Chapter 134

▶ Episode IV. The spring outing is underway. ◀

▶ Accompany your family from the Duke’s Mansion gate. ◀

This message appeared after two days.

During this time, I intended to use the free action time for various purposes.

The target was, as expected, the Shatren Territory.

By wearing a black hood and dressing in commoner’s clothes, I changed my appearance so they couldn’t recognize me.

Thus, sneaking into the Shatren Territory…

However, the Shatren Territory had experienced a major accident, making it hostile and closed off to outsiders.

Moreover, there were even suspicions that I might be someone sent by Carsein.

‘The situation is much worse than I thought.’

I hadn’t realized this until I personally experienced it.

When monsters invaded the Rusmaier Territory and I simply eliminated them with my own hands.

I realized that unless weapons and armor were provided and training was conducted, the Rusmaier would never change.

So, the same could be true for Shatren. Simply choosing actions from options wouldn’t lead to a proper resolution.

Yes, the fact I overlooked all along was…

Approaching this realistically, not as a game.

-Ssrek.

Along with morning, I pulled out the letters secretly passed to me by Camila.

The first was from Marquis Aiferos, Pollux.

‘Although I’ve tried delivering it to the House of Rilfetten… I’m not sure if they’re open to it. Sorry.

-Pollux Tootlum.’

“There’s no need to apologize. Should have mentioned it earlier?”

It was a gamble, betting on losing nothing on this side.

I didn’t particularly expect it to succeed anyway.

The second was a letter from Tasha, who was temporarily acting as the Lord of Rusmaier in my place.

‘Things have been disappearing periodically from Rusmaier. I want to explain this in detail, but it’s impossible through a letter. I wish to speak directly with Young Master.

-Tasha.’

“Hmm. So it came to this.”

Hearing this letter made me certain.

There were times when the quantity or price of items differed when received from Rusmaier.

If put bluntly, it could mean that the money coming in from Rusmaier was incorrect compared to what was calculated. There was a high possibility of potential problems. Taking immediate measures here would be the right choice.

But, Tasha wants to meet me to explain in detail.

“Something must be up.”

I need to hear this first.

I wrote back to Tasha, asking her not to report the loss yet, and requesting she prepare a normal ledger and another one with the hole intact.

And the last letter.

This one was from Harnier.

‘I’m sorry for contacting you so suddenly. You know there’s a party before the Symposium, right? I have things to prepare because of that. If you have time, let’s meet sometime. Us.

-Harnier Teresia.’

“I knew about the party, but there’s something to prepare?”

I’m not sure.

I’ll have to meet to find out.

I seemed to gather some useful information, but nothing was definitively decided yet.

So, making plans or preparing for countermeasures would be meaningless at the moment.

-Knock knock.

“Young Master, the carriage is ready. Shall we go down?”

“Alright.”

As I opened the door and went out, Heron bowed his head.

But, what caught my eye immediately behind him was a bright object.

‘Memorial? Here?’

This wasn’t a place where danger existed separately in the Duke’s Mansion, nor was it a place where special items would be kept. It was probably just a hallway near Carsein’s room.

It was quite an ambiguous location.

This Memorial in the hallway was barely visible through a gap.

If it weren’t for the faint light unique to the Memorial, I wouldn’t have noticed it at all.

‘It’s definitely hard to see. What is this?’

A rectangular frame…?

“…To think this still remained here. Young Master, I will clean this up.”

Heron seemed to guess where my eyes had wandered and answered.

“It was when the young ladies were very young, and we didn’t know any better. It shouldn’t be like this now.”

Given how he spoke, Heron clearly knows what this is.

Then, of course, I should see it.

“No, leave it.”

“…Young Master!”

▶ Obtained a damaged frame Memorial. ◀

A white ghost covered the entire field of vision.

***

If winter brought snow, then spring brought cherry blossom petals.

The bright spring had fully arrived.

The warm spring sun and the charming cherry blossoms were beautiful enough to capture the eye of any woman.

“Spring…”

Isabella, walking gracefully, caught falling cherry blossom petals in her palm and smiled softly.

“It would be nice to go out on a picnic with the children too, wouldn’t it?”

Arina, being the responsible eldest daughter, would surely find that idea good.

Claire would suggest they sit and enjoy a feast like commoners.

Flora, who loves playing outside, would happily agree that it’s more fun with her sisters.

And,

“The last child…”

“Carsein also liked picnics, didn’t he?”

Isabella believed he would.

She herself had suffered from a mental illness, and that child was not Carn.

After regaining her sanity, she declared by naming the child Carsein anew.

Since then, Carsein had caused many incidents.

Counting them made her head hurt, but…

“Sometimes it’s good to relieve stress outside.”

But, they are her children.

Even if they caused all sorts of accidents and events, even if their bloodlines didn’t connect…

The fact that they were her children, whom she had taken in and loved, remained unchanged.

Thus, as a mother with four children, Isabella proposed returning to the Duke’s Mansion for a picnic. She asked if it would be nice to enjoy the spring sun with the family.

The children agreed positively as expected.

When she suggested having a painter come and draw a family portrait on such a fine day, they readily nodded.

Until one child’s name was called.

“Mother, I disagree.”

“Me too, Mom.”

Arina and Claire, who seemed to be planning to go on a picnic together just moments ago, firmly opposed.

They weren’t against going on a picnic.

What they disagreed with was:

“Do we really need a family portrait?”

“It’s okay to play, but I don’t want a portrait.”

It was the family portrait.

“Hmm. May I ask why?”

Seeing Isabella’s puzzled expression, Arina and Claire looked at each other unsurely.

Perhaps the mother, unable to understand the situation, felt impatient.

Youngest Flora couldn’t hold it in anymore and shouted, speaking for both of them.

“I hate it! I don’t want it! Why make a family portrait with someone who isn’t even part of our family!!”

“! Flora!”

“Mom, Flora made a mistake. Let it slide.”

Though the two sisters shared the same sentiment inwardly.

How could they create a new family portrait when Carsein wasn’t even considered part of the family?

This was an act that shouldn’t be done, even for the sake of the deceased father and Carn.

But, how long has it been since Carsein recovered from his mental illness?

Just recently, her mother, who used to warmly embrace Carsein, might scold her for saying such things.

Indeed, Flora was scolded by Isabella later.

Seeing Flora’s hand turn red from the beating, the two sisters could only direct their anger at one person.

The young Carsein didn’t notice anything.

“Never say such things again. Got it?”

“Gah, huh.”

“Flora. Answer properly.”

While the older sisters applied ointment and comforted the youngest, Flora’s mouth refused to retract her statement.

Only hatred and anger were directed towards one boy.

“Lady, it’s better to move quickly before the seats fill up.”

“It’s still a bit chilly, isn’t it? There’s a temperature difference too.”

Realizing the hostility was directed solely at the boy, Heron and Sheiden urged Isabella to hurry.

Isabella agreed and quickly got into the carriage.

Only when the sun reached its zenith did the Duke’s family outing truly begin.

But,

Inside the Duke’s carriage, the tension still simmered.

Even after arriving at the picnic spot, the atmosphere remained gloomy.

Isabella immediately summoned a painter, but the reluctant expressions of her siblings made the painter struggle for a while.

“I need to stay and watch to see what the problem is.”

“Mom!”

“Mom, if you leave…”

“If this continues, the sun will set. At least, you kids should be captured in this pretty background, right?”

As Isabella stepped away, the situation worsened further.

Finally, a portrait was drawn, excluding Isabella.

“How can there be a problem when it’s drawn so beautifully?”

“…”

Who knows?

None of the figures in the portrait, except for the boy, were smiling.

Even those smiles were painted only after Isabella instructed them to show a slight expression or look slightly in this direction.

“Let’s take a break and continue later.”

“Yes, Lady.”

With the announcement of the break, Isabella approached Carsein and handed him something.

It was nothing special, just some money.

“Go and relax somewhere. If there’s anything delicious, eat it. Understand?”

Money.

She remembered being severely scolded by Flora’s lie not long ago.

Considering that, refusing would have been the right thing to do, but thinking back to the incident at the snow festival, she reconsidered.

‘If I do this, I can buy a gift for my older sister!’

Back then, she managed to get several gifts, but all were stolen by street urchins.

Losing everything except her eldest sister’s hair tie left a deep regret.

But here, she could buy a gift for her second sister. Or maybe she had to?

Although it was a bit far from here, there was a small market bustling with commoners nearby where merchants had set up stalls. This place almost resembled a small festival.

Then, just like before, she could win special gifts as prizes.

She might even get more gifts for her younger sister.

The boy answered cheerfully, “Yes!” and took the money from his mother.

There was plenty of time.

Difficult puzzle solving. Nonsense quizzes. Mana dart throwing.辨别