The Dutiful Kid Who Saved the Villainous Family - Chapter 135

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 135

The Imperial Palace dining party was said to be a prestigious occasion attended not only by the Emperor and Lord Ortejo, but also by Cardinal Ibenna.

The Emperor was already curious about Airi.

‘I wonder what her secret was for winning over Princess Rashe so completely.’

…Though catching the Emperor’s attention was hardly a good thing.

From morning, Declan gave instructions to bundle Airi up tightly in her clothes as he spoke.

“No matter how I think about it, you’re going to have your identity exposed soon.”

“Wow! I’ll be exposed!”

“That’s not something to be happy about. You could become a target.”

“Huh, huk! I’ll become a target!”

Declan’s brow furrowed deeply. Then Seraphine spoke up.

“It means you need to be very, very careful with your body, little one!”

Berry, the most mature of the children, also declared seriously.

“This is a grave matter. That’s why we’ve decided to go together too.”

Only Airi, the cheerfully innocent child, chattered excitedly.

“Yes, yes! Seraphine and Berry are coming to the Imperial Palace too!”

“You really can’t cause any trouble now, troublemaker.”

At Declan’s words, Airi made a thoughtful expression.

Soon after, Airi’s eyes widened.

“Huk! That’s right! Clump!”

“…What, what ominous thing did you just realize.”

“Hehehe! And also, now I’m really moving like a hero! Looking at the [Map], the magi needs to decrease to 10, so I’ll go to the Imperial Palace and get rid of it all! There must be a magi clump at the Imperial Palace!”

“…Magi clump?”

“Yes! Just like daddy! Full of magi clumps!”

My head spun.

Was this karma for calling Airi a troublemaker all this time coming back like this?

The child’s creative vocabulary was improving by leaps and bounds every day.

Regardless of Declan’s considerable discomfort, Berry and Seraphine also chattered enthusiastically.

“Then we just need to punish those magi clumps!”

“Airi is strong, after all.”

Watching the children who had somehow become serious, Declan felt like he had become a daycare teacher.

Declan looked at the gift box Airi was holding.

‘More importantly, what is that square box she’s been hiding from me this whole time?’

* * *

Inside the party hall where Princess Rashe’s dining party was being held.

The Emperor with an expectant expression and the Princess with a slightly nervous face welcomed them.

Those seated at the table were mostly composed of nobles with high reputation in central politics.

Declan naturally sat in the seat to the Emperor’s right. When Airi and the other children also took their seats in the empty chairs in a row, the Emperor smiled broadly.

“I welcome everyone who has come to Princess Rashe’s dinner party.”

However, Declan’s gaze was fixed on the opposite side, on the empty seat next to Princess Rashe.

If only one seat was empty, then that place was…

“Cardinal Ibenna from the Temple hasn’t come.”

I naturally thought he would attend the dinner party, but he’s absent.

“He did enter the palace, but suddenly said he had a fever. So he’s being examined at the Medical Office. He said he would attend later if possible, but I’m not sure if that will work out. It’s unfortunate.”

‘Even after experiencing the incident at the Princess’s Palace, he still treats Cardinal Ibenna with respect.’

Whether this meant his faith in the Temple was firm, or the Emperor’s head was really full of flowers.

When Declan finished his thoughts and nodded slightly, the influential figures from high society present trembled.

‘They’re probably worried that the ‘magi-infested’ Lord from the North might get angry and leak some magi.’

To think I’d bring my children and Berry, who’s like a child, to a place with such transparent people.

Just as I was thinking this was truly lamentable, the Emperor smiled as if to change the atmosphere.

“Come now, isn’t this a meaningful day! Bring out the wedding wine that the late Emperor and Empress made to celebrate my marriage 20 years ago!”

“Your Majesty? That precious thing…”

“It’s been a very long time since we’ve had such a good day with even the direct line of the Ortejo Family gathered, hasn’t it? Ah, come to think of it, do you remember?”

The Emperor’s expression became wistful as if recalling old memories.

“Long ago, when times were good, my mother the Dowager Empress held Olivia Ortejo in very special affection.”

“…”

“The Dowager Empress even personally visited Olivia on the battlefield. Why, there was always a bond between them that others didn’t understand.”

Olivia died early, and the Dowager Empress was not mentally sound.

As the story of those who met unfortunate fates became the topic, the atmosphere grew heavy.

Particularly Princess Rashe’s side, her hands were trembling delicately.

But then, Seraphine’s eyes sparkled brightly.

“Wow! So our mother really was the best?”

“…Is that so?”

“Yes. You said the Dowager Empress had great abilities! To think she was friends with such a Dowager Empress! That’s our mother for you!”

At the little one Seraphine’s proud voice, Berry chimed in like a supporting actor.

“That’s right. She’s definitely worthy of being Airi’s mother.”

The atmosphere softened pleasantly at the two children’s cheerful reactions.

“Of course, I welcome everyone who came to my dinner party. Here we have young sprout noodles, a dish created together with Lady Airi Ortejo.”

As the servants began setting the food, Princess Rashe personally explained the dinner party’s main course.

“Oh, it’s green?”

The Emperor’s brow furrowed briefly, as if he didn’t particularly like greens.

Airi thought he was just like a child complaining about side dishes, but the Princess seemed to think differently.

“Yes. But it’s not tough grass. We brought tender young sprouts so you can chew them easily.”

“Oh, really?”

When the Emperor began eating, the others invited to the party also each took a taste.

“It has an interesting flavor?”

“Is it perilla?”

“It brings back childhood memories. This sweet pumpkin soup tastes like what my grandmother used to make.”

Airi thought proudly.

‘Of course, since I asked them to make it exactly according to Grandmother’s recipe!’

At the nostalgic taste, everyone’s forks moved faster.

Seeing the fairly good reactions from people, Princess Rashe looked at Airi and winked.

Then Airi grandly lifted the gift she had placed on the table.

“Emperor sir, I prepared a wonderful gift.”

“Hmm?”

“What, you’re giving it to His Majesty instead of me?”

After glancing at Declan and making a “shh” sound, Airi spoke politely and solemnly.

“This is water grass chocolate.”

“Water grass… chocolate?”

Airi’s secret weapon!

It was gifting the Emperor .

Because…

‘According to Cookie’s investigation, this water grass acts like a shield against incoming magi.’

I wanted to give it to daddy, but…

‘To eliminate the Imperial Palace magi, the big boss seems most important!’

I was worried the Emperor might be a bad adult who wouldn’t eat the water grass because it tasted bad.

So after thorough verification, I made it into together with the grandmothers and orphanage friends!

“This is really, really delicious! You absolutely must eat lots and lots!”

The Emperor received Airi’s gift box with a grin.

“Thank you. But is a five-year-old child already offering bribes?”

“Yes! It’s a bribe.”

Seeing Airi agree without even knowing what a bribe was, soft laughter erupted among those present.

“I see, so there must be a reason you offered this bribe. What do you want, child?”

“Huh, gasp! If I want something, will you grant it?”

“Of course.”

“Then, I want to explore and walk around the entire Imperial Palace!”

“Ahahaha!”

“With Berry and Seraphine and my friends!”

Airi was still a young lady who hadn’t even had her debutante ball yet.

This meant she could only access specifically permitted areas.

The Emperor laughed heartily, thinking it was quite a childlike wish.

“I see, very well. I’ll grant your wish. It’s time to open some well-aged wine, so what shall we do about the children?”

“We’re going for a walk!”

It was quite a natural dismissal order.

Airi could now move freely within the Imperial Palace.

So, the 【Magi Extermination】 begins in earnest!

* * *

Near the pond at the Imperial Palace Annex.

Airi held Berry’s hand with one hand and Seraphine’s hand with the other.

‘Cookie, who has the 【Magi Map】, couldn’t get away…’

It was because the Emperor had insisted on keeping him, calling him the ‘great Purification Mage.’

In Cookie’s place, Raspen was humming behind Airi.

“It’s been so long since I could live happily without being tormented by heavy work.”

“Heavy work?”

“Yes. I nearly died from it.”

Airi gently patted Raspen’s hand.

Then Raspen smiled foolishly and said,

“Ah, I was always digging up skeleton remains and getting scolded by Lord Yelshanad. This is really healing…”

After briefly holding Raspen’s hand tightly and shaking it up and down comfortingly, they walked for a few more minutes.

Suddenly, a warm song reached her ears.

It was the neat and orderly sound of a music box.

When she turned her head toward where the melody was coming from, she saw a wooden door located at the far end of the rear garden.

Something like sparkling light was flowing out through the gap in the door.

“Um, don’t you hear some sound? I can see light too.”

When Airi stopped in her tracks, Berry tilted her head.

“I don’t hear any sound at all?”

“Then, over there! Don’t you see something like light over there?”

“I don’t see anything at all? I just see the back gate of the rear garden.”

Could it be that no one else here could hear the music box sound?

Airi slowly walked following the quiet music box melody.

Then the music box sound grew closer and closer, and the light flowing from the door became clearer.

Airi was about to take another step when she hesitated. Raspen had blocked her path.

“Um, shouldn’t I go there?”

“Yes. I don’t think you should go over there.”

She definitely felt like she should check what that sparkling thing at the door was.

The constraints of being a Confucian girl – ‘You must listen to adults. You mustn’t go to dangerous places’ – held her back.

“Come now, let’s go back. That Person is inside that door.”

“That Person?”

Raspen muttered while stroking his eyebrows.

“The Empress Dowager. I heard she goes back and forth between the separate palace and the rear garden. I did hear that she absolutely never opens that door though… Just in case, let’s go somewhere else!”

But even after hearing all of Raspen’s explanations, Airi felt a bit hesitant.

‘Somehow I feel like I shouldn’t go.’

Airi looked at Raspen once, then at the wooden door once.

‘Strange, it feels like it’s about to open.’

As if proving Airi’s guess right, the music box sound flowed out from the door even louder.

And…

Just when Airi finally followed the adult’s words and turned her back.

Creak.

A small noise was heard.

Airi and her group reflexively turned their gaze toward the door.

The indigo-stained wooden door that had supposedly been closed for so long was opening by itself.

As if it had been waiting all this time for someone to come.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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