Chief Chamberlain told Nanakda to stop installing listening devices throughout the Princess Palace, and Nanakda talked back. For a month afterward, salt wasn’t distributed. Not just in the Palace, but throughout the entire Capital—no one would sell salt to Nanakda’s group. So Nanakda wandered from palace to palace with a wooden bowl, begging for salt donations. When the Chief Chamberlain holds a grudge, it’s terrifying.
“But Father is going and Choco is going, so we should be able to return safely.”
“If it’s that safe, then let me go with you too.”
“Oh! Then me too! Pisha, I want to go with you as well!”
No, did these people think a battlefield was some children’s playground? No matter how safe we claim it is, that’s only true for trained soldiers. If we brought civilians, they could easily catch a bullet casing to the head and die without even getting a military helmet on.
“That won’t do. If we all leave our posts, who will handle the Emperor’s duties?”
“Exactly! Madam Listo and Croa must handle the imperial regent duties!”
Father and I had been passing the Emperor’s duties back and forth to each other until we ended up in this mess, so there’s no one else left to pass them to. As we made our case, the Chief Chamberlain let out a scoff and mentioned a name that had been brought up earlier.
“Let’s entrust it to Lorowi.”
“Huh?”
“Without the pension palanquin, she’s just a ten-year-old child anyway. If we have Kazelnu and the Imperial Guard keep close watch, what could that old woman possibly do?”
“Hmm…”
“That makes sense.”
Well, if we leave her under Aunt’s watch, we can rest easy. Or rather, I trust Kirke, who watches Aunt twenty-four hours a day.
“Then let’s do it that way.”
“Excellent!”
“Great! Then I’ll start packing for Astiages!”
We reached a good agreement and brought Yupi Grandmother out of prison to explain the situation. We told her we’d be going to the battlefield as a happy family, and Grandmother’s eyes went wide.
“Are you all insane?”
Anyway, with that settled, we taught Grandmother how to handle the duties, introduced her to the secretaries, and began preparing for our departure.
After completing the second and third military conferences, on the day of the invasion of Astiages, we held a victory march at the Military Airfield. As the military band took the lead and began a grand performance, the soldiers marching in formation saluted us in unison.
“Salute to His Majesty the Emperor and Her Highness the Princess!”
“Salute!”
Father and I returned their salutes and boarded the airship. Yupi Grandmother, who had come to see us off at the foot of the airship stairs, watched us waving with a smile and cried out in despair.
“Madwoman, you’re all mad!”
“Oh my. Mother, let’s just go. Those fools won’t listen anyway.”
“No, you’re all mad! No, this is! You’re all absolutely mad…!”
The Chamberlain called me mad until the airship lifted off from the courtyard. Was “mad” the only insult in her vocabulary? Perhaps her repertoire of curses had diminished with age.

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