Sister-in-law of the Heroine in a Childcare Novel - Chapter 249

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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 249

“……I believe we must accelerate the plan.”
“By how much?”
“Immediately.”
“Is that so?”
“…I’m not here to speak of circumstantial justifications, or to ask for faith until the end. That’s not what I mean.”
Rasper steadied his breathing and continued.
“Father used to say: assume the worst case. Our older brother was the formal heir of this house. He was told many things we were not privy to. Information about the Castrain Family’s military strength, troop deployments, supply depots, and even the people we employ in secret. If all of that passes into enemy hands?”
“…….”
“It would be catastrophic. A battle lost before it even begins. So what we must do now is not to prepare defensively—it is to strike first.”
“Lisianthus, what do you think?”
With burst capillaries webbing across bloodshot eyes, Lisianthus lifted his head blankly. For a long moment he remained lost, unable to grasp the reality of what was being said, until Bibi reached out and tapped him gently on the arm with her fingertips, rousing him to awareness.
“……He said… that I should do what I believe is right.”
Lisianthus gave a hollow laugh.
“I thought I’d become strong enough in my own right, but when he truly engaged me… I wasn’t worth a single blow. Hah. Damn it all. I want to die of shame…….”
“…….”
“I lost to Titania before. I lost to him. How can I call myself the blade of the Castrain Family? I’m barely a toothpick.”
His voice was rough, like metal scraping against stone.
“I understand now that my thoughts fall short of Rasper’s. In any case, I’m not suited to stand above others. Even now, I ramble—my thoughts aren’t organized well enough to convince anyone of anything……. But Father. A man who has drawn his blade against his own house—surely there is a reason why that older brother didn’t kill this weak, useless younger sibling. Yes?”
“…….”
“Our family members, even if they truly turn enemy—I’m not naive enough to expect them to automatically accept me.”
“…….”
“And it was him who once told me: if you draw your blade, be prepared to have your own blood spilled equally. So… yes. Well, I’ll simply follow the plan of someone better than myself. If I must cut, I will cut. There’s no point clinging to someone who won’t turn back.”
“Then, Bibi. What of you?”
All eyes turned to the girl who stood firm, unmoved and unwavering, her posture unbent. Unlike the haggard Rasper and Lisianthus, her gaze alone burned with clarity.
“I agree with Rasper’s assessment.”
“That we should attack first?”
“…Regardless of Raymond’s true intentions, he has declared himself our enemy directly. He has stripped himself of the heir’s position and made known this fact to all, forbidding entry to every place connected to our house. We must pursue him.”
“And?”
“An enemy is an enemy. And because this enemy knows our gravest weaknesses in detail, I agree that we should act first before our enemies can truly move against us. …Rescuing Princess Titania is important, certainly.”
Bibi pressed her lips together firmly, then continued slowly.
“……The Duke has lived his entire life for the security of the Empire, and every head of the Castrain Family before him has done the same. Raymond was not yet the head when he joined the enemy’s side—he was still the heir. This is not a man whose actions lack intention. Even if there were some greater purpose we don’t understand, and he betrayed us deliberately for it… we cannot afford to trust in that.”
The Duke remained silent.
“We have been betrayed, and we stand clearly in the position of the weak. The best defense is offense—there’s no need to belabor the point.”
“All of you seem to share this view. Do you suppose Raymond failed to anticipate that we might accelerate our plans?”
Rasper answered quietly.
“We cannot prepare for every possibility. Rather than be dragged along by our opponent’s pace… I believe it is crucial that we do our utmost within the options available to us.”
“Fortunately—or perhaps unfortunately—Prince Adrian has also moved faster than expected.”
Prince Adrian had issued ultimatums bordering on coercion to those who chose to stand with him, gathering forces by any means necessary.
Ironically, the enemies paid little heed to human soldiers.
More precisely, they showed no particular interest in the nobles’ private forces beyond those the Emperor had grudgingly furnished to fabricate military laurels for Brian. Had they truly sought to place the Empire wholly under their dominion and suppress all human resistance, they would have needed to reduce the predicted number of enemies. But toward these common human soldiers—not personally cultivated by the Castrain Duke, merely ordinary men—they displayed utter indifference.
So Adrian scraped together whatever he could: mercenaries, cutthroats, anyone. He cared nothing for past grievances or age. In a normal war, mixing nobles, commoners, and mercenaries would breed internal collapse before the enemy—disputes over chain of command, petty rivalries, and the like. But…….
Adrian smiled brightly and said, “Ha ha, does anyone truly care whose neck is stiffest when all are offering their necks to the Magic Beasts?”
Rasper and the Castrain Ducal House had not been idle. Thanks to Flux’s cooperation, an unprecedented South-North Alliance had been forged in the shadows of the Empire, and they had prepared to evacuate people and establish frontlines to face the Magic Beasts should crisis erupt.
Evading the Emperor’s gaze and securing emergency routes was grueling work, and there remained the possibility that preparations would prove incomplete when the moment came. But…….
“Princess Titania will be… fine. There is a possibility they may take her as a hostage and make demands of us…….”
The Duke looked at Rasper, whose face was contorted with suppressed guilt, and shook his head slightly—enough was enough. Yes, enough was enough.
“As master of the Castrain Family, I speak thus.”
The Duke placed an ancient Chessboard upon the table. Upon its black and white wooden face stood a single white piece—a King. The Duke toppled it without hesitation.
“Kill every enemy of mankind.”
Rumble, rumble, clack. The piece rolled across the board, spinning toward the table’s edge before coming to rest.
“…Even if that ‘enemy’ bears the blood of the Imperial Family.”
In substance, it was an order to begin rebellion.

* * *

“Activate the Map Function.”
-M-Master, I’ve been trying this whole time, but it won’t work…….(ι´Д｀)ﾉ
“But the Map Function is supposed to work? I even went through the whole Contractor ceremony, and now the function is blocked. This is outrageous.”
-I’m so sorry for being useless…….(☍﹏⁰)
“No, no! I was just joking around. Jemina is…….”
-She keeps sleeping.(◞‸◟)
One full day since the abduction.
I’m managing better than expected.
That girl—Lilium or whoever—keeps giggling, treating me like a toy, and has left me with clothes and fruit before disappearing.
I’ve been exploring this place like my life depends on it, thrilled at the prospect. The space is hideously vast, with an staggering number of corridors and rooms.
But the wall structure and room shapes feel like… an ant warren carved deep underground. Or perhaps the passages through some immense fruit or plant stem riddled with countless holes.
The room apparently assigned to me has no windows or doors—completely open on all sides. A bed cobbled together from what looks like bundled cloth, a small table, a chair. And inside a cage suspended in midair, Jemina sleeps. I suppressed my urge to mock Lilium’s joke and came back, relieved at least that Jemina was there.
“Does Jemina need to be fed…….”
-Since you’re here with us, Master, it should be fine!（ •́ㅿ•̀ ）
Jemina seems to find this place—so close to her natural enemy—difficult, and keeps sleeping. She doesn’t even seem hungry, snoring away softly. I considered feeding her some of my blood, but waking her wouldn’t seem to make much difference, so I let it be.
I stared down at the rough map I’d drawn from walking myself footsore. I haven’t gone back to the room where Primrose was kept since then.
I can’t quite tell how much time has passed; I don’t know when it’s day or night. I’ve tested my hunger on the sword and eaten a few fruits, and that’s happened twice so far…….
I rubbed my swollen calves and let out a loud cry into the empty air. Only my own voice came back.
“Ha ha, you’re really leaving me like this! You’re looking down on me! How nice.”
-You’re so positive…….(´·_·`)
“Looking down on me like this? I’ll tear a hole—any hole—and get out!”
-P-Please stop poking randomly at every wall you see?!໒( ᓀ ൧̑ ᓂ )७
“A sword’s pride can be abandoned easily enough.”
-No, it’s not about pride…….
Still laughing, I trudged through an unmapped empty space. That’s when it happened.
Thunk.
As I was poking about looking for thin walls or hidden passages, my blade suddenly sank through something—soft like whipped cream or silken tofu—and the sword slid smoothly into the ground. I thought, huh, huh? and gave it a light swing.
Rrrip!
Slice, slice, tear!
And the ground felt lighter beneath me.
“……This place is badly constructed.”
-That’s not the time for that! You’re falling! You’re falling!¯(ºдಠ)/¯ That’s exactly what I was afraid of! I told you to stop!
“The floor’s falling apart too……!”
One full day since the abduction, and then a half day more.
As for my current status: I am falling.

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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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