Chapter 176: Unexpected Situation(3)
Chapter 176: Unexpected Situation(3)
Now that the stage was mostly set, there were a few things to take care of before I could officially dig the pit for the trap. First and foremost was Adelia, who was staying at our house.
She was my guardian knight, yet she hadn't the slightest clue that I was Xenon. She had become my guardian purely out of her feelings for me, so it would be quite a headache if she got caught up in this mess.
Because of this, my father suggested that it might be better to just tell her the truth. It wasn't that Adelia was a gossip, and while her background was a bit suspicious, he felt it was a necessary evil for the plan to go smoothly.
However, the one who firmly rejected that idea wasn't me or Cecile, but my mother.
"No. You must not tell Sir Cross that Isaac is Xenon."
"Why not?"
Since Mother had been sitting quietly and just listening until now, Father asked with a puzzled expression. I was just as curious as he was.
Mother gently stroked her belly, where Lily was sleeping, and spoke with her signature beautiful smile.
"The day may come when Sir Cross has to make a very important choice. For that moment's sake, we must not reveal that Isaac is Xenon."
"Hmm... If you say so, I'll accept it. I'd like you to explain the reason to me privately later, though."
"I'm sure you'll understand once I do."
In the end, we were forced to set the trap while keeping Adelia in the dark. However, her skills were exceptional, enough to have served as a teaching assistant at Halo Academy.
We didn't know exactly when the Elves would trespass, and her senses were bound to be sharp. Would she really not notice anything?
Father seemed to share this concern, as he spoke with a somewhat troubled look.
"Sir Cross has exceptionally keen senses, though I don't know what she went through in the past to develop them. Even when I've trained her, she intuitively senses exactly where I'm going to strike."
"She senses everything?"
"Yes. In her own words, her body gives her a warning. It takes more than just average experience to awaken that kind of intuition. I have no idea where she learned it."
"... ..."
Was that also related to her past? Since she lived in the royal palace without being properly recognized as royalty, she must have endured all sorts of persecution.
In the worst-case scenario, there might have even been assassination attempts. Considering the insults Adelia received from her siblings, it wasn't an entirely impossible story.
"At any rate, it means we have to work in a way that Sir Cross won't notice... but that's easier said than done."
"Father-in-law. Could I perhaps just put her to sleep with magic?"
"Is that possible?"
"It's not impossible."
"Haha."
When the problem was solved more easily than expected, Father let out a hollow laugh. As I always thought, magic really does have a way of scratching those hard-to-reach itches.
"Fine. Then the issue with Sir Cross is settled. We'll just tell the servants that there's a risk of a simple break-in."
"But the key is when they'll arrive, isn't it? Father-in-law, when do you expect them to show up?"
"Well, my friend intentionally tangled their route, so it'll take some time. At the latest, three days; at the earliest, tonight."
They're coming tonight. A week ago, Mora had personally informed me that something would happen at night. And today was that day.
There was still plenty of time before nightfall, but things were a bit tight if we wanted to set the trap. It was better to hurry.
"Understood. Then let's start digging the pit first. Please wait a moment."
"Where are you going?"
"I have something to get from my room."
They could probably guess, but it was Siris's summoning paper. Since I had already explained the whole situation, they wouldn't be surprised when I introduced her.
As I stood up, Cecile tried to get up with me, but I stopped her immediately. I was just going to my room and back; it wouldn't take long, so there was no need for her to follow.
Instead, I made a request to Cecile.
"Oh, Cecile. Could you perhaps involve Mr. Gartz in this as well? The more people we have, the better."
"Sir Balak is currently under house arrest. The reason... well, you know why, don't you?"
"... ..."
Poor Gartz. If there was any silver lining, it was that he got his autograph back. If not for that, he would have been incredibly depressed.
I gave a bitter smile and headed to my room to get the summoning paper. This was my first time going to my room since I'd run into my father immediately upon arriving.
"Oh?"
"Huh?"
Just as I turned a corner, I ran straight into Adelia. She seemed to have just finished washing up, as she was gently shaking out her light brown hair, which was still damp.
She blinked her sky-blue eyes at first, then they gradually widened. It was a reaction that said she hadn't imagined I'd be here.
"What? Weren't you in Helium?"
"I just got back. I can't stay in Helium forever. I have to show my face once in a while. By the way, did you just wash up?"
"I have to wash after training. But..."
Adelia stared intently at my face, then craned her neck to the side. It seemed she had noticed my hair, which had grown longer in that short span of time.
"Your hair... it looks like it's gotten longer?"
"There are circumstances. I think I'll have to keep it like this for a while. Even if I cut it, it just grows back."
"Really? It actually suits you surprisingly well."
Adelia stroked her chin, seemingly lost in thought. Since I wasn't in a desperate rush, I waited patiently.
But whatever she was thinking, her face gradually began to turn a strange shade of red. Just as I was about to tilt my head in confusion, Adelia suddenly cleared her throat and asked quietly.
"Ahem. So... Cutie, do you like long hair?"
"Huh? Where did that come from?"
"No, just... I'm curious. Both Mari and that Demon Princess have long hair, without exception."
Hearing Adelia's words, I recalled Mari's and Cecile's hairstyles. Though there were slight differences, both had quite long hair. Cecile's, in particular, was long enough to reach her waist.
And since my hair was long now too, it was understandable why Adelia would make such an assumption. However, they were so beautiful to begin with that they looked good in any style.
To be perfectly honest, whether it's short or long, as long as they're as pretty as those two, it doesn't matter.
"Not particularly? I just like what I like."
"I-I see. What about me? Do I look okay?"
"You look best the way you are now."
I wasn't just being polite; I meant it. Her brown bob with wavy ends, her impressive bridge of her nose, and finally, her husky voice.
Since it perfectly reflected Adelia's energetic personality, I could say she was at her prettiest right now. Growing her hair out would only diminish her charm.
"...Thanks. Hearing that makes me feel shy."
Hearing the sincere compliment, Adelia twirled a strand of her hair around her finger. Seeing her act shy, unlike her usual self, gave off a different kind of charm.
I let out a small chuckle inwardly. She was being way too obvious. Even someone who was completely oblivious would notice she had feelings for me.
Yet, Adelia herself seemed completely unaware of that fact. I wondered if it was because this was her first time feeling this way, or if she was just like that.
"So... are you going back to Helium?"
"Yeah. I'll probably stay there for about a week at most."
"I hope so. It's boring without my Cutie around."
"What are you talking about? We'll be stuck together all the time once vacation ends and we go back to the Academy. Anyway, I'll be going now. Good luck with your work."
"Yeah. I'll work hard."
Adelia stepped aside and waved her hand. I waved back and made my way toward my room.
After walking a short distance, I looked back to see her still standing there, waving. Her face was lit up with her characteristic, confident smile.
Honestly, every time I saw her, I felt a pang of lingering sentiment. They say unrequited love is a painful thing.
Seeing her maintain those feelings even while knowing her crush already had two lovers made me feel sorry for her. But I couldn't just readily accept her.
To fully accept her, we would have to go through a complicated process. I wondered what choice Adelia would make at the end of that road.
It might be a story for the distant future, or it might happen sooner than expected, but the fact that she would have to choose remained unchanged.
I could only hope she would make a wise decision.
*
After bringing the summoning paper from my room, I tore it without hesitation. My family watched with intrigued expressions as I ripped the paper in half and waited.
After about thirty seconds, the torn paper was engulfed in blue flames, eventually turning to ash and scattering into the air.
Then, a magic circle formed on the floor, glowing with blue light, and someone slowly began to appear.
"Did you call for me?"
It was a woman's voice, now familiar. Siris, the Dark Elf famous for rarely showing herself to the world, appeared before us. She was still wearing her highly revealing armor.
Father let out a surprised "Hah," while Cecile and Mother watched silently.
I scratched my head at the sight of Siris's armor. It was one thing when it was just the two of us, but now that I was with my family, I felt embarrassed.
"Let me introduce her. As I explained earlier, this is Siris, the Dark Elf who serves as the link between me and the Queen. She's quite skilled, even among Dark Elves."
"... ..."
Siris looked at me with a complex expression while I introduced her. I suppose it made sense, since I'd been keeping her a secret until now, only to suddenly summon her in front of my family.
But that expression didn't last long. Once I explained the whole situation, she nodded as if she understood.
"So that's what happened. First, I shall introduce myself. My name is Siris Lunatic. As you may have heard, I am currently serving as a messenger for Lord Isaac as penance for my crimes."
"...I am Hawk Ducard Maishal. I am Isaac's father."
"I'm Anna Ducard Maishal. It's a pleasure to meet you."
After Siris's polite introduction, Father introduced himself somewhat awkwardly, while Mother did so with a warm smile. Still, the awkward atmosphere didn't quite dissipate.
Just as I was about to speak to clear the air, Father asked Siris a question in a curious tone.
"You mentioned being a messenger just now, but how long is your contract for?"
"Until Lord Isaac goes to Lady Mora's side. It will be at least fifty years."
"... ..."
As soon as they heard Siris's answer, both my parents turned their gaze toward me simultaneously. Their eyes were thick with suspicion, as if to say, 'No way, you?'
I was flustered for a moment, but I quickly realized what they were suspecting. Since a beautiful woman like Siris had volunteered to be a 'messenger,' they must have imagined something scandalous.
To clear up the misunderstanding, I shook my head vigorously and spoke hurriedly.
"It's not like that. I'm telling you, she's a messenger, not a slave."
"Hmm... I see. Anyway, a Dark Elf... it's fascinating to see one in person for the first time."
"Is this your first time seeing a Dark Elf too, Father?"
"I mostly operated in the border regions. I had almost no contact with Dark Elves, though I did encounter Elf scouts."
Father stared at Siris with eyes full of curiosity. However, given Siris's outfit, it was inevitable that his gaze would wander to certain places.
Of course, every time that happened, Mother prevented it by placing her hand on Father's thigh. She looked ready to pinch him at any moment, which made Father let out a chuckle.
"Anyway, Ms. Siris."
"Yes, Lord Isaac."
"The reason I called you is, as you heard, associates of the Elder Council will be coming to our mansion soon. I'd like you and Arwen to help. For Arwen, this is also an opportunity to eliminate the Elder Council."
"I shall go and ask her."
With those words, Siris immediately used Teleport. About thirty minutes later, while we were steadily building our plan, she returned.
"The Queen has readily agreed. However, she said she cannot help directly."
"That's fine. Arwen just needs to handle the aftermath."
"Is there anything I can do to help?"
"Ms. Siris... right. Please let us know the real-time location of those Elves. Father, you said they're tracking you, so you have a rough idea of where they are, right?"
"I'll draw a rough map. They should be around here."
The planning proceeded smoothly. We had two people well-versed in magic, and enough martial power to suppress the Elves. Communication was also impossible due to the distance between the Maishal territory and Albenheim.
Of course, we didn't forget to consider potential variables. Especially since Mother was pregnant, someone had to protect her just in case.
I didn't think the Elves would take hostages, but things in the world don't always go as planned. If something happened to Lily because Mother was under too much stress, that would be a real disaster.
"Then I shall protect Lady Anna. Lord Hawk and Princess Cecile should be enough for the suppression."
"Thank you. I'm sorry to trouble you when we've just met."
Fortunately, Siris took on the role of protecting Mother, cutting off all variables. If we launched a surprise attack, even Elves would be handled by Cecile and Father.
Afterward, we meticulously checked and re-checked for any missing parts. Since time was short, attention to detail was a necessity, not an option.
Finally, when all preparations were complete, I checked the time.
It was exactly 6:00 PM. It was about time for dinner.
"Shall we wrap this up for now? Let's eat dinner first and then check everything one more time."
"Let's do that. What about you, Ms. Siris?"
"I am fine without eating. For now, monitoring their movements is the priority."
Siris skipped dinner and left the mansion to track them down. Since she just had to follow the map Father drew, she would likely bring news soon.
After finishing dinner and reviewing the plan once more, we each returned to our bedrooms. I didn't forget to intentionally leave the manuscript on the desk.
Now, all we had to do was wait for news from Siris, but...
"No."
"Why? Are you that certain the Elves will really come tonight?"
"I don't know for sure, but there's always a 'what if.' So, put it back on."
"Tch."
At my firm reprimand, Cecile pulled back up the straps of her evening dress, which she had half-removed. Her lips were pouted as if she were sulking.
Mora had told me before that if I wanted to avoid an embarrassing situation, I should avoid intimacy tonight if possible. Now that night had come, I understood why.
But embarrassment aside, I simply hated the idea of showing Cecile's skin to anyone else.
"But Isaac."
"Yeah?"
"Since you're spreading the news that your hand is ruined, does that mean you're taking a break from serialization for a while?"
Cecile, having fixed her evening dress, asked with a curious expression. Actually, that was something I was pondering.
If my hand was injured, it was only natural to take a break, but I wondered if I'd end up writing anyway because my fingers would be itching to move.
Also, if I lied and said the Temple had completely healed me, the serialization itself wouldn't be a problem.
I was a bit concerned about what might happen in the meantime, but it wasn't my problem.
"I'll probably rest for about a month. During that time, I expect people will be searching high and low for whoever injured my hand."
"Look at our Isaac, even using bluffs now. You've really grown up."
Cecile gently stroked my hair as if she were proud. I didn't particularly enjoy being treated like a child, but it felt good, so I let it slide.
'Those damn pointy-ears. Just you wait and see how screwed you are.'
I was truly looking forward to tonight.