Sister-in-law of the Heroine in a Childcare Novel - Chapter 169

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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 169

The reunion between master and student after so long was less touching than it was loud. It was a repeated pattern of Poda holding forth with heated words while Rasper offered embarrassed rejoinders, but—well. Poda didn’t seem to be genuinely angry.
As I listened to them, I checked the state of the Archive again. When I’d heard that Rasper and Poda often met inside the Archive, I’d assumed there would be various protective spells in place.
Indeed, it seemed that nothing done inside would show any sign on the outside. Fortunate.
“Well, you’ve both caught up now, haven’t you, Poda?”
“I haven’t said half of what I needed to!”
“Then let’s save the rest for later. We’re short on time.”
I emptied the contents of my pockets—what Poda had brought—onto a long table in the center of the Archive. Jewels in all manner of hues—green, purple, yellow, red—gleamed brilliantly.
They ranged from pieces carved with delicate precision to stones rough as raw ore, their conditions as varied as their appearances.
There were supposedly only six Divine Power Weapons in existence, but traces of divine power—faint though they might be—could be found anywhere, in jewels or artifacts of all sorts.
It was a fact I’d come to understand through Poda’s insight at the Southern Dedication Ceremony.
Items as important as Barrier Fragments wouldn’t be common, but perhaps there existed something that could substitute, even minimally, for their power.
The reason I’d had to risk exposing secrets that the other party had hidden even from their own family the moment we met was simple.
I needed a genius mage vouched for by Poda. The truth was, I’d learned that the young Rasper of this timeline had been chosen by the Wave of Oceanos both from original knowledge and from Poda’s additions.
Two or three Divine Power Users could be found among the Castrain Family?
Three? Three, you say?
The Duke himself wasn’t one of them. Aside from Lisianthus, there was one more, or possibly two?
In the original work, Bibi never became aware of her Divine Power. She was sold to a mad mage, underwent all manner of experiments, died, and came back—so the return itself could be considered evidence of Divine Power… but it was faster to suspect elsewhere.
Raymond was also a strong possibility, but that was after we’d made him touch all the Divine Power Weapons the Castrain Family possessed.
With Lisianthus—who’d already awakened—eliminated, what remained was Rasper.
In the original work, Rasper died young from illness, and the Wave of Oceanos never found its true master.
Since it was said to have been a mage’s weapon among the First Emperor’s companions, if Rasper—who was uniquely interested in scholarship—was the right fit…
Then it made sense that he’d died without awakening to the power at such a young age.
Find all allies who’ve awakened to their power, and exclude darkness which counted as an exceptional case. Water, fire, wind, earth—where would I find four allies? Even with Rasper, that was only two.
And a virtual world experience of unknown duration? Ask Rasper to trust me and all of us to pass this trial together, something like that?
Rasper’s eyes widened at the sight of the jewels of every color spread before him.
“To strengthen the Northern Barrier, originally… I understand all the Divine Power Users are supposed to gather and pour their power into it, yes?”
“Yes, yes, that’s right, but…”
Rasper, sensing the aura emanating from the jewels, looked at me with a bewildered expression.
“After it became impossible to gather Divine Power Users who had actually awakened to their power, the Castrain Family has been devising ways to substitute with Divine Power Weapons, and gathering them however they could. That’s also correct, isn’t it?”
“Yes. After Lisianthus was chosen by the Fury of Flambérge, he also tried participating in every Dedication Ceremony, but it had little effect. It seems the balance needs to be right… Surely you don’t mean…?”
Rasper’s eyes widened as he understood my meaning. The power of wind—I could probably provide that myself.
“I should be able to regulate that balance. What matters is filling all five elements first—light, water, fire, wind, and earth. That’s why I prepared these.”
Traces of things that once held, or currently hold, Divine Power.
“By gathering these together—in other words, creating something where all the powers can work together. More precisely, I’m asking you to create a magical incantation.”
“M-Me?”
“You’re a genius, and with the help of the Wave of Oceanos, you can do it.”
“B-But… with only the objects here, I’m afraid the effect would be quite limited…”
“You’ll create it and infuse it with Water Power, borrow Lisianthus’s fire, and wind… I’ll handle it somehow. And you said there’s a priest you’re close to at the Northern Temple, yes?”
“Y-Yes? They… they’re very fond of me.”
“Then you can receive a Blessing at least. I’ll get one myself.”
As my words continued, Rasper’s eyes grew dimmer. When I glanced at Poda as if asking for an explanation, Poda merely shrugged.
“Her Highness requires it.”
At the master’s half-hearted response, Rasper made an expression of irritation for the first time.
—…Honestly speaking, Contractor, I’m against this.
‘Well, what choice do we have?’
—Ugh, it’s not like you’re supposed to just meet the bare minimum conditions and handle it alone…
‘I know, but we don’t have enough people, no matter how you look at it.’
Rasper seemed to be pondering something as he rolled the jewels I’d shown him with his fingertip.
“Exactly how and in what manner do you intend to use these?”
“I don’t need power great enough to strengthen the Barrier itself. Mimicking it will be enough.”
“I’ve heard many stories about how Your Highness has been helping Bibi and our family.”
The face that had seemed like merely a young boy’s suddenly bore the eyes of a sage.
“But the work of protecting, guarding, and maintaining the Northern Barrier is something our family has upheld for over several hundred years. So much time has passed that we lack methods, information, and materials, and yet we’ve done everything we can, tried our best. …But there were always limits.”
Rasper’s voice was calm.
“I myself could only understand, at a surface level, how the Barrier is structured and how it exercises its power. But I couldn’t change the fundamental structure. Whether it’s the Barrier’s ‘master’ or ‘steward,’ I don’t know… but only those permitted to influence the Barrier are the Imperial Family. And even then, only the direct blood relatives of the person who sits on the throne.”
So that’s why the enemies had Brian deliberately damage the Barrier during the Southern Dedication Ceremony. I’d already half-expected it, so I simply nodded lightly.
“…So, in fact, Your Highness—if you wanted, you could do whatever you wish with this Barrier that we’ve protected with our lives. At minimum, you have the qualification to do so. So, I need assurance that I can trust Your Highness. Once I complete the item you’ve commissioned, in theory it would allow Your Highness to enter the depths of the Barrier that even I’ve never been able to understand.”
“If the Northern Barrier breaks, Magic Beasts will invade the surface from the Underground World. If I don’t want to die, why would I deliberately destroy the Barrier?”
Rasper slumped with an expression of genuine regret and apology for suspecting me and muttered.
“…There are surprisingly a lot of evil people in this world, it seems.”
“I’m joking.”
I whispered softly, “Shine,” and light bloomed all around. This time, carefully—not blinding, just scattering light dust into the empty air.
Unlike the spectacle I’d put on before the Emperor at the Imperial Palace, as days passed, using my power became a little easier.
Whether it was my imagination or not, since I’d lost consciousness on the Mountain Peak, it felt particularly more skilled.
Like someone had opened a path inside my body, the feeling of repeating a familiar act performed dozens or hundreds of times?
“…I can use Light Power. And I’ve been chosen as a Contractor of Beloborg. It’s grandiose to call it a mission, but the power I’ve been given is to fight Chernobog and protect this world. Doesn’t the very sight of this power suggest that Magic Beasts would want to tear me apart before anyone else?”
“Wh-Wha-How…? I-Imperial Palace, when I heard you’d faced a Magic Beast, they said it was the power of a sword?!”
Rasper blinked at the glittering light before his eyes. It was an endearing reaction.
“Of c-course, when I first heard the report, I thought such a Magic Sword couldn’t possibly exist, but if even part of it were true, then if I could learn the structure of the sword and use it as reference to create a similar weapon in the future, it might help my family! But…that…”
“The sword is indeed remarkable, but it’s a power and ability only usable by a Light Contractor, so it probably won’t be very helpful.”
“Wow, a-a God’s Contractor?! I, I never even imagined such a thing! Does the T-Temple know about this?”
“Ha. You study hard and are clever—why would you ask such a thing?”
“Ah, r-right…”
Rasper, who had brightened as if beholding the world’s savior, quickly deflated.
What good is a God’s Contractor when the Temple tears itself in half fighting, and the Imperial Family…when the Emperor hears his daughter is a Light Power User, he’ll try to eliminate me by any means?
I reached over and gently stroked Rasper’s head to comfort him.
“The Castrain Family seems to have grasped something about my abilities, but still, I can’t go around telling people openly. I’ll keep your secret too, of course.”
“Of c-course! I’ll do my best to make the item you asked for!”
“Now, now. Don’t just say ‘I’ll do my best’ without thinking.”
Poda, who’d been watching the conversation between Rasper and me this whole time, interjected.

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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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