Deadline Is Raining in the Status Window - Chapter 177

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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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“Your house burns beautifully, doesn’t it? Still, Sunbird pulled you out because he cares about you. If he truly didn’t give a damn what happened to you, he’d have left you to the executioner’s block.”
“I know. Don’t bother saying it.”
“That bastard really knows how to show off.”
According to Reina Letem, Cecilia is currently suffering through the Court, while Sera is handling the practical affairs of state. In the process, she’s arranging a false execution for Evan Laef and orchestrating Mitchell Neftis’s return.
She’s been terribly busy lately—restoring my registration, returning me to the Nobility Council, and laying the groundwork that the previous imperial decree was unjust and thus the execution is void.
“So when are you coming back? Are you planning some grand surprise at Mitchell’s birthday party? Shouldn’t you consult with Duke Neftis about this?”
“No.”
I won’t wait until my birthday. After careful consideration, I’ve made my decision.
“The birthday is too far away.”
“Ooh, so you’re going straight back as Mitchell? You won’t side with Sera after what she’s done to you?”
I have sins to atone for, so I’ll handle my return quietly on my own terms. Sera is useful only up to that point. When I stated my position, Reina scratched her head and muttered a small curse.
“Damn this imperial succession—it’s tearing the whole club apart.”
“Will you continue supporting Sera?”
“Hey! What do you take me for!”
Reina looked startled, then thrust both thumbs upward with a snap.
“I’m with the winning side! That’s my side!”
“Bat gorilla bastard.”
“Why do you think I left Mother with Cecilia’s faction? If you do well, your sister will simply switch sides when the time comes.”
“Son of a bitch.”
“Isn’t your sister cute like a puppy?”
“You look exactly like your mother.”
“Hey! Your sister’s getting mad!”
After Reina Letem left, having done her best to comfort me in her own way, Seian Crowell showed up at the Safe House and pestered me. He went on and on about how he knew I’d fall soon, then told me not to show my face at the Imperial Palace and just practice magic in the Countryside instead.
“You can’t even attend the Academy anymore, can you? What are you going to do and where?”
“It’s a secret.”
“You could tell me, couldn’t you!”
“Why should I tell you something like that?”
“Well, uh….”
Unable to find a comeback, Seian simply sipped his alcohol grape juice. Even he understood that my life as Evan Laef was completely ruined, so the man carefully opened his mouth.
“Listen, when you settle somewhere, send me word too.”
“Why?”
“Because I’m also trying to escape this filthy Imperial Palace and heal in the Countryside! Why else!”
Seian, your dreams are quite ambitious. Do you really think you can evade Cecilia’s surveillance network? More importantly, how exactly do you plan to survive in the Countryside? You’d probably manage something like “Rural Survival Challenge: Starve to Death in Three Days.”
When I explained this to him step by step, Seian tapped my back irritably.
“You’re hopeless at understanding what people say! I’m saying I’ll follow you! Either feed me or figure it out!”
Ah, so that’s what he meant. Admittedly, watching Seian fail to properly chop a single piece of firewood during rural life might be entertaining.
“I’ll consider it.”
“It’s not a matter of consideration… Ah, forget it.”
Seian turned away, dismissing any further conversation with me, and simply said he’d come if I called him later—then proceeded to gulp down his drink. After the concert, he’d been eating and sleeping well at Sera’s place, and his cheeks had filled out quite pleasantly. If I could get him to gain just ten more kilograms, he’d be as adorable as a chubby ferret.
“Seian.”
“What.”
“How about some Demon’s Jam ice cream as a snack?”
“Oh, that sounds great!”
Keke, once you’re addicted to this sweetness, weight gain is inevitable. I scooped an entire bucket of ice cream from Brandenburg’s freezer and fed it to Seian. After putting the drunk Seian to bed at home and sending him off in a carriage to the Imperial Palace the next day, I had Eugene’s servants procure a mask and black robes for me.
By now, the execution ceremony for Evan Laef without Evan Laef would be over, and Cecilia would be in self-imposed seclusion. This was the second time I’d witnessed an execution ceremony without the person being executed.

◇ ◆ ◇

I vaulted over the City Walls of the Imperial Palace and headed toward the Crown Princess Palace. Whether there was noise or not, the moment the guards turned toward the sound, I was already gone—infiltration was easy. Once inside the Crown Princess Palace, I found a young boy who looked like Seian Mark Three and said I’d come to see Cecilia. He sighed and guided me in. Cecilia must have anticipated my arrival.
“Please don’t cause a commotion. If anything happens to the Crown Princess, I’ll have no choice but to call for help.”
“As long as the Bachelor doesn’t raise hell, there’s nothing to be loud about.”
“Do you have some excuse for coming here?”
The Starving Child didn’t seem to know the full details. He probably assumed that Evan, who had been so loyal to the Crown Princess, was actually Sera’s spy, and that this opportunity had been used to entangle Cecilia with the Demon Race and create a massive scandal. On the surface, it could only appear that way. And since Cecilia knew something different, she wouldn’t stop me from coming to see her.
“The Starving Child doesn’t need to know.”
“I’m not a Starving Child—I’m the Crown Princess’s retainer!”
“A Starving Child retainer doesn’t need to know.”
“Ugh!”
Where did she find someone so identical to Seian and raise him like this? I rubbed the Starving Child’s mouth and cheeks affectionately, then entered Cecilia’s chambers. Cecilia was leisurely admiring jewels, while the Bachelor glared at me as if he wanted to beat me to death.
“What audacity brings you here?”
“I don’t have audacity like that.”
“This isn’t a situation for jokes.”
It’s not a joke for me either.
I removed my mask and robes, revealing my bare face. Revealing my bare face meant I had no freckle debuff and no glasses cheat right now. The only difference from my Mitchell Neftis days was my hair dyed blue.
As I flicked my shimmering hair and flaunted my dazzling beauty, the Bachelor’s mouth fell open and he pointed accusingly.
“You, you…!”
“I didn’t expect you to be the type to seek revenge.”
The Bachelor was shocked seeing me as Mitchell Neftis, but Cecilia wasn’t particularly surprised. The way she’d spoken to me so far suggested she’d already suspected something. Rather, the woman seemed taken aback that I’d attacked her under the identity of Evan Laef. That was certainly worth being puzzled about. I’d had no such intention whatsoever.
“I had no intention of revenge.”
“Then is this situation mere coincidence?”
“It just happened to turn out this way.”
“My goodness.”
Cecilia clapped her hands in surprise at what a shocking turn of events this was. Even I was surprised at what Sunbird had done. After taking one big hit and laughing heartily, Cecilia also laughed softly, saying she’d experienced all sorts of interesting things in her life.
“Mitchell Neftis! You dare harbor resentment toward Her Highness!”
“I said it wasn’t resentment.”
“If the Duke’s daughter says so, then believe her.”
Wow, look at Cecilia’s attitude change now that I’ve appeared as Mitchell. How irritating.
In any case, I hadn’t come to trade jokes with Cecilia today. I approached her with heavy steps, and the Bachelor moved to block me, determined to protect Cecilia. It was an endearing struggle.
“Tch.”
Having consumed half of the Machine King’s power and become a mana master, I could defeat a mere Bachelor with a single finger. I casually lifted the Bachelor and hurled him against the wall, then stood before Cecilia, who remained seated in her chair. Without using mana, without superhuman skills, without muscle strength—I simply formed a hand blade and struck the top of Cecilia’s head as gently as possible.
“Tap.”
Yet even this light blow seemed to hurt considerably. Cecilia’s eyes widened in surprise, and I tapped my own temple with a finger.
“Stop broadcasting that strange signal. Whatever brainwashing or mind control you’re using, I’ll support your side without needing to use any skills.”
I was about to continue speaking when Cecilia stared at me with an incredibly vacant expression. She looked like someone experiencing a hit for the first time in her life, so I tapped her again.
“How disrespectful.”
“It’s far more disrespectful to rummage through someone’s head with skills without permission, you bastard.”
After tapping her a few more times, I felt refreshed enough to get to the main point.
“Admit openly that you tried to embrace the demi-humans. If you do, Evan Mitchell Neftis Laef will fight with all her strength on your side.”
“What could a mere duke’s daughter possibly do?”
“Hmph.”
I am no mere duke’s daughter. I am the former Count Evan Laef, the ruler of Ilam, the future master of House Neftis, and a member of Dekarucha’s Ice Heart.
“I’ll identify the Empire’s primary enemy for you. And I’ll uproot one of the pillars supporting Sera and hurl it onto the battlefield.”
The Ice Heart, being ostracized, will withdraw from the other Hearts due to differences in musical philosophy. Eugene, I’ve owed you much until now—go fight to your heart’s content against the enraged Dragon King on the battlefield.

◇ ◆ ◇

When I returned to the Neftis Townhouse in Mitchell’s form after two years, Father and my younger sibling wept with joy, while the other servants wept in despair. They claimed their lives were now over, though they had never experienced such an ending even during my purely Mitchell days—they were simply being melodramatic.
After Sera corrected the imperial decree and restored Mitchell Neftis to nobility, and after I established an alliance with Cecilia, an Imperial Palace banquet was held with the intention that we all get along well. Through this, Sera and Sunbird intended to announce that Mitchell Neftis had returned as a member of the nobility, and to proclaim that I had sided with Sera’s faction.
Of course, that was their agenda—I would attend the banquet to make my own bombshell announcement. So I mobilized House Neftis’s resources to undergo rigorous preparation and have a dress tailored.
I refused to wear anything that wasn’t custom-made from Ronell’s Atelier, so I went and pestered her relentlessly. For a dress and accessories befitting my status as the most beautiful in the world, Ronell had to work four days and nights straight, bleeding from her nose.

Rumors that the mad dog Neftis had returned spread throughout the entire Capital, and I entered the Imperial Palace in the most ornate carriage, which I monopolized entirely. Everyone wanted to speak with me, but I refused them all. Before entering the banquet hall, the attendant tasked with announcing my arrival was drenched in cold sweat, bowing his head repeatedly.
“My apologies. Are you certain I should announce it exactly as you’ve instructed?”
“No problem.”
The man was on the verge of tears. But I simply tapped his head with my fan, urging him to announce me already. The man called out my name with all his might.
“Evan Mitchell Neftis Laef is now entering!”
They may have heard that the mad dog Neftis had returned, but they certainly didn’t expect Evan Laef to be attached to the name. House Neftis is going all the way with the demi-humans—deal with it, you bastards.
I was about to observe what expression Sunbird was making, but my eyes met with Seian’s, who was attending the banquet. The man’s eyes trembled as he looked at me. He even dropped the glass he was holding.

My cover has been blown.

What else has Mitchell been hiding all this time?

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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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