Sister-in-law of the Heroine in a Childcare Novel - Chapter 264

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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 264

His voice was loud enough to flood the entire Capital.
—Dear citizens of the Empire. Hello, I am Adrian, the prince you’ve heard was so unfortunately expelled from the Imperial Palace.
The faction led by Chernobog had only ever concerned themselves with those who might obstruct their true designs.
They scarcely bothered with human resistance.
Naturally, they’d never imagined something like this—a voice so loud it could carry across the entire Imperial Capital, and perhaps through communications technology to other cities as well.
Well, normally such a technology would be impossible. But it was born from the collaboration of Rasper and Pan.
—Let me be frank with you. Imperial Consort Cleo and Prince Brian have joined forces with Chernobog’s followers, and they are summoning Magic Beasts across the entire Empire. Their ultimate goal is to summon Chernobog himself and reverse the surface world and the Underground World. So it’s just me—a wretch expelled from the Imperial Palace—and the Castrain Family who are currently fighting the Magic Beasts. His Majesty the Emperor may have been deceived by them, but… well, he’s inside the palace, so I suppose he’s simply complying with their wishes?
The very same Megaphone that the High Priest Illian once carried while traveling through the Southern Region with Titania, crying out desperately.
The kind of thing that truly distinguished persons don’t use, finding the way his voice floods loudly to everyone’s ears to be burdensome and vulgar.
Adrian was standing before it, speaking with utter naturalness.
—I speak in earnest. Magic Beasts have invaded. The objective is the annihilation of mankind. It is shameful beyond measure that the Imperial Family, who should protect and defend the citizens of the Empire, has joined hands with the ringleaders of our enemies. But I’ll reserve regret and reflection for after we’ve survived.
Several pages of speeches, each carefully worded and grave, had been hurriedly handed to him. But Adrian only laughed.
With the Imperial Consort and Prince joining hands with Chernobog, with legions of Magic Beasts appearing across the Empire, why should I maintain composure here?
Oh, we must absolutely rescue His Majesty the Emperor. That sort of thing.
Frankly… what…
Everyone’s in mortal danger anyway, so I don’t feel like putting on airs. Let’s just move on.
—For those currently in the shelters, please remain there for the time being if you can. For those of you with the strength to fight, please battle the Magic Beasts. And please don’t die. If you can fight, then fight. If you cannot, then run.
You shouldn’t feel ashamed for fleeing to safety. The enemies’ purpose is mass death. It seems they need it to summon Chernobog. My power falls short of establishing shelters everywhere in the Empire, but still, there are quite a few people in each city willing to cooperate.
Adrian’s voice remained steadily calm throughout.
—Wasn’t it the case that the Northern Barrier prevented Magic Beasts from invading? Yes, that was the situation until now, but it will be different going forward. This is an emergency. Magic Beasts and humans corrupted by Demonic Energy are mixing together and attacking. If you cannot trust me, then trust at least the name of the Castrain Family. Duke Orto has personally taken the field. Not everyone can fight Magic Beasts. That is not shameful. Please run. Please survive. Gather your heart and strength to protect those you hold dear.
Then, one final time, the steady voice grew heavy and deep.
—Adrian del Lace Hamastion. I stake my name on it: I will do my utmost so that everyone can survive.
That voice, at least, could be heard by Brian as well.
Brian felt something surge up in his chest, a sensation he’d scarcely known since Chorte had fully taken possession of his body.
Where did he get the nerve to speak like that?
I could snap a single finger and they’d crumble like ants, like aphids—utterly insignificant things dying. And yet he dares strut about after being shamefully driven out by his own father.
Perhaps that was why.
Knowing full well there was no need for it, Brian went directly to the front gate of the Imperial Palace anyway. He disregarded the panicked voices of his subordinates.
The Imperial Palace was currently sealed. Aside from the chaos within, enemies could not easily breach its walls. Brian stood atop the towering rampart, his cold gaze fixed upon those arrayed before him.
Hair so bright platinum it caught the eye even from a distance. Eyes that laughed with easy humor. Dressed before this crucial battle not like a knight but like a mercenary—slipshod and careless.
“…You.”
“Hey, who’s this? Our thoughtless older brother, whose body and soul were completely stolen by a Magic Beast?”
His tone was irreverent, but Adrian’s smile held more meaning than his words. Brian’s brow twitched.
“You dare speak like that in this situation? What makes you think that flimsy revelation and speech of yours will change anything?”
“Up until now, there was no point speaking because no one would listen anyway. But now? Well, people who were suspicious before will have their confirmation. And how that utter fool of a First Prince suddenly became so wise overnight or whatever…”
“Your mother is burning inside the palace.”
Brian felt a small satisfaction seeing Adrian’s smiling face turn cold and still.
Perhaps this was why Cleo so lowly tormented the Empress?
“What good does it do you to say such things now? Will it save more worms like you? As you waste time with your pathetic words here, your mother is dying in agony inside the palace, burning alive. It was what Imperial Consort Cleo—no, Mother so longed for.
“…….”
“Everyone survives if I do my best? …Ha, hahahaha! HAHAHAHA! But you yourself are merely one lowly human among all the rest.”
“…….”
“And yes, your sister. Your sister is also in our hands. The Castrain Family boasting of their greatness—you were so eager to advertise that Raymond himself stands with us, weren’t you?”
“You’ve become quite human, brother mine.”
“What?”
“Or should I say—lowly? Prince Brian. Did you really think I’d step back from the threats spilling from that mouth? Would I have come here if I hadn’t expected exactly this?”
Adrian laughed.
“If I’d withdraw upon hearing family threats while the entire Empire hangs in the balance between survival and annihilation, then before all those dead, I’d be spouting something like ‘Oh, so sorry, I had my reasons, my apologies~’ Well, spare me the bullshit. Let’s just fight. You look pathetic, like you can’t handle a sword so you’re moving your mouth instead. Or is it that once you scrape away the flesh, the shell remains just as hollow?”
“You, you…!”
Brian, for the first time since Chorte had fully awakened within this body, charged forward without the slightest concern for observers’ eyes.
Soon after, a blast thunderous enough to level a building was heard.

* * *

“Man, the path to get Titania is way too brutal…”
—Brother, the mages will get hurt!
“No, I know. I know we need the mages here to analyze the Barrier and prevent the Magic Beasts from spawning…”

The mages who had hurried from the Mage Tower assisted Pan and Rasper. Though mages were generally suited to office work rather than fieldwork, sometimes the situation demanded it.
And this was exactly such a moment.
That Barrier—the one accumulating Demonic Energy, collecting death to summon Chernobog, now spread not just through the Capital but across the Empire’s other great cities. Driven by the singular will to analyze it and somehow stop it, the support mages had to work in the field despite the mortal danger.
Thanks to the military forces provided by the Castrain Family and others, and the mages’ own self-protection measures, they were holding up far longer and more stably than unfortunate civilians would have.
That Lisianthus stopped by that location on his route was due to Rasper’s small request that if his path happened to overlap with theirs, he’d set a little fire on the way.
“Ah, oh, oh. My disciples have thrived so wonderfully! You, you all. There’s nothing to fear…! I can refashion you into something far more useful than before—yes, into perfect life forms that have never existed until now!”
“Gahhh, the mad mage!”
“Exactly as Pan warned!”
“Activate Barrier Magic!”
“Those things keep reviving even when their heads are crushed! They look human but…”
—Everyone stay calm, and don’t cast separately. Form proper ranks and activate Coordinated Protection Magic! I’ve transmitted the formula, just follow it!
But he had never imagined he’d encounter this mad mage trying to capture the mages alive. Really…

Lisianthus, rendered momentarily speechless, watched as his opponent’s eyes gleamed. Nothing of their actual form could be seen beneath the loose robes, but within those empty eye sockets, flames flickered like burning light.
“Oooh, ooooh, ooooooh! There stands the very blood of the Castrain Family…!”
Those Kosheay commanded looked like animated corpses and spider-like Magic Beasts. The corpse-like ones, no matter where their limbs were crushed, revived moments later. The spider-like Beasts were incredibly fast, their sharp hooks snapping to catch the mages.
And upon seeing Lisianthus burn away one such Beast’s leg and rescue a panicked mage, the mad mage cried out with delight.
“Ooh, ooooh, is that the very flame! Indeed, I wonder how far it could burn at maximum output? If I force it to fuse with Demonic Energy, what color might it burn in…!”
“So you’re the sick bastard targeting my precious little brother?”
“If done right, it might even be applicable to Chernobog’s body. Combine the Purification Attribute with regeneration just right, and if done well…!”
“Done well to what end?”
Lisianthus clicked his tongue and drove his sword into the ground.
A river of white flames spread across the earth, dissolving the limbs of the animated corpses. It looked less like fire than like bleach-diluted lava. The spider swarms scattered cleverly in all directions, but most of the corpses melted away entirely in the flames and did not rise again.
—Brother, don’t push yourself too hard…
“No, yeah. I know that mad mage is annoying. Still, what of it…”

Lisianthus smiled faintly.
Any mage who lets a swordsman get close is already defeated from that point on. Little brother.
So never pick a fight with a swordsman at close range. You might still win since you’re a genius anyway.
Leaving behind advice that sounded almost like a jest, he charged toward the enemy.

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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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