Sister-in-law of the Heroine in a Childcare Novel - Chapter 243

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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 243

“Rather than the temples that exist now, I believe the detailed records were more abundant in the ancient temples from before the First Emperor formally established the Empire. Even then, there were quite a number of Chernobog temples—and that’s why we have such comprehensive materials. Anyway, after synthesizing all the sources and considering them carefully…….”
A dark flicker passed briefly through Rasper’s eyes.
“Only Gloriana called herself a ‘Contractor of Light,’ but she herself vanished from history without leaving a name. All that remains is the phrase ‘At the northernmost end, she swore an oath to guard the Divine blessing until her soul wore away and disappeared.'”
Hearing that, a bitter taste spread through my mouth. I remembered the mechanical voice I’d heard at the Northern Barrier. Right. So in the future, I’ll end up exactly like that too. Probably.
-…….
I tapped the hilt of my silent sword. Rasper glanced at me and continued in a matter-of-fact tone.
“So my conclusion is this: since there are records mentioning the First Emperor and Gloriana were lovers, I suspect they married and both jointly inherited the status of Contractor of Light. The reason is that the condition for every coronation ceremony is that the Empress must receive the crown jointly. Without an Empress, the ceremony cannot be held at all. In other countries, the king matters more than the queen, so when the previous king passes, they hold the coronation first and then gradually find a new queen. Our country is different.”
-Oh, Beloborg certainly does treat husband and wife as a pair with equal standing! (˚▱˚)
Hearing the explanation delivered this way brought back the memory of when I first picked up that cursed sword with the strange Veris-Pachio name and my clothes nearly burst from the shock. It felt remarkably strange.
So if I’d married Raymond, he could have used my sword too? Not that there’d be much reason to……?
…But the historical records show the First Emperor’s Empress was someone else. So he married Gloriana but held his coronation with a different Empress? Cheating on both? A bitter taste spread through my mouth.
Well, if I were Gloriana, I’d go down myself to maintain the Northern Barrier. I couldn’t just leave the future Emperor as a widower unable to produce heirs. So I understand the impulse to erase my existence and wish him well……. Except I don’t.
Damn it, the Empire has survived all this time because of that saint’s efforts maintaining the Northern Barrier, yet no one even knows her name.
And now I’m supposed to inherit that saint’s position, so all the systems I’ve encountered start to make sense—they’re basically saying, ‘Hey, you’re really a sucker…….’
Still, Beloborg didn’t lie to me. Even though I know the memory of being loved by my parents and living happily is something only I possess—something so fleeting it could vanish like a midsummer night’s dream, with no substance or certainty to confirm it. My wish has already been granted.
I chose the Contract knowing the outcome. I don’t understand the exact circumstances, but I suspect that saint faced a similar situation…….
As I sank into these fresh reflections, Rasper continued his conclusion in a crisp voice.
“…So in conclusion, if we lose both places, I believe we will be ‘completely’ defeated. The Imperial Palace and the Northern Barrier. The condition for maintaining the Northern Barrier is the Direct Imperial Bloodline, but the Imperial Palace has no special conditions, and no one was even certain if that’s correct, right? However, because successive emperors always remained in the Imperial Palace, the coronation ceremonies were always held there…… if that alone is sufficient, it makes sense. And since the Royal Scepter and Royal Crown that successive emperors have inherited are both from the First Emperor’s time, there’d be no reason for anything unusual to occur.”
“Oh…… In other words, if the enemies steal all the Imperial treasures and destroy the Imperial Palace, it’s all over, isn’t it?”
“Put another way, the enemies will certainly target the Imperial Palace.”
…….
A sense of unease spread through me like spilled water from a cup. I’d been assuming there was something in the Imperial Palace—a wedge similar to the Northern Barrier, that the Imperial Palace was an important location. But I’d never heard such detailed information.
I’d only known that war would come and it would be reduced to ruins…….
Now that I thought about it, I hadn’t heard any news from Adrian recently. Same with the Empress. Yet they’re still in the Imperial Palace.
The moment that realization hit me, I stood up without thinking. Seeing me like that, Rasper let out a deep sigh as though suppressing himself.
“In other words, as long as Princess Titania remains safe at the Northern Barrier, we will never, ever be defeated.”
“……Rasper.”
“Unlike my two elder brothers, I didn’t receive the records of the ‘previous’ life.”
“What?”
“But I succeeded in ‘reading’ it.”
Rasper held up his pinky finger. My eyes widened at the sight. A blackened mark wound around the tip like a serpent. Seeing it, Jude let out a faint whimper.
Rasper withdrew an old-looking pouch and drew out a small Stone Tablet inside. It was so ancient that it looked like it would crumble to dust if someone touched it carelessly. He pricked the blackened pinky finger with a needle and drew blood.
The moment a bright red drop fell on the Stone Tablet, it crumbled to fragments. Then Rasper poured water onto the ashes—water created by his own power.
The next instant, my eyes widened. Something reflected in that water. My lips froze in place.
In the black and blue water lay a sleeping figure—Rasper. Simple white grave clothes tangled among the waterweeds. Across pale skin were faint marks similar to the ones now on Rasper’s pinky, but far more numerous and a much lighter shade.
Unlike me, who had stopped breathing in shock, Jude stared at the vision with a pale face. Rasper, watching us both, slipped a specially formed Ring onto his pinky. At once, the image reflected in the water vanished.
…….
“I also succeeded in investigating the cause of death. Among the things the Princess had me make—that Transparent Crystal you mentioned, the one the Empress gave you before. It contained something inside, but it was completely hollow, remember?”
“Ah, yes, the thing the Empress gave me…….”
Was he really stating so flatly that he’d succeeded in investigating his own cause of death? Was this right? And wait—he said ‘unlike my two elder brothers.’ Does that mean not just Raymond, but Lisianthus also has memories of the previous life now? Why? A barrage of questions left my mind blank. Meanwhile, Rasper continued.
“I made a mistake. When you were concerned about Bibi having to search for Arelene Flowers, saying we shouldn’t neglect health checkups because she might be ailing somewhere—I should have caught on then.”
“Wh—what?”
“What the Empress consumed wasn’t poison. It was a drug meant to hollow out her insides, to make her a brittle shell of a body so the enemies could infiltrate her more easily.”
…….
“So she became so fragile that anyone could break her with a push, and she died. The enemies’ original goal was probably to cultivate their seeds inside her before she died and make her a puppet……. But in my previous life, I didn’t become a complete puppet of the enemies. Instead, at the moment of death, my power overflowed and the vessel shattered completely.”
“Wait, wait, wait, wait. Now, if that means…….”
“The Bradley Family were the enemies’ puppets, and handing that thing to the Empress and making her consume it was part of their scheme. I suspect that’s also why the Gloriana’s Veil, which should have been Imperial property, was in their Abandoned Mine—they were conducting all sorts of experiments on it in that remote place, trying to destroy it however they could.”
“So my maternal relatives are a bunch of shit, is that it?”
“Yes, and the strange drug and flower currently circulating in the Imperial Palace and the Capital are estimated to be the final evolved form of the drug the Empress consumed.”
…….
Rasper’s face remained calm, but I couldn’t maintain my composure at all.
“…Drug and flower are circulating in the Imperial Palace and Capital?”
“Yes. They’re holding receptions every day, inviting high-ranking nobles, and trying desperately to expose them to the substance.”
“Hey, Rasper, somehow…….”
“I and my master are working hard to create an antidote.”
The moment my voice wavered, Rasper cut in sharply.
“The main reason Raymond, Lisianthus, and even Bibi kept close and wouldn’t let the Princess leave the mansion was partly this.”
…….
“I’ve heard news from Adrian. He’s cooperating with us, doing everything he can to stand against the enemies. We’ve provided limited protective means to the nobles who sided with us, and we’re preparing countermeasures against Magic Beast attacks.”
…….
“So.”
To me, blinking stupidly, Rasper spoke with a firm voice.
“…Go directly to the Barrier. Don’t concern yourself with anything else anymore.”

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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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