Sister-in-law of the Heroine in a Childcare Novel - Chapter 55

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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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Episode 55

The region that had served as the Empire’s granary—blessed with temperate weather and fertile soil—lay devastated by the Beast Tide and its aftermath.
As a result, a severe famine swept through the Empire in the latter part of the year.
The Castrain Family had of course done everything they could, opening their reserves and bringing in supplies from beyond the Empire’s borders.
But no matter how powerful the Castrain Family was, it was impossible for them to shoulder the burden when two-thirds of the Empire’s farmland was gone and most of the farmers had become displaced persons. Besides, the Castrain Family’s territories were mostly in the North.
The Southern Region had been so prosperous, and Magic Beasts had attacked there so rarely compared to other regions, that the damage was all the more catastrophic.
So now, no matter how abundant and pleasant it appeared, I found myself reluctant to wander about sightseeing without a care.
“And besides, this is Cortez County, isn’t it?”
“You’re well informed, Your Highness.”
“The current count is probably in the Capital, but I heard there’s a young count here—about three years older than me.”
A major city in the South where a warp tunnel had been installed: Artula, the city of brilliant flowers.
A representative trade hub and the stronghold of merchants. They had entrusted the management of this entire city to their son as part of his education to become a worthy heir.
Unusually talented in commerce for his age, sharp-witted, and keenly perceptive, he was someone who in the novel survived even after the South was devastated, then went to Bibi to beg her to help rebuild it, falling to his knees. Of course, even in the novel’s timeline, when the South was destroyed, the entire Empire was in trouble.
A civil war had broken out immediately.
Total chaos.
So Bibi coldly refused to help him at that moment. Instead, she declared: “Seize the chance to help me rebuild the South while standing by my side!”
It meant: take you into my service, use your talents to help me, and use me to accomplish what you can.
The young count worked diligently at Bibi’s side and later received the entire Southern territory as his reward, dedicating himself to postwar reconstruction.
Of course, given the current circumstances, it was still far too early for him to display the resolve, maturity, and seasoned cunning he would later show.
Lavished with love by his parents and thriving in an excellent environment where his talents could flourish, he would naturally be drowning in arrogance.
I smiled wryly.
“Yet he didn’t even come to greet me, even though he knew I was arriving today?”
In other words, he was the type to completely dismiss a princess known for having a beautiful face and an empty head.
Actually, he had already done exactly that!
No matter how poor my reputation or how lacking my backing, I was a princess.
If the First Prince or Second Prince had come, he would have been waiting three hours before their expected arrival without a second thought, ready to greet them.
He might even have invited them with a smile, saying, “Would you like to see the sights?”
Even though I had planned to refuse the invitation by using the demanding schedule of the Dedication Ceremony as an excuse, there was a difference between offering empty courtesy and not offering it at all.
But this attitude of “as if I care whether that foolish princess shows up or not”—not even bothering to come greet me—was something else entirely!
Debi tilted her head, not understanding.
“Isn’t the Count of Cortez not really that impressive? I don’t understand why the young count would ignore Your Highness already.”
For a servant in the Castrain Family’s employ, even a Count of Cortez might seem laughable. But not to me.
“Well… I’ve heard good things about him. He’s supposedly outstanding among his peers. The rumors already speak of him being handsome, clever, and capable—and he’s even receiving practical heir education. Maybe I just look like a foolish princess to him! Besides, the Imperial Consort is serious about luxury goods. So perhaps the Count of Cortez, leader of the merchants, finds it inconvenient to befriend me!”
Barbara frowned.
“I’ve also heard he’s quite popular in society, Your Highness. Even the Empress assessed him as a talented individual. However, there were rumors that the current young count, being an only child, is doted upon by the Cortez Family.”
But the young count is still young. It’s hard to believe he would ignore a princess known throughout society as foolish just because he doesn’t want to grovel before her.
Doesn’t the social behavior of a parent differ from that of a child?
Frankly, the current Count of Cortez could afford to ignore me. He’s not even in a position where he needs to bow to someone like me.
But his father can’t say a thing if I summon the son to curry my favor. Moreover, rumors have spread that my relationship with the Castrain Family has improved—so from his perspective, it would be worth meeting with me just to verify the truth….
As I pondered this, watching the ordinary sight of commoners glancing at us from a distance, the priest who had finished speaking with Gregory approached me.
“Your Highness Titania, I am Cronen, High Priest of the Southern Temple.”
He had a pleasant-looking face. But the fact that he spoke with Gregory before greeting me suggested he wasn’t someone I could entirely trust.
“Your journey has been long and taxing, I’m sure. However, the Temple is still some distance ahead. If you don’t mind, shall we board the carriage again?”
“Of course.”
I nodded obediently and climbed back into the carriage. Lisianthus, who had said he would look around the area for a moment, brought his horse closer to my carriage and grumbled.
“This place gets boring every time I come.”
“Have you been here many times?”
“A few times.”
“I’d heard the Castrain Family paid attention to the Dedication Ceremony, but I didn’t know they were interested in the South as well.”
“Two years ago there was a terrible drought in the South, so the Temple complained that they couldn’t even properly conduct the Dedication Ceremony.”
I rummaged through my vague memories. Through the open carriage window, Lisianthus’s profile remained expressionless.
“That year, something was cursed by Heaven. In the North, it hailed constantly from midsummer even though it wasn’t winter. In the South, the drought dragged on endlessly. At least the Central Region where the Capital is was relatively spared, but I came that year too.”
“…If it was that Dedication Ceremony, surely Prince Brian participated?”
“He did. Though it seemed to do more harm than good.”
Ah, hearing that, I remembered.
That’s when Prince Brian and Imperial Consort Cleo had caused an absolute uproar.
The weather in distant regions like the South and North—not even the Capital—was not something the Imperial Family concerned itself with.
But after Prince Brian returned from the Dedication Ceremony that year, the Imperial Consort seemed to harbor hope that once the continent’s abnormal weather settled down, the rumors about her son would improve.
But timing, cruelly and ironically, had other plans: right after Prince Brian performed the Dedication Ceremony that summer, the weather actually worsened.
The Capital suffered flooding from unseasonable torrential rains.
Even Titania, who spent her days shut away in the Imperial Palace, was amazed at how bizarre the weather had become—need I say more?
On top of that, Beast Tides began to stir.
A complete disaster.
The Castrain Ducal House did everything it could to manage the situation. The South and the Capital weren’t their direct territories, but somehow the North had to handle the cleanup.
No matter how much the North held back the Magic Beasts, the other regions couldn’t stop them at all and they kept flowing northward….
So the Duke of Castrain stepped in personally. He reached an understanding with the Emperor, temporarily obtained authority, stabilized the confused Empire, and drove back the Beast Tide.
A guilty memory suddenly struck me, and I looked off into empty space.
Raymond at the time had a thousand tasks: reporting to the Imperial Palace, processing documents and handling various matters under the Duke, all while having barely enough energy for ten people. And yet Titania had the audacity to complain that he wasn’t coming to see her, throwing tantrums like a child….
Whining “Why won’t you come see me?” to someone sleeping three hours a day and working overtime every night—I had no shame.
“Prince Brian couldn’t be sent alone. He came with twenty servants and more than thirty carts of luggage, with Imperial Consort Cleo glued to his side. Horrified at the thought of noble blood being spilled, they substituted animal blood where the blood of the Imperial Family was required.”
“Ugh… I’m not the one who should apologize, but I do feel regretful…. Even though he did all that, Cronen still speaks with Gregory first?”
“The South is a place where wealthy nobles dominate. The Marjid High Priest Faction has significant influence there.”
“And the North is mostly on the side of High Priest Illian?”
“Well, there…. Since so many people get torn apart by Magic Beasts, rather than spouting nonsense about how only the chosen noble few can receive treatment, most of them think, ‘Let’s just try to save some people while people are dying.'”
When the High Priest passes away, one of the existing high priests becomes the new High Priest.
High Priest Marjid, who had sided with the Imperial Consort, leaned toward the nobility faction, while High Priest Illian, who had sided with the Ducal House, leaned toward the common people.
More precisely, the faction that said, “Let us treat them equally regardless of status—isn’t that what the teachings of the Divine ask of us?”
“Since it’s next to the Barrier and it’s a Temple, Magic Beasts rarely attack it.”
Suddenly Lisianthus looked at me with complicated eyes.

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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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