Sister-in-law of the Heroine in a Childcare Novel - Chapter 227

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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 227

The Duke laughed hollowly and said only this.
“I’ve heard plenty from my own children too. Don’t pretend you don’t know and carry it all alone. They say if you simply disappear like that, how could anyone left behind ever be happy?”
……
He was speaking of the time when I had killed the Magic Beast and blocked others’ approach, ready to die myself.
Though the words were meant for the Duke himself, hearing them made me restless.
As I avoided his gaze, the Duke continued without concern, his tone as casual as an elder sitting down a passing child to offer unsolicited advice.
“In my time, living was so arduous… I thought merely surviving was something to be grateful for. That’s how our family has always been. But when a third party looks at it, there’s nothing more infuriating, according to the young guest in our house.”
“A guest?”
“The teacher you provided to my third son.”
My hands, gripping the wooden box, involuntarily tensed.
Ah, so he knows everything after all. Of course—he’s the Duke himself, not someone else. It had been years since Rasper began his activities, plenty of time for him to have unraveled all the details of the contract, my connections, everything.
Though I hadn’t particularly tried to hide it perfectly even then.
“…Strictly speaking, I didn’t exactly ‘provide’ him, did I?”
“Well, in any case, your fates did intersect. Regardless, though I appear to others as a complete old man confined to the back room, that’s not entirely the case.”
……
“Princess Titania. Well, perhaps being called by that title is no longer pleasant. But first, I must ask: is there something you absolutely must do?”
My lips sealed shut. The Duke, as if he’d expected this, continued calmly.
……
“Is there nothing my family and I can do to help with that?”
……
“Stubborn as iron, aren’t you. Ha, remarkable. That I should find myself calling someone else stubborn—others would find that quite amusing.”
-There might be a way, might there not?
The Dagger suddenly posed the question to me.
‘A way? What do you mean, suddenly?’
-……Well, some method by which all of this could be resolved peacefully and safely without the Contractor becoming the new Pillar of the Barrier?
‘If such a thing existed, I’d be grateful indeed……’
The God of Light was facing extinction. And even if I were to escape danger right now, that damned Chernobog would continue forever, forever in the Underground World coveting the surface.
Even if Adrian’s son later comes to his senses and manages the Imperial Family, what if the Imperial Family rots and corrupts as the current one has, or the bloodline is cut off entirely?
I can’t simply adopt the naive thinking of “as long as there’s no problem while I’m alive.” And besides, if I who made a direct contract with the God of Light become the Pillar of the Barrier, maintenance work and such no longer matter. The Imperial Family can collapse, and it would be fine. I too saw no other way.
‘This is peaceful in its own way. I won’t die, after all. Well, it seems I can’t even die, but……’
“……Would it help if I asked you to look after Adrian and the Empress later?”
“Is there nothing you yourself need?”
“No. You’re already giving me all this……”
“It doesn’t seem like I have enough to give. How about this?”
“No, wait—that looks like a national treasure-class weapon! Please don’t just thrust things like that at me!”
The Duke tossed something heavy, wrapped in silk cloth, into my arms.
I set down the wooden box beside me in confusion and made as if to return the weighty object to him without even examining it—but my gesture met no response.
-You’re going to use a different weapon instead?!
(☍д⁰)
‘Why are you acting like I’ve been unfaithful?! I didn’t accept it!’
-You did accept it!≡≡≡=(ﾉTдT)ﾉ
‘No, this isn’t accepting—I just haven’t returned it yet!’
While I was flustered by the Dagger’s sudden complaint, the Duke chuckled and took the object back.
There was no reassurance—he unwound the cloth himself and made a gesture for me to give him my hand.
“A warrior ought to have at least one spare weapon. Besides a long sword, something like this is perfect for emergencies. My late wife used this well.”
“I can’t accept something so historic! If anything, you should give it to Bibi……”
“It doesn’t suit Bibi’s hands. When Bibi grows older, I won’t mind passing it to her then.”
……
A bronze-colored chain with a polished black stone attached. As I fastened the clasp around my wrist, I felt the cool, distinctive touch of metal. The Duke pointed to a small plate attached behind the stone.
“Press that firmly and it will transform into a Dagger shape. Not very long—just about the width of a palm.”
……
The object looked as though many years had passed since its making. Should I accept a keepsake of the Duke’s wife? And with the strange aura emanating from that black stone?
“By the way, even if you return it to Bibi claiming you won’t accept it, Bibi’s reaction will be the same as mine.”
“……I will treasure it and use it carefully……”
I’ll have to find a way to pass it to Bibi before entering the Barrier……
Only after receiving these unexpected gifts in layers did my meaningful private audience with the Duke come to an end.
Having already consumed all the refreshments and desserts, I hardly needed tea, yet I found myself being led by Bibi—who had been waiting nearby the Duke’s study, apparently fearing I might escape—to a tea time gathering.
A fragrant teacup placed before me, Bibi grasped my hand, her blue eyes gleaming brilliantly.
Her clear blue eyes blazed as if she were making a vow.
“You’re allowed to hate our brother.”
Me? Hate? Who?
I reflexively closed my mouth before responding.
……Ah, right. I’ve kept my distance from Raymond and said he was bothersome, and I did dissolve the engagement after all. When I think about it that way, it might look like I hate him……
“You’re allowed to find our father troublesome.”
Even from a box sealed tight with a lid, a fresh fragrance continued to emanate. I glanced down at the wooden box in my lap once more. The Bracelet at my wrist now clicked softly—I’d worn Flux’s gift for years and grown attached to it, but now it was gone, replaced by this piece. The late Duchess’s keepsake was now on my wrist, yet Bibi’s reaction was “Father’s bothering Sister!”…Bibi…

“But you mustn’t dislike the Castrain Family’s money!”
Gleam!
The brilliant diamond key Bibi held aloft flashed in the air.
The key to the Castrain Family’s underground treasury—carved from a single 92-carat pink diamond, no less. That one key alone could buy a decent castle.
Bibi extended the key to me with what looked like resolute determination.
What?
What are you offering?
I stared at the brilliantly glowing pink mineral before me in a daze.
The wooden box in my lap began sliding aimlessly until I hastily caught it. I blinked and uttered a question mark.
“…Huh?”
“It’s for you, Sister.”
“Bibi, this isn’t something the Castrain Family should give to an outsider…is it?”
“Why would you be an outsider!”
Bibi shrieked indignantly, as if to say how dare I speak such nonsense.
“You’re always like this, Sister! How could you—pretending to be dead and fleeing the Imperial Palace without taking a single piece of treasure? You’re so naive about the ways of the world! Running away with nothing but the clothes on your back is nothing but suffering!”
……
“Even if you decide the Castrain Family is filthy and petty and you want nothing to do with us, a family vault is still a family vault!”
……
If I’m being honest, I did take quite a lot of money when I fled.
Besides the Seaside Villa I purchased, I owned several buildings in the Capital.
I’d also bought land and buildings near Armerin for when I might visit the former Empress, and purchased warehouses……
“I took a lot of money with me.”
“Just that much!”
Bibi erupted in anger.
“If you want to live comfortably and enjoy yourself, you need enough that servants lay red silk carpets everywhere you go and deploy the finest carriages! That money wouldn’t even feed the Castrain Family forces for a week!”
“Right, the scale really is different……”
“If you’re hiding your identity, you can’t maintain proper guard forces without money! Of course, no amount of money will stop people who want to betray you from betraying you. But if you have enough money, you can shut their mouths, or so Lisianthus said!”
“That one…what’s his problem anyway?”
What on earth is the parenting in this family like. The Dagger responded with firm conviction.
-Probably all of it?
סּ_סּ
“So take it, Sister! Take as much as you want!”
……
“Do everything you want to do!”
……
I looked at the key once, at Bibi once, then at the key again before calmly pressing it back into Bibi’s hand.
“Bibi……”
“Ugh, isn’t even this enough? Is it because you couldn’t break into the Imperial Palace vault? Should I break into it?”
A gleam of madness flashed in Bibi’s eyes. What’s with her acting like she’s responsible for the Imperial Palace vault……
I recalled the Duke’s hollow voice from moments before.
‘After all, people’s bonds and feelings don’t flow according to calculation, so there’s no helping it. Even when caught in a trap you don’t know about, all you can do is accept it.’
Was this the trap then?
A golden trap scattered with diamonds?

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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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