Sister-in-law of the Heroine in a Childcare Novel - Chapter 180

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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 180

Adrian shook his hands, apple juice dripping steadily from his fingers.
Count Phalsus fell silent. Everything Adrian had said was true.
Former Princess Valentina simply could not bring herself to speak of such petty details to her nephew and niece. The Former Emperor, after all, had tolerated and supported Valentina’s choice to abandon her own husband and live as she pleased, alone. To her, he was a benefactor. A cherished family member.
An older brother and a younger sister.
The brother was ordinary, but the sister overflowed with mettle. Though it was mere jest, there was talk that had she been born male, she would have been more beloved than her brother.
So the Former Emperor had chosen for his younger sister a suitor from an excellent house—but one whose temperament led him to treat women with contempt. He knew full well that it would have been truer happiness to select someone of lower rank who would adapt himself to Valentina, yet he made excuses: it was his cherished sister’s marriage, so he simply chose the man of highest standing.
Yet he could not bring himself to be entirely cruel to his younger sister either. When she truly began to suffer because of her husband’s illegitimate child and fled, he felt a measure of guilt, and made amends with his own hands for the aftermath.
He gave her substantial wealth and ensured she could live comfortably and without want for the rest of her life, so Valentina never had reason to mention the shameful secret of her older brother that he had always suspected.
“You followed the Emperor’s command and thought the matter settled, then withdrew your hand entirely and lived peacefully, yes? I said nothing, pretended I knew nothing. This way, it all becomes very, very convenient…… isn’t that so?”
Even Titania, who had been festering unto death, was now throwing herself into trying to live properly. Adrian found the sight of these aging people conducting themselves that way utterly sickening. Nauseating. Most of all was his own father.
“You dislike me? You thought to test me? Ha, yes. But if you pick a wormy fruit and the entire box rots…… you yourself lack the qualification to do such a thing, don’t you?”
Adrian did not know this past, nor this future, but when Titania poisoned Bibi’s teacup and everyone—even the Emperor—abandoned her, the Empress fell ill.
‘Mother did nothing wrong.’
‘Among all that transpired in the Imperial Palace, who truly has clean hands and a clean body?’
Burning indignation becomes illness. The Empress had fallen sick from enduring anger and guilt across long years.
‘I would do anything for you. Not that it would be right, but I could do it.’
‘Mother.’
‘Even this is deception. What difference is there from a crocodile’s tears? I cannot kneel before His Majesty and beg him to save that child. He would not listen anyway…… and it would put you in danger.’
‘Mother, if that is the case——’
‘Rather than watch those vile creatures seize the throne and drag this empire into ruin beyond redemption, I…… I can do anything. Anything……’
He would have been gladder than anyone to see Adrian become a glorious emperor and make the empire flourish, but unfortunately Adrian had to sit in a hollow imperial throne in the scorched remains of the palace and suffer miserably.
The Empress did not live long either. At the moment of her death, her body was light as paper.
Adrian of the present did not know this past and future, but he could guess.
So to avoid such an outcome. If one is a responsible adult. One must act—even if it means tearing out one’s own entrails, even if it means betraying one’s own convictions.
All the more so when even children feel shame for what they have done.
‘I have done a shameful thing toward Her Highness Princess Titania.’
Adrian recalled the face of the girl who had confessed to her misdeeds. The one who had paralyzed her opponent in a perilous moment—he had not realized she was a retainer of the Castrain Family, burning through expensive Garnets in succession. Adrian, who habitually kept his distance from the society beauties, had especially had no reason to draw near anyone connected to the Castrain Family. Given how turbulent society had become over Titania’s affair, he had thought he would never encounter such a person here of all places.
Responsible, clever. By reputation alone, she did not seem the type to commit such madness.
‘I had no way to tell her directly, but I know who opposes Her Highness. I chose to aid the enemy of my enemy. No one would have blamed me for staying silent, but I thought I would regret it to the end.’
For such a reason alone?
Yet Adrian found that reason comprehensible.
People can change for reasons as simple as that.
Titania likely still believed it was “out of necessity,” “because I became useful.” But the “changed” Titania, after dropping her bombshell declaration about the Dedication Ceremony at dinner, offered her hand—and it was not calculation alone.
The young Titania had rejected Adrian. He had not thought to keep reaching out to a child who bristled like a defensive hedgehog, quills raised first.
Because of the gentle, approachable image she presented to all—smiling, initiating conversation—there was nothing strange about speaking to her, but it ended there. The child feared incurring the displeasure of the one person who gave her any affection: the Empress Cleo.
So when an opportunity arose to reach out to the changed Titania. It would be a lie to say calculation played no part, but he simply wanted to do it.
So people could commit madness for reasons as simple as that.
“The problem seems to be that His Majesty the Emperor is far too powerful, wouldn’t you say?”
Speaking words that sounded for all the world like sedition, Adrian laughed.
“Looking at the Imperial Genealogy Chart, there’s always at least one black sheep in every generation. I’m thinking of making that my life ambition starting today. I hope Count Phalsus will join me in mourning at the tomb of the late Former Emperor with a sincere heart. You must pay the price for your silence while the empire fell to ruin.”

* * *

“Wow.”
I heard the news summarized roughly and found myself at a loss for words once again.
Especially after learning all the behind-the-scenes details that had never reached public knowledge.
-Wow, Contractor. If my estimate is right, the Magic Beast possessing that Prince Brian’s body is quite strong, and yet if it reacted strongly enough to scorch the palm…… へ[ ᴼ ▃ ᴼ ]_/¯
‘They used something expensive and rare.’
The contents of the Sacred Bowl I had gifted to the Emperor and burned through for performance at the banquet were low-grade goods with little efficacy—I used other means for the performance itself. But if this time it reacted to the genuine article like this, then indeed……
“In fact, word came through our channels asking if we could request items from Priest Illian. I figured you were preparing something. I thought you’d use it to save your own skin, not just as bait.”
Thinking anew of the scale of all this, I clicked my tongue.
What are you relying on to be this reckless?! Even if I did lay groundwork earlier than the original story, this is really like a fish in water……
No wait, at this scale isn’t it more like a goby in water? No matter what, going to someone of the Former Emperor’s standing—what exactly do you think you can do?
‘You knew things were going to hell and did nothing, so you’re complicit in this ruined state. Who do you think you are to test anyone? Do your job properly’—is that what you’re saying?
……What was unexpected was that it was the eldest daughter of Count Orland’s house, Juen. The Orland house had already sent word long ago that they would seclude themselves during this hunting tournament to avoid trouble, and we had readily agreed. But that seemingly quiet young lady went and made a scene—and the one standing beside her without understanding a thing was that young lady who had picked a fight with me……
I broke out in a cold sweat from sheer shock.
Why is it, I wonder. When people get involved with me, they seem to end up doing crazy things? It must be my imagination, right? Surely it’s just that my enemies are so unreasonable that dealing with them leads to desperate scrambling, and the best choice ends up being to strike first?!
Watching me like that, Raymond smiled wryly.
“We did not anticipate that Prince Adrian would act in such a manner……”
“I mean, he looked at me like I was some kind of troublemaker, and then he goes and causes even more trouble……”
“Still, it’s fortunate that everything ended without incident.”
“It seems there are no major problems in Rose Palace either.”
The Imperial Palace was no minefield, it was a complete problem zone.
My own lady-in-waiting is Cleo’s retainer, for one. I’ve rummaged through Cleo’s chambers and stolen things before, and Cleo has tried to plant things in my palace and cause trouble any number of times.
At this point, the palace was less a personal space than a shared combat residence. Rose Palace itself—I’ve secretly built hidden corridors and such in preparation for futures where problems are bound to arise……
Raymond, who had hesitated slightly, spoke quietly.
“……It is said that Her Highness the Empress Elaine is also doing well quietly.”
The mention of the Empress Elaine was the needle that burst the balloon as I strained to hold myself together—I collapsed helplessly before this man. Because she is my birth mother, his gaze watching over me was naturally as careful as could be.
I recalled that item that had passed into Rasper’s hands along with the others.
The Empress Elaine had not told me everything. Because she didn’t trust me? Or because knowing would be to my detriment?

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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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