The Teddy Bear Sends the Insomniac Villain to Dreamland - 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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Chapter 55
An invitation to a banquet had arrived.
“Wow! An invitation! A banquet!”
“Really? Where? Where is it being held?”
“At the Royal Palace! How wonderful! Let me see… it’s a birthday banquet for Second Prince Ian Serres Cardenas?”
“A birthday banquet for His Highness the Second Prince?”
“Yes. I read it all from up here.”
“…Get off my head. What if someone sees?”
“I came because I heard you were practicing alone in the Training Ground.”
The Leblanc Family Training Ground, which Nix had reluctantly visited after my persistent urging to see Blake.
After wandering about for some time, we happened to meet Ronald, who had come to deliver the invitation.
And now.
Thanks to that, I could witness a situation containing very interesting news!
And for good reason—a banquet, no less.
A Royal Palace banquet!
Royal Palace banquets were not held at just any time. Even in novels, they only took place when there was an important event at the Royal Palace or a member of the Royal Family had a birthday.
Lying comfortably on my belly atop Blake’s head, I marveled as I read the banquet invitation in his hand.
“It says to be sure to attend because it’s the Second Prince’s banquet. Are you going, Blake?”
“Get down, I said. It’s really dangerous, hurry.”
“It’s fine. I’m incredibly nimble. And if I fall, Nix will catch me. Right?”
“Of course!”
Blake’s brow furrowed as he alternated his gaze between the two of us chattering away so noisily.
Standing upright with a sword tucked at his waist, he called to his butler, who was watching contentedly from the side.
“Ronald.”
At that look—why did you bring them all the way here?—Ronald offered an awkward excuse.
“Hehe, Miss Nix and Miss Vivian were so insistent with me. I couldn’t help but bring them along. Please understand.”
Blake let out a small sigh.
“There will be a Demon Beast preparedness drill soon. When some of the senior officers gather for strategy meetings, you must absolutely keep them from coming.”
“Of course.”
“A Demon Beast preparedness drill? Where are you going?”
“It’s something we do regularly.”
“I see.”
Since this was a country where Demon Beasts appeared, they were always prepared.
It wasn’t particularly surprising.
Instead, I found it endearing how Blake answered my questions so dutifully, and I patted his head affectionately.
Ronald cleared his throat as he watched Blake accept the petting so obediently.
“Ahem, well then, Young Master. How shall we respond to the invitation?”
“Tell them I can’t attend.”
As expected, his answer came without a moment’s hesitation, as if he had no intention of going.
The ones who were surprised were me, Ronald, and Nix.
“What?”
“That’s a bit….”
“What a shame….”
Blake let out a hollow laugh, apparently surprised that even Ronald and Nix would react this way, before asking.
“Your reactions are amusing. Is there some reason I must go?”
“…No, sir. However, even if you are busy, it is a banquet celebrating a dear friend’s birthday. Would it not be fitting to at least make an appearance?”
“Ian is the sort of person who would understand if I couldn’t attend. Lea Everett is different.”
“Lea Everett is coming?”
The name “Lea” reached my ears just as I was lamenting my misfortune. I perked up and asked, and he gave a short nod in response.
Thanks to that, my body swayed precariously and nearly tumbled downward.
“Hey… be careful!”
Blake caught me with surprising speed and eventually lifted me down from his shoulders.
“…Come down properly.”
He wrapped his large arms around me.
Settling into a far more comfortable position in his embrace, I asked again.
“If Lea is going, why won’t you?”
He’d been denying it all this time—did he truly have no interest in Lea?
I was curious about Blake’s reaction.
His amethyst eyes flickered downward slightly.
“If Lea Everett is attending, must I necessarily go as well?”
“You should seize the chance to win over the Empire’s most beautiful woman, Blake. When two handsome men compete, the rivalry becomes fiercer. Isn’t that right, Nix?”
Nix, who had recently acquired knowledge equivalent to a master’s degree from romance novels, nodded eagerly as if she’d been waiting for this moment.
“Yes, and it becomes all the more entertaining simultaneously. It’s a fundamental principle of romance novels.”
“What are you letting her read?”
“Nothing much. I’m just showing her the hidden treasures of the library. I’ll show you later too.”
“Never mind. Either way, I’m not going.”
Hmm, something still felt off.
No matter how I looked at it, his attitude showed little genuine interest in Lea Everett.
Was Blake’s heart also diverging from the original story?
But if he didn’t love Lea Everett, then why did the ending turn out that way?
Was the story unfolding differently from the original?
I couldn’t stop worrying about it.
If—truly if—this ending were to differ from the original…
I hoped Blake would be happier than in the original ending.
That was the only thing I wanted from this altered conclusion.
‘I should observe this more carefully for now.’
He, having firmly declared he wouldn’t attend, carried me back toward the Mansion.
Ronald and Nix followed obediently behind.
It was quite a amusing procession.
The servants along the path from the Training Ground to the Mansion turned their gazes to follow us.
Some of them greeted Blake as well.
“Good morning, young master.”
Blake glanced sideways at me as I subtly nudged him, then offered a brief greeting in return.
“…Yes.”
Though his response was remarkably terse, the servants who received his acknowledgment couldn’t hide their astonishment.
Ronald, beaming with satisfaction, leaned in close and whispered.
“It seems there’s been a positive change among the servants as well.”
“I’m not sure there’s been much change. A simple greeting hardly constitutes a transformation, butler.”
“A simple greeting? These servants used to cower and avert their eyes in fear! Don’t you think their dread and terror of you have diminished somewhat?”
“What did I do?”
“Hehe, quite right. It’s Vivian who has brought about this change.”
Blake’s displeasure descended like a shadow upon Ronald’s silver-haired head.
Yet our audacious butler, undeterred, continued speaking.
“Watching Vivian run about on those tiny feet, working tirelessly to dispel misunderstandings and vicious rumors about you—it’s truly moving.”
“And you haven’t considered the problems those tiny feet created while dashing about?”
“To obtain such an adorable and clever little bear, one must be willing to make such sacrifices.”
“Well said! Magnificent butler!”
I raised both hands enthusiastically toward the splendid butler who had taken my side, and he responded with a playful wink.
“Thank you.”
“Magnificent, my foot.”
At Blake’s offhand remark, Nix let out a soft laugh.
Blake glanced at that laughter, then regarded the procession that had followed him to his bedroom door.
“Now that you understand, go about your business.”
“Will you truly return? You won’t stay?”
“I said go.”
“Yes, understood.”
Unable to sway Blake’s decision, Ronald shuffled away.
Nix extended her hand, inviting me to return to my room with her, but I shook my head.
I had something to discuss with Blake first.
The moment we entered his room, I blurted out.
“We need to go to the Banquet Hall!”
“You’re still on about that?”
He shook his head in disapproval as he set his sword down on the sofa.
“Turn around. I’m changing clothes.”
“Huh? Why are you changing clothes?”
“Isn’t that question even stranger? If I’m changing, of course you should turn around.”
I blinked in bewilderment.
Since when did he care about propriety?
Blake was the type who dressed without assistance from the servants.
I’d occasionally caught glimpses of his toned physique when he’d dress alone in the morning, eyes half-lidded.
It was obvious that Blake knew as well. I’d heard him sigh in exasperation multiple times while changing his clothes.
But what?
I clutched my chest and collapsed onto the sofa. My soft frame bounced right back up from the cushions.
“Is this what an older sister feels when her adorable younger brother grows up and keeps his distance?”
“Who’s your older sister?”
“Oh please! I’m ten times your age!”
“Why are you bringing up age just because I’m changing clothes!”
“Then just change. I have something important to tell you.”
He hesitated for a moment, then turned around.
Honestly.
I genuinely wondered why he was being like this, but regardless, I broached the more pressing matter.
“Will that woman Ophelia be at the banquet?”
His hand, which had been hovering over the wet shirt buttons, froze mid-motion.
With his white shirt still open to his chest, he turned to face me.
Ah, Blake’s physique was truly impressive, as always.
“Why are you asking?”
“Because I need to meet with Ophelia.”
“What’s the reason?”
His voice had grown calm as he asked. He buttoned his shirt back up and came to sit in front of me.
His eyes held the light of someone ready to listen to anything.
With renewed confidence, I spoke freely.
“I sensed an inexplicable aura from Ophelia. A strange feeling that no human could perceive.”
If Ophelia attended the banquet, I could retrieve the ‘tracker’ spell I’d attached to her last time.
Then I could monitor her movements.
But for that, I needed to attend the banquet.
I couldn’t do it alone, so I’d need Blake with me.
I stood up and made a gesture as if reaching for a dress, then bent and straightened my knees slightly.
I was following the etiquette that nobles in the Human World used to practice, and he stared at me blankly.
“Let’s go to the banquet together, Blake. This is a formal request for you to be my partner.”

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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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