Let’s Make Saving a Habit - Chapter 95

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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 95
With Duchess Papiope’s assistance, I informed the Emperor that the situation was grave.
Afterward, the Emperor proclaimed through imperial decree that he would mobilize the military to subjugate the monsters.
The entire Empire trembled at my single word, and the Emperor’s mobilization of troops felt somewhat burdensome.
I suppose you could call it an unwarranted sense of responsibility.
Ah, and I ultimately succeeded in persuading Duchess Papiope, so I ended up traveling to the Papiope Dukedom.
To move quickly, I traveled through a magical gate that transported me in one instant.
Upon arriving in the dukedom, I rode a prepared carriage to the Duke’s Mansion.
News of the monster invasion had apparently already spread, as people moved about busily in all directions.
Some were reinforcing their homes with wood, while others were maintaining weapons.
What was particularly striking was that everyone—young and old, men and women alike—carried weapons.
It seemed that because monster hunting was their livelihood, they had learned how to hunt monsters from childhood.
“Look there, a Papiope carriage!”
“Not long ago, knights came in droves for monster subjugation, but has Duchess Papiope or one of her children arrived?”
“Oh! It’s the New Maid!”
As the carriage carried me toward the Duke’s Mansion, the territory’s residents recognized me and waved brightly with warm smiles.
I gazed out the window and waved back to those who met my eyes.
“Is it true that you foresaw this monster invasion, New Maid?”
“You are Papiope’s greatest blessing.”
“With you here, we can face this monster subjugation with peace of mind.”
Unable to bear their praise any longer, I withdrew my hand from the window and drew the curtain closed.
Though it feels somewhat embarrassing to say aloud, I was quite beloved by the territory’s residents.
Five years ago, when a severe famine struck.
The residents of the Papiope Territory, who should have suffered the greatest hardship, were able to fare better than those in other territories.
This was because Duchess Papiope succeeded in storing enough provisions for the territory’s residents to consume for an entire year.
Moreover, our generous Duchess distributed the provisions freely, causing her approval rating to soar to the heavens.
In truth, she received much criticism from other nobles for monopolizing information, but…
Among the Papiope Territory’s residents, a seal of goodwill had been firmly stamped from that day forward.
Thus, I arrived at the Duke’s Mansion, warmly welcomed by the enthusiastic residents.
I stared intently at Aiden, who steadied my hand as I descended from the carriage.
“Tania, why are you looking at me like that?”
“Well, Mother strongly opposed my coming down to the Papiope Dukedom, but it’s surprising that Father didn’t object.”
“Whether it’s the Capital or the Papiope Dukedom, danger is the same. Rather, if it’s a monster attack, the patterns are easier to discern.”
From that answer, I truly understood what kind of heart Aiden had carried while serving as my escort knight in the Capital.
For him, a space openly filled with monsters was easier than a place where his life could be threatened at any moment, anywhere.
…I need to find out about the faction pursuing Aiden soon.
I’ve only learned fragments of his past so far, and there’s still a long road ahead.
Why did that faction stop their attacks anyway?
I would have preferred if they had bared their fangs and attacked openly.
The way things are now, as if nothing happened at all, leaves me with an unsettling feeling.
The fear of not knowing when peace might be threatened.
I, who had been lost in my own thoughts for a moment, deliberately steered the conversation elsewhere.
“By the way, couldn’t Father participate in the Monster Subjugation Squad instead of serving as my escort knight?”
“That’s impossible. Then who would protect you?”
“But Father’s swordsmanship is far too valuable to be spent merely on escorting me.”
“The Papiope Knights will handle the monster subjugation well enough. Besides, Raspi is there too….”
Raspi had been dispatched to the Monster Subjugation Squad at Duchess Papiope’s request.
Well, even if the Duchess hadn’t asked, I would have requested it of Raspi myself.
In fact, with Raspi’s monster taming ability, we could prevent the monsters from invading.
This was a proven fact from years of regular monster subjugation results by the Papiope Knights.
Ever since Raspi joined the Papiope Knights, the number of monsters subjugated had increased exponentially.
There were hardly any casualties either.
When Raspi controlled the monsters to prevent them from attacking people, the knights would step in to capture them.
Lucian, an animal tamer, winced at this method and said something.
From the monsters’ perspective, Raspi came running when they asked for help, only to drag them into hell.
But Raspi himself seemed to feel no guilt whatsoever.
I still hadn’t forgotten what he said to Lucian.
[Even if they are well-disposed toward me, the fact that monsters are creatures hostile to humans does not change. Instead of sympathizing with monsters, think of the territory people who are injured and dying.]
Anyway, my explanation grew long, but in conclusion, Raspi could prevent monsters from attacking the territory.
However, now that monsters had increased abnormally, their numbers had to be reduced.
We couldn’t hold back invasions forever.
If we didn’t reduce their numbers, we never knew when the bomb would explode.
I shrugged and replied to Aiden’s words.
“Even with Raspi around, isn’t more military strength always better? Especially with someone as strong as Father.”
“I admit that more strength is better. But….”
Aiden gave me a light flick on my forehead.
Bonk.
“Ow!”
“There is nothing more important than protecting my daughter.”
“Hehe, when you put it that way, I have nothing to say. I’ll gracefully concede!”
Even as I clutched my forehead, I couldn’t help but smile at the word ‘daughter’.
Amused by my quick change of mood, Aiden chuckled softly and rubbed my forehead instead.
“Did it hurt much?”
“No. If it had hurt, I would’ve pouted like Grandfather long ago.”
“Good thing you don’t take after Declan.”
“Wait, did you decide not to call Grandfather ‘Father’ anymore?”
“…Yes, Father.”
At his noticeably quieter voice, I placed my hands on my hips and pressed him like an interrogator.
“While we’re on the subject, how much longer do you plan to call Mother ‘Duchess Papiope’?”
“…That’s…”
He opened his mouth with a troubled expression, as if making an excuse.
“I am not worthy of becoming the Duchess’s consort.”
“What do you mean, not worthy? Isn’t it enough if you care for each other? Father cares for Mother, doesn’t he?”
“Tania, your father is….”
That was when it happened.
A familiar magic circle materialized around Aiden and me, and someone appeared with a pop.
“Tania!”
It was Elysion.
Startled by his sudden appearance, I forgot what I had been discussing with Aiden and rubbed my eyes, wondering if I was dreaming.
“Sion, how did you even get to the Papiope Dukedom? No, why did you come?”
Elysion then smiled brightly and spoke as if it were nothing.
“Me? Of course I came to help.”
“What? Did you get permission from the Magic Tower Master?”
“Yeah. The Magic Tower was sending mages, so I volunteered specifically for the Papiope Dukedom.”
He was an unexpected reinforcement.
“The Papiope Dukedom has quite the notorious reputation for monsters, it seems. Nobody wanted to volunteer, but I came here to see you.”
Did I do well?
His face shone so brightly as he added this with a small smile.
I threw my arms around him and bounced up and down.
“Thank you so much, Sion!”
Elysion, who in the future timeline was practically the architect of Raspi’s victory in the monster war, had come to help.
I felt as though I had gained an army of ten thousand soldiers.
In truth, the expectations the territory’s people had placed on me had begun to feel like a burden.
A sense of responsibility had taken root—that I could not let even a single person die.
I was reveling in joy at Elysion’s unexpected arrival.
Above my head, I heard Elysion murmur something.
“What’s this? Are you proposing marriage?”
Once again, he spoke so softly that I couldn’t quite hear….
I decided it was probably nothing and moved on.

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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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