Sister-in-law of the Heroine in a Childcare Novel - 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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Chapter 177

“Ta-da!”
I burst into laughter at the sight before me. The children, armored from head to toe in clothes, gloves, hats, and scarves to keep not a scrap of bare skin exposed, looked nearly twice their normal size. The fact that they were covered head to toe in snow from riding the sled, and were gesticulating proudly at a snowman that was exactly their height beside them, was genuinely adorable. Rasper smiled shyly as well.
“I’ve almost never made a snowman like this before…. Is it ugly?”
I laughed looking at the things preserved nearby—some lumpy creations made of rounded snowballs, unmistakably snowmen with stones pressed in for eyes, nose, and mouth.
“No, not at all! They’re cute. But what’s this thing? A house? It’s all squashed in places, but those sharp corners look like…. Firewood for a campfire? No, wait—a sled. That’s it, a sled! Is this part here the footrest? Bibi and Rasper really do have great handiwork——”
“Those kids brought the sled! Look, the lead dog!”
“…and my eyes must be going bad. Ah, I see! The six dogs are actually very well made!”
“But that part is the actual sled——”
“Our Bibi is such a conscientious child! Since a sled and its dogs are partners, she made sure not to leave either one out—how thoughtful!”
“That’s not it at all! I just couldn’t make it!”
Bibi flared up in anger. Rasper, standing beside her, whom I’d expected would simply try to soothe her, spoke instead.
“N-no, it’s fine. I can make you a perfect mold for snowmen and sled dogs! It won’t even take a day. With that, we could make anything——”
“Bibi works so hard at everything in the world—of course she can make a snowman! That’s not the point! You don’t need a mold. Bibi just wanted to give her big sister the most beautiful snowman in the world as a gift. It’ll be as lovely as the Snow Queen!”
“Really? I’m truly grateful, Bibi. Just knowing your heart——”
“Anyway, a snowman is a snowman. Look at this part too.”
Bibi huffed dismissively at the ugly snowman and briskly guided me forward. I followed her and Rasper to a clearing that was relatively bare from their snow-work, my eyes widening with interest.
Bibi kicked at a shallow heap of snow piled on one edge of the clearing. As the loosely stacked snow scattered, the ground beneath became visible.
A hole large enough to fit one or two people had been burrowed through. I wondered if the surrounding snow had hidden it from view.
“……This is.”
I examined the situation and spoke with an uncertain tone.
“Definitely a tunnel, isn’t it?”
“Yes. You see it too, don’t you?”
“……The dogs dig when you ride the sled out here often?”
I reached out to Sword with a wondering tone.
‘Do you sense any Magic Beasts nearby?’
-No, I don’t sense any Magic Beasts!(╯•﹏•╰)
That was a strange nuance. No Magic Beasts?
‘Then what?’
-……There are traces of a Divine Beast nest here.(·•︠_•︡ )
‘Huh? A Divine Beast? Suddenly? Why? Here?’
-That’s what I’m saying! Divine Beasts do reproduce on their own, but they don’t usually just show up carelessly in a place like this, you know?! And especially not here?! Why?!(●ó⌓ò●)
‘How am I supposed to know what you don’t know……’
As I stood pondering the tunnel, Lisianthus approached, apparently finished with his business. He looked confused seeing us with our heads together in thought, then his expression shifted to surprise when he spotted the hole.
“What are you two—— Oh? There’s one here too.”
“Hmm? The dogs were calling out—did something happen?”
“I found something odd and called you over. It’s strange, though. Not enough to suggest Magic Beasts. The dogs are acting weird too, whining and all.”
…Should we go in?
He’d said there were no traces of Magic Beasts nearby. Since Divine Beasts came up, we probably should investigate. It doesn’t look particularly dangerous, but it bothers me to just leave it. I was only thinking about it when Sword’s voice grew uncertain.
-Everyone’s going to be anxious about this……
‘Yeah, I know.’
“Even if a Magic Beast managed to escape this far and dug the hole……this mountain is so strangely devoid of wildlife and everything else that there’d be nothing to eat. And since it’s summer, we can’t assume it’s a creature going into hibernation.”
“Aren’t you going to check it out?”
“I can’t take the children and do something dangerous. The sun’s already halfway down. If we waste more time out here, we might not make it back before dark.”
Lisianthus whistled sharply, gathering the hesitant dogs together and reloading the sled.
Just as Lisianthus said, the sun was already half-past the horizon. If we lingered any longer outside, we might truly end up returning in complete darkness.
The return journey, just like the way there, was made by dog sled.
The moment we arrived, people who had been waiting rushed about to guide us to the bathhouse. After washing in the space provided to me, changing clothes, and coming out to sip warm tea, I heard someone knock on the door.
It was Raymond.
“May I intrude for a moment?”
“Yes.”
It was clear he’d been working the entire time from before we departed until our return. After seating him across from me and courteously pouring him a cup of tea out of etiquette, he took a sip and asked.
“Did you enjoy the outing? Lisianthus in particular has a tendency to be reckless when he’s in the Castrain Domain, thinking of it as his territory, so I was worried.”
“No, the sledding was quite fun.”
Both riding it myself and being taken by the dogs. Both were enjoyable……
I want to ride again. Tsk. Is it because my body is still young? Why is this so much fun……
No, this world doesn’t have gyrodrops. The moment I thought of the sled, I caught my mouth curving upward and forcibly suppressed it.
“Ah, is that so? I’m relieved.”
Raymond’s voice took on an awkward note as he addressed me.
“As for me, I simply cannot acclimate to sledding……It was difficult to guarantee you would enjoy it.”
“Really? I thought you’d be good at any form of transportation.”
“The concept of using a means of transportation as recreation is rather……unfamiliar to me. I find it difficult to attach sentiment to it.”
“……”
Perhaps it was my imagination, but Raymond’s face seemed to contort as if he’d bitten into bitter medicine. Yet it passed quickly. Raymond returned to his composed expression and spoke.
“The dogs Lisianthus raised are wolf-dogs. Their mother was killed by a Magic Beast, leaving only the pups, and he insisted on raising them somehow—and in the end, he’s raised them so well.”
“That’s very much like Lisianthus.”
“…Yes, it suits him. He’s sentimental and stubborn about having his way. I’ve heard they’re not originally a breed for pulling sleds, yet he finds every way to use those dogs. Unlike people, dogs don’t know how to refuse, and they’re not in danger even if left loose in the mountains, so the incidents that occur with them running around constantly are beyond counting.”
“Incidents……”
“For example, new traps were placed along the perimeter to stop Magic Beasts, but whether Lisianthus gave the wrong command or not, instead of hunting Magic Beasts, the dogs hunted and destroyed the traps themselves. They did return with all the traps in their mouths, but they were damaged from being carried all this way, so ultimately they became unusable.”
Raymond elaborated on his explanation.
Previously, he’d issued simple commands like that and given them rewards—meat chunks or sweets without chocolate—and so the dogs had spent every day finding excuses to earn snacks. Thanks to that, they brought back absolutely every single trap, achieving a 100% recovery rate.
Listening to that story, I wasn’t sure whether to laugh or not.
“…That really is the sort of accident Lisianthus would cause.”
“Yes. That’s how he is in all matters. There have been far worse incidents than that.”
“You’ve certainly had a lot of trouble because of the Young Duke.”
The Castrain Family is indeed a family with strong bonds between members, but how should I put this—knowing that the state of this family’s harmony before Bibi arrived was absolutely disastrous, he’s truly gone through a lot……
It seems people full of responsibility end up shouldering all the burden no matter where they are.
Back when I worked on Earth, I recalled a team leader who, at our company drinking event, stayed until the very end of the gathering, deflecting a senile supervisor drowning in alcohol and a madman eyeing a female employee losing consciousness, then safely sent all the juniors off in taxis. He’d said he couldn’t leave his seat because he knew exactly what disaster would unfold if he didn’t. His nickname was the Guardian Angel. As I was lost in thought, Raymond asked me.
“How do I appear in Your Highness’s eyes?”
“Whatever I say might sound like mere courtesy, but in this domain…… Most ordinary people would already understand that the Young Duke works hard taking care of Lisianthus and handling his own duties. Does my particular perspective matter so much?”
I offered those words in a somewhat joking tone, but his answer carried unexpected weight.
“Yes, it does.”
“……”
“To me.”
Eyes as clear as a lit wick in a brazier.
I remembered Lisianthus looking at me with eyes whose depths were unreadable.
“I didn’t realize the Young Duke was someone who needed recognition from others.”
“Your Highness is not a complete stranger to me.”
Conversation with Raymond felt like running on a wheel. If I threw him a curveball, yes—this spinning wheel would surely stop.
But the question was whether I could take responsibility for the direction it changed.

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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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