Sister-in-law of the Heroine in a Childcare Novel - Chapter 140

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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 140

Pan seemed to feel the pressure of my stare and hastily dabbed his face with a dry hand.
“I mean, you’re a Contractor of the God of Light, right? You said you needed help saving the world? You tracked me down relentlessly, so I thought for sure you’d come to blast me with insults about how recklessly we’ve let such a monster roam through human society, and who knows what it might do, but instead…….”
Watching Pan covertly study my reaction, I felt a strange sense of déjà vu wash over me. Since I had nothing to lose, I was stubbornly dodging his attempts to thrust blame my way and grasping at excuses instead—and I’d seen this scene play out before somewhere.
Right, that’s exactly how Flux looked at me too. Though he was relatively young and had crumbled like a stale biscuit when he couldn’t find a solution. As for the insane business of abducting someone without permission, well, we’d dealt with that through the holy beating…….
‘Listen.’
-Yes, Contractor? ( ´ ▽ ` )
‘Why is it that people in this world have the habit of hushing up and hiding every problem that arises? If they keep hiding and hiding until it all blows up, doesn’t that mean the world just falls apart? Do you hoard the world? Do you live in the world alone?! If you live alone, you alone will be ruined!’
-(╯•﹏•╰)…….
‘I thought for sure I was like some doomed group project leader bearing the weight of the Castrain Family’s imperial fate on my shoulders, but now it seems like I’ve become a leader of a different group. Honestly, I’m starting to seriously suspect that being “duped” doesn’t just mean I was tricked—it means I’m a dupe because I have to somehow gather people and assemble a dream team to solve this.’
-Ah, h-hang in there……? Because I’m… here for you? (´·_·`)
As I chattered inwardly with the sword, I felt my fingers itching with the urge to throttle the former Magic Tower Master who kept sidling up to gauge my mood, and I forced my hand to grip tighter.
“The urge to curse you out…… it’s not entirely absent…….”
Mages have no social skills whatsoever.
Absolutely none.
Add to that this empire’s absolute chaos, and the former Magic Tower Master—a monster of unimaginable power—has fallen into corruption. A monster so powerful that even his direct disciples can’t match him.
If this were made public and help were requested, rather than people believing it straightforwardly and working to suppress and root out the corrupted monster, they might instead use this weakness as a pretext to restrict the Magic Tower itself, or treat mages as criminals and arrest them.
Even though he defected and lived recklessly, it seems he’s made some effort to find a way to resolve this.
That’s it! That’s exactly it! I laughed while my lips trembled. Ah, I really do want to beat him just ten times.
“……Lack of ability isn’t a sin! I mean, what if a disciple just happens to have less power than their master? Of course! Ha ha!”
“…….”
Pan’s expression twisted oddly. It was the truth, but somehow the way I’d phrased it left a bad taste in his mouth.
“…No, I mean, my master is talented, sure, but the thing is—once you start dabbling in Black Magic, you can wield power far beyond your original strength, so I’m not actually that weak, you know?”
“Right, anyway…… The mages currently in the Magic Tower don’t know this truth, do they? You hid it because even if you told them, their strength wouldn’t help much in a fight. As for what he’s doing and where—I have no idea, but it sounds like he and Chernobog get along just splendidly…….”
“……I’ve done my own tracking of my master’s traces. If he’d left any major marks, I would’ve noticed.”
“We can talk about the details later.”
I watched as the swarm of bees scattered into empty air and the ashes that had accumulated on the ground were scattered and dispersed by the wind, and I narrowed my eyes.
I heard Raymond’s voice calling me from outside. Right, I’d been hiding on the terrace for far too long. It was time people started looking for me. I swiftly and skillfully secured my sword inside my skirt, then fired off a barrage of quick words.
“So, are you going to help me, or not? At least, I’ll help you track down your master. But you’ll need to cooperate with me too. It’s obvious you can’t face that on your own.”
“……There’s much I want to ask, but, ahem. For now, let’s say I’ll cooperate on the assumption that the Princess’s words are true…….”
“Good. That works.”
I gauged the height from the balcony to the ground below.
Guard soldiers…… I don’t see any. Well, after all, being attacked by a swarm of bees means I wouldn’t have left any inconvenient witnesses. I heard the faint footsteps of people and Raymond deliberately clearing his throat. I glanced at the door that was about to open and informed Pan.
“Then I’ll see you later!”
“…Huh?”
I grinned widely and shoved Pan out over the terrace. He tumbled into empty air, his eyes wide with shock, pointing an accusatory finger at me as he fell.
“Whoa, ugh, u-aaaaaack! You crazy……!”
I heard Pan’s cursing voice growing fainter as he flailed his arms, tumbling away.
“Figure it out on your own! Your reputation’s already shot anyway, so slipping out without saying goodbye to the owner won’t make it any worse!”
“What kind of insane princess is there in this world……!”
Being called insane by someone who watches people get attacked by Magic Beasts with a cigarette in hand like “whatever, do it or don’t” is a bit embarrassing, I admit. I’d wrapped him nicely with Wind Power, so he won’t get hurt! This much petty revenge should satisfy me for letting that attitude slide.
I stood there looking perfectly innocent, and the door creaked open. It was the Countess of Orland and the former Empress Valentina. Raymond was following them as though nothing at all had happened.
“You’ve been out in the fresh air far too long, haven’t you, Titania? I’m worried you might catch a cold.”
“The garden view from here is absolutely enchanting.”
I approached Valentina with a bright smile and took a look at the banquet hall beyond the open door. Unlike before, it had grown somewhat quieter—it seemed people had left or the situation had settled. Valentina draped an arm around my shoulders and spoke intimately.
“Your half-brother seems to have taken a fancy to the young lady of the Orland family.”
“…….”
It felt like someone had shoved ice down my spine. I glanced sideways and saw the Countess of Orland’s face had gone pale. She was forcing a smile, but her eyes were full of concern.
“Since my brother attended such a social gathering for the first time in ages……. I suppose it was simply gentlemanly courtesy toward the Orland family for opening their hall to us, wasn’t it?”
“He asked for a dance multiple times. The young lady, Jun, wasn’t in good health, so she retired to rest, and so he only danced once.”
“I see. Was there perhaps another young lady who caught my brother’s eye?”
“It seems there was. He greeted me and then took his leave, saying any longer would be a bother.”
So this is a dog fight now?
Does this mean I’m supposed to be fine with Adrian getting engaged to a young lady of some house that serves as a retainer to the Castrain Family?
Adrian and Brian still have no betrothals. Depending on which family’s young lady they become engaged to, their very attitude reveals where they stand in the succession to the throne—and more than that, it marks the beginning of a proper power struggle.
But today at this banquet, Adrian specifically sought out the very Jun who had been caught up in the dispute between me and Raymond, and danced with her twice before leaving? There will be hell to pay. Among those who support Brian, quite a few nobles are backing him hoping their own daughters will become imperial concubine or empress. And he’s taking action that will provoke their opposition?
Hmm, he really has become too clever. It’s as if his head’s been refilled with fresh brains. Cronen’s behavior at the Dedication Ceremony when he attacked me was as if his head was stuffed with straw. I smiled softly.
“Well then, we should probably return to the Imperial Palace, shouldn’t we? Once we hear today’s news, Adrian will be positively delighted.”
Yes, he’ll be thrilled because the proper power struggle we didn’t want is now officially beginning……. I looked at Raymond, who was watching me with complicated eyes, and managed an unconcerned smile. Wow, this debutante is truly eventful.

* * *

Beasts that have been corrupted by Demonic Energy, lost their original form, and display an appetite for blood and life are usually called Magic Beasts.
But truly, in the most fundamental sense, a “Magic Beast” is a servant of the God of Darkness. A properly completed Magic Beast is extremely dangerous, difficult to kill, and also…….
-Crunch.
……shows a will to resurrect itself no matter what.
-Crunch, crunch, creak…….
Bibi swallowed a gasp. Instinctively, she raised both hands to cover her mouth.
From deep underground came the sound of something chewing. It sounded like the scraping of bamboo bark, and at other moments like metal being gnawed. Either way, it was far from anything ordinary. Lisianthus tightened his arm around Bibi. Something was clawing at what appeared to be the pit wall. Crunch, screech, crunch, thud. Thrashing sounds. Falling sounds…… As if responding to the noise Bibi and Lisianthus had made.
“…Brother.”
“Hush, Bibi. We don’t even know what it is. For now, stay quiet and…….”
“Brother. Light a fire for me.”
“…….”
Lisianthus tried to protest to Bibi, but surrendered to the determination in her eyes. On an impulse, he lit the dry twigs he’d brought in from outside, and white flames flickered to life in patches. Without hesitation, Bibi threw that flame into the pit that descended to unknowable depths.
“Hey, what are you……!”
Thunk, thud….
SHRIEEEEEEK!
The dark underground suddenly lit up. Lisianthus, who had been about to pull Bibi away from the pit’s edge for fear she might be in danger, lost all words at the sight of the floor below.
It was something very small and pitiful. If you compared it to insects—what, a mantis? A long-horned beetle? Fine black thread-like objects had gathered together, and the creature was curling up in agony on a small mound made of shattered Mana Stone fragments, shrieking as the flames attacked it.
And on the burning floor beneath those black threads…….
“…That’s bone.”
The remains of a Magic Beast that must have been monstrously huge in life.
Blue fireflies, like some kind of curse, drifted above the bones alone.

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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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