Translator: Nox

Chapter 68

68

I left the mansion, humming to myself.

"Are you in such a good mood?"

Leah asked with a chuckle, and I raised my arm, exclaiming, "I'm excited!"

Outings always had to be with Dad and my brothers, but today I came out alone. This means I can go out as much as I want now.

'I should stop by the Hope Merchant Group when I go to the shopping district.'

A life where I can walk proudly on my own two feet without having to use expensive scrolls.

Considering the tears I shed when tearing the scrolls, I was very happy.

I took a carriage to the shopping district.

Dubled's expensive carriage was as expensive as when we came to The Capital, so we arrived very quickly.

Before getting out of the carriage, I patted the small bag slung over my shoulder.

It was pocket money from Dad. He told me to buy whatever I wanted, so I was planning to splurge today.

I took Leah and Laura with me and diligently looked around the shopping district.

While looking at brooches on a stall in front of a general store, I pointed to a rose, a sword, and a lion-shaped brooch.

"Give me this."

Then, I rustled the money out of my bag and paid.

I carefully kept the lion-shaped brooch for myself, and handed the rose and sword-shaped brooches to Laura and Leah, respectively.

"Can we really receive something so precious?"

"Baby Bird……."

The two of them looked at me with tearful eyes, and I felt a little embarrassed.

It's just a cheap 10-franc brooch…….

I thought I would splurge as much as I wanted, but living as a beggar near this area in my previous life made it difficult to splurge as I pleased.

'I can't easily spend money unless it's for a purpose.'

I must splurge at another store!

With that resolve, I walked on with vigor.

"Baby Bird, a tea house has opened nearby. I heard that the tea food is so delicious that noble Young Lady and Young Masters frequent it."

I know.

Duke Valois' wife and Mina also liked that tea house very much.

'But when you find out, it was an information broker.'

Since nobles frequent it, secret stories are exchanged, and it was created to eavesdrop on them.

'I might have to buy information someday, so should I check it out?'

And I'm also curious about the tea and tea food at the tea house.

They sold very special tea and tea food there.

It was something called green tea, and unlike the empire's black tea, it was said to have a savory and clean taste.

There were also many strange kinds of tea food. There were chewy rice cakes filled with honey and sesame seeds, and there was also something called red bean jelly that was made into squares and cut into pieces.

'What was it called again? Kkul, kkul…… Ah, Kkul Tteok and Yanggaeng!'

While trying to remember the names, I got distracted and tripped on a stone. My body swayed.

'Eek!'

I fell spectacularly in the middle of the shopping district and groaned, "Ouch, ouch……."

"Baby Bird!"

"Oh my!"

It was the moment Leah and Laura were about to run over in surprise.

Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump!

The sound of boots was heard from all directions, and then a voice shouting, "Ba-by-Bird!" was heard.

'What!'

Surprised, I put my hands on the ground and raised my head.

"Baby Bird, are you alright!"

"Are you hurt!"

"Do you have hangnails under your fingernails!"

"Are you okay!"

"Are you bleeding!"

"Are your knees scraped!"

"How are your palms!"

"Doctor! Doctor!"

"Bring the Baby Bird!"

Numerous knights who rushed in from all directions examined me with pale faces.

Instantly swept away by the wave of knights, I froze.

There were so many that I couldn't even see Leah and Laura's faces.

Moreover, they were all wearing armor and capes with the Dubled crest. They were high-ranking knights above the rank of company commander.

'The fact that all these people came means…….'

There are at least 5,000 soldiers gathered in the shopping district!

I was dumbfounded, and the knights fussed over me, examining my body.

"The knees! The knees!"

"The palms!"

"Do you have hangnails under your fingernails!"

Looking at them holding me and wailing as if the sky was falling, I recalled Javelin's words.

[As soon as I left the mansion, I felt countless Dubled knights. I thought we were going to war.]

I realized that 5,000 people were watching me wherever I went, and I quietly gritted my teeth.

'Dad…… Brothers……!'

The people in the shopping district stared at the Dubled knights with horrified expressions.

All of a sudden, so many knights had gathered, making them wonder if a civil war had broken out, but they were holding onto a child and wailing.

[We're dead!]

[Ah, Mother……. Your unworthy son is leaving…….]

After making such a fuss, they now stood in a row, put their hands together in front of the small child, and bowed their heads.

The line was so long that it seemed to wrap around the entire shopping district.

"So, you've been secretly following me since the first day……."

"Yes……."

"How? How could I not know that 5,000 people were following me?"

Some were disguised as farmers, merchants, clowns, guards, etc. near Baby Bird, and the captain-level knights were hiding in the Barrier.

And most of them were surrounding the entire shopping district.

LeBlaine squeezed her eyes shut as she looked at the men mumbling their answers.

"Um, but Baby Bird, don't you have hangnails under your fingernails? Should we check……."

"Why do you keep asking about hangnails?"

Then, a middle-aged man with a thick beard sobbed.

"His Excellency said he would kill one of us every time Baby Bird gets a hangnail under her fingernail!"

"……."

"Please save me, Baby Bird! I haven't even seen my child enter the academy yet!"

Then the other knights also cried out desperately, "Please save us!"

LeBlaine, who was looking at them with a resigned expression, sighed deeply.

"Let's go."

"Where to……?"

"To scold Dad and my brothers."

"……!!"

The knights wiped away their tears as they watched LeBlaine walk away with dignity.

That majestic figure!

Isn't it like a chick hero going to defeat the Demon King!

I sat in a row, looking at Dad and my brothers, who were lined up and avoiding my eyes.

"If all the soldiers are guarding me, who will protect the mansion?"

"Kid, that's enough for us……."

"Who! Will protect it?"

"……."

Under my reproachful gaze, Isaac became speechless and quietly lowered his head.

"LeBlaine, we're just worried about you……."

"Then who's worried about the mansion?"

Then, Javelin, who was sitting on the opposite sofa with her legs crossed and reading a book, answered calmly.

"I'll just do it."

Henri frowned at Javelin, but when I glared at him, he became quiet again.

"Dad."

"……You need that much to suppress the Holy Knights."

Why do I need to suppress the Holy Knights…….

Even if the Pope is out of his mind, he wouldn't try to kidnap me with the Holy Knights.

'This won't do.'

If this happens, I won't be able to go out freely, but it will be more uncomfortable than before.

If this happens, I have no choice.

I wondered what level of threat I should use.

I'm going to kick the blanket and sleep.

I won't eat.

I hate you.

• In that order, it works well, but for now, most things can be resolved with 'I hate you.'

'I should leave out the last resort, 'I'm going to run away from home.''

I used it to calm Dad and my brothers, who were about to start a war with neighboring territories for a trivial reason, and the Territory of Dubled was almost split in two that day.

'Okay, second one.'

I gasped.

"I won't eat-"

"I was wrong, Kid!"

"I'm sorry!"

"I'll reorganize the escort!"

The knights and employees were silently horrified to see the family jumping up and down before I could even finish speaking.

I sighed and said.

"Don't scold the knights either?"

"……."

"……."

"……."

"I won't eat-!"

"I won't scold them!"

"Absolutely!"

"Okay!"

Good.

As I nodded, the vice-commander of the Capital army, who was trembling, shed tears of relief.

After the sullen family members returned, I sat down on the sofa, exhausted.

'I worked hard today, too.'

As I thought that and nodded my head, I heard a snicker.

It was Javelin.

'She smiled!'

I was so surprised because it was a smile she had never shown in front of me, so I covered my cheeks with both hands.

"They've never trembled so much even in front of Lisette, so I had an interesting sight."

Then, Javelin closed the book with a thud and said.

"You're going to the territory tomorrow, right."

"Yes, Dad said he has something to take care of. We might come back to The Capital again!"

That's probably what will happen.

Empress Dowager's letters arrived in great numbers. She tried to call me to the Imperial Palace every day.

The break with the Temple was certain. Even the cardinals came to ask for help in saving Adolf, but the Empress Dowager was furious and kicked them out.

It was only natural. It was certain that her body was completely ruined because of the Luminous drug they had given her.

She didn't go to worship, and all the sacred objects she had collected were disposed of.

'And if Dad confirms Adolf's disposition here, the Temple won't be able to move for a while.'

So Dad would never try to miss this opportunity.

Now that the Empress Dowager has turned her back on the Temple, one major dissenting vote has disappeared when it comes to making Dubled independent.

Having achieved one goal, I chuckled wickedly inside.

"I see."

She answered, lightly stroking the end of the book.

"Child."

"Yes?"

"Could you show me your instep?"

That's right, Leah said that my instep was similar to Lisette's.

I nodded and took off my socks.

Javelin's expression clouded as she carefully looked at my instep.

"If Baby Bird had been born safely, would she have been like you……."

It was the same voice as always, but for some reason, it seemed like it was filled with moisture, so I fidgeted with my hands.

'I wish I was Baby Bird.'