Sister-in-law of the Heroine in a Childcare Novel - Chapter 41

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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 41

I couldn’t allow my mother to become a loser.
I couldn’t reduce her to begging for her son’s life before an enemy she would gladly gnash her teeth at, having already lost her pride and her dignity, reduced to misery. I simply could not.
So I granted myself no indulgence in my own feelings, either.
“The wretches will never think to apologize anyway.”
“Even so, my faults do not disappear.”
The Empress Consort looked like the portrait of a middle-aged woman worn thin by bearing a heavy burden for far too long.
Yet the accumulated traces of time layered upon her—like dust settled on a sculpture displayed in a museum for decades—were not ugly. She was like an owl settling into her nest at twilight, wings folded.
“Thank you for your apology.”
I bowed my head respectfully.
“And now, let me tell you about the role I’ve taken on this time….”
Without hesitation, I confirmed the path I needed to advance along. And Brian’s location.
That’s right. I can barely wield a sword, I’m not a beloved princess, and my reputation is nearly abysmal. On top of that, I’ve supposedly just woken from a coma and now bear a curse. And I’m about to brandish a Demon Sword, no less. So there we have it.
I spoke with a smile far too playful for an imperial princess.
“A jester. To mock a king and still live, one must be a fool, don’t you think?”
Let’s take one desperate gamble on a game built of lies and deception.

* * *

The Empress Consort, her mind desperate, urged the Emperor toward the Underground Labyrinth.
Marquiz, the High Priest, asked whether it wouldn’t be better to first confirm that Princess Titania remained in the Queen Consort’s Palace, but the moment Brian became involved, the Empress Consort was beyond reason.
In truth, the news reaching her so quickly after Brian was chased by a Magic Beast and fell into the labyrinth was not a natural coincidence. It had been deliberately arranged beforehand so that information would flow directly from the Castrain Ducal House.
‘Something has gone wrong’—the Empress Consort realized this faster than anyone. She should have noticed something was amiss the moment the Queen Consort’s Palace fell silent!
Of course, the fact that Titania, who ought to have been sleeping peacefully inside the Queen Consort’s Palace, and the Empress, who ought to have been protecting her, were both absent from this place—this alone was reason enough for the Empress Consort to grow concerned.
But with Brian himself being hunted by a Magic Beast, how could she remain in the Queen Consort’s Palace?
“Your Majesty, what should I…?”
“If anything happens to Brian, the High Priest will treat him immediately, won’t he? And you’ll certainly discover the true culprit behind today’s wickedness in the Imperial Palace.”
“Your Majesty speaks true.”
Marquiz and the Empress Consort exchanged anxious glances.
The Emperor accepted the Empress Consort’s proposal without question—that she would rescue Brian herself, taking even the Royal Guard that only the Emperor could command. In truth, today’s events had struck the Emperor like a bolt from a clear sky.
Magic Beasts suddenly assaulted the Imperial Palace, and among them Brian was being hunted. Nothing made sense!
They said Titania had been cursed, and yet looking at what was happening, it seemed as though the entire Imperial Palace had been cursed instead!
The Emperor had scarcely ever seen a real Magic Beast in his life. Even when he had, they were nothing but corpses already long dead.
So when he heard Brian was in danger, he decided without much thought to fetch the Royal Guard and go to his aid. A very typical response from someone of royal blood who had never once faced a genuine threat to his life.
But the Empress Consort understood the true gravity of the situation.
An assassination attempt? Was someone trying to eliminate Brian using Magic Beasts? All manner of suspicions flooded her mind. Why now? Why today? The situation was too urgent, too desperate for that cowardly Empress and that impertinent girl to have orchestrated this.
Who was behind it? Had the Castrain Ducal House sharpened their blades? When the Marquis House of Rand provided the item this time, they had left a message: ‘The price the House of Evrelios demands is not simple.’ Could she have become entangled in their affair somehow? The Empress Consort cried out, filled with anxiety.
“Brian, Brian. My child! My child, are you there? Are you safe?”
All those thoughts dissolved like foam the moment she entered the Underground Labyrinth and saw what lay within.
“Uuuuurgh!”
A Magic Beast’s anguished cry.
Flash.
A pearlescent golden light blazed through the darkness. Like gold sand glinting in sunlight, a sacred radiance illuminated everyone. The light was so blinding that all of them reflexively shut their eyes, then slowly opened them again.
Seeing a figure here—someone the Empress Consort never imagined would be in this place—she spoke numbly.
“…Titania?”
Before a Magic Beast crumbling to ash, the princess stood holding a sword that shone with light as pure as a Holy Sword.

* * *

When I devised this scheme, there was one hypothesis I had to verify first.
Why had Bibi and I fallen into the Underground Labyrinth?
When I asked her while we lay in comfort on the bed in the Queen Consort’s Palace, she hesitated for a moment. But then she looked at me straight and answered.
‘In that Garden, there’s actually an ancient Imperial Artifact sleeping. It belongs to the Imperial Family since it’s in the Imperial Palace, but no one in the current Imperial Family seems to know of its existence. I was actually trying to secretly retrieve it. I’m really sorry.’
‘Something that grand exists?’
‘Yes. Actually, I was even more curious because the person who abandoned me supposedly wore something that looked similar.’
‘…The person… who abandoned you?’
‘You know I was adopted, right? The person who left me on the street was wearing robes from head to toe. Around her neck was a five-colored Leaf Necklace that shone. I’ve read various books, and they say the artifact that keeps the Labyrinth Garden perpetually green has that appearance….’
Hearing this, I almost dropped my teacup.
…Wasn’t that the thing that disappeared in the original work after letting Bibi go back as a Returner? Because no one but Bibi could touch it, it was sold and bartered and stolen repeatedly, but no one could ever take it from her. So she held it until the very end of her first life, and in the original work starting from the second cycle, it didn’t exist at all. But it’s an Imperial Artifact?
You’re a Returner? Actually, I’m a reincarnator! I bumped my head and remembered my past life, and in that life I read a book with you in it and figured out the future! I couldn’t say any of that out loud, so I quietly drank my tea like water while cold sweat ran down my back.
What is this Imperial Palace’s true nature? There are Magic Beasts in the labyrinth. Strange artifacts and creatures that even the Imperial Family doesn’t know about are hidden all over the place.
‘I’m so glad you trusted me enough to tell me. Whether you take that Imperial Artifact or not, I don’t care. The Emperor doesn’t even know about it. Don’t worry.’
‘…Really?’
‘Really!’
‘Why are you so kind, big sister…? What if someone takes advantage of you for being so kind…? As a royal, I should be angry—you tried to secretly take an Imperial Artifact and fell underground and put your own sister in danger!’
Bibi got indignant, as if she were about to cry more than I was.
‘Really! Big sister! Really! This is what you do to Bibi!’
‘Do to you?’
‘I love it so much!’
Bibi hugged me tight. I hugged her back. Ah, she smells so good. When the warm, adorable Bibi nestled her cheek against my chest, my heart naturally grew warmer. She really is the heroine of a child-raising story! A precious thing who saves her family through her charm, and the country too, and the whole world!
‘I love Bibi too!’
‘But don’t do this with anyone but Bibi, okay?’
Bibi pouted her lips as she spoke. Ah, grumpy Bibi is so cute. I reflexively answered her.
‘It’s because you’re Bibi!’
‘What could I possibly trust you with!’
Bibi flared up again. But I can’t very well tell her that you’re a righteous, cute, clever reincarnator—the female protagonist of a second-cycle life—and I’m relying on you because I’ve seen your life spoilers.
‘You’re so… cute?’
‘…….’
One of Bibi’s eyebrows crinkled. Really? Seriously? Her eyes asked the question anew.
‘Y-you’re the real power behind the Castrain Ducal House?’
‘If you were nothing but a member of the Castrain Ducal House, you wouldn’t care for Bibi?’
‘Of course I would!’
‘If Bibi’s cheeks weren’t as plump as buns, you wouldn’t love her?’
‘Whether your cheeks are like bread rolls or sandwich bread, I don’t care!’
‘Then it’s all a lie?’
‘…Because you’re my betrothed’s little sister?’
Bibi let out a pained groan. As if to say that would have to do, she shook her head back and forth.
‘Since big sister is on Bibi’s side, Bibi will be on big sister’s side too.’
‘Y-yes, let’s go with that!’
‘So big sister can’t go throwing yourself around like last time. No matter what reason you give, even if it’s for Bibi’s sake.’
‘…….’
‘Big sister?’
‘…I’ll try my best!’
‘Big sister?’
‘…I’ll try really hard!’
‘When big sister just thinks about last time, Bibi gets so sad….’
‘…I’ll try incredibly hard!’
‘Good.’
When I stammered out that promise, Bibi finally nodded as if satisfied.

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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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