Chapter 33
Translator: penny
Chapter: 32
Chapter Title: Emergency Mobilization Order
Of course, the reason I won the duel and provoked the 1st Knight Order was because of the System's action recommendation.
A week had passed since then, and while I'd had my doubts at first, now I was convinced that the System's recommendations were reliable.
Every day after that, during personal training time, the members of the 1st Knight Order started gathering around me even in their off hours to guide my training.
"Eek...!"
"What's wrong?"
"...Ughhh."
The problem was that the intensity kept getting tougher with each passing day.
I was the one who provoked them first, so I couldn't complain, but the remarks the knight sisters made while hovering around my exhausted, panting form were downright terrifying.
"Didn't you say this was a piece of cake?"
"Why are you so frail? It's an embarrassment to the Belverk name."
"Are you planning to just lie there forever? Muscles won't grow on their own."
It seemed like I'd really gotten on their bad side that day, but that didn't mean I had any intention of giving up.
"Th-that's nothing. Seriously."
"......"
"I could still do 100 laps easy!"
I forced my trembling legs to straighten and stood up, shouting at the top of my lungs. The youngest knight, who always doted on me especially, stifled a laugh and approached.
"You can't even do 10 proper push-ups, and you talk about 100 laps? Don't push yourself too hard."
"...I can't go easy."
"Well, do you have a reason?"
A reason to get stronger? Sure, I wanted to grow up into a cool guy, but there was more to it.
"Mom, Big Sis, and the maid sisters... they all just see me as someone to protect."
The protagonist of a romance novel parenting story gets plenty of pampering and affection, sure. But I couldn't just bask in that peace forever.
"But as one of the heirs, I can't rely on protection indefinitely."
"......"
"So I want to get strong enough to at least protect the people around me."
These days, even parenting story protagonists put in effort. And for someone like me competing in the strict Monster Ducal House, slacking off was out of the question.
"Thanks again today."
With those thoughts, I finished speaking, politely clasped my hands, and bowed. As I turned to leave the barracks, I suddenly remembered something and spun back around with an "oh" expression.
"...Right."
I almost forgot about that.
"You weren't all gathering here just to gang up on one kid, were you?"
I cupped my hand to my mouth, narrowed my eyes, and let out a voice laced with amusement. The knight sisters, who had sobered up a bit, started giving me strange looks.
"Sorry, but I'm not even tired. Isn't the training a bit too weak?"
"......"
"I don't feel a thing. Why not go at it for real?"
I hurled provocations at them with all my might. Even as the barracks atmosphere heated up ominously, I kept going, my body trembling slightly.
"Why the long faces? You aren't hurt by what a kid not even ten says, are you?"
Honestly, I didn't want to go this far, but it was better to follow the System's action recommendations.
Was I actually starting to enjoy it? Absolutely not. No way!
"Pathetic. Lame. Crappy knights."
"......"
"You stink of sweat. Ew~"
With that, I wrapped up today's satisfying(?) provocations and turned my back on the knight sisters, who were still eyeing me with eerie, sinister gazes.
"As expected, you're doing this on purpose."
That was when the 1st Knight Order Captain, standing at the barracks entrance, suddenly addressed me.
"Worried about outside eyes? Or..."
"......"
"Anyway, I get the gist of it."
I'd thought the knight sisters were all muscle-heads, so I was surprised she'd hit the nail on the head.
Beyond just ramping up training intensity through provocation, there was another reason I'd accepted the System's recommendation.
It would create artificial discord with the knights, letting me train without drawing external scrutiny.
It pushed back the chance to win over the 1st Knight Order as allies, but this method would boost their loyalty even more once the truth came out later.
For her to see through that... the Captain really had the experience of someone at her level.
"The 1st Knight Order won't support you."
"Um..."
"...on the surface, at least."
The Captain gazed down at me silently, muttered something cryptic, then gave a slight smile.
Wait, that wasn't good. Had her cold eyes warmed up with some fondness?
If someone outside saw this and rumors spread, I'd feel terrible...
"Old maid sis, move aside."
"...?"
"Whoa, she actually reacted. Hehe."
As I agonized over that, I deliberately raised my voice with an insult and darted past her out of the barracks.
"......"
I felt a chill from behind, but if she'd figured out my intentions, she probably wouldn't take it to heart.
"...Captain, hold back."
"Yeah, let us handle it first... Anyway."
"She asked us to go at her for real, so next expedition, we sneak her along?"
...Probably!
"Ah, it's the Young Master~!"
"Young Master, anywhere hurt?"
"Those brutes didn't bully you, right?"
Having successfully(?) escaped the barracks, I entered the mansion, and the waiting maids rushed over, wiping the dirt from me with towels.
"...The sisters bully me more."
"Kyaa, 'sisters'."
"Young Master, you're such a good joker."
I absolutely wasn't bathing with them, but lately they'd invented this "Young Master Bathing Experience."
"It's true..."
"Waa, all clean now."
"Young Master, just say if you want to bathe together anytime?"
I knew it came from affection, but the creepy feeling of my body being thoroughly violated was unavoidable.
"Anyway, we're hurt, Young Master."
"...?"
"Why'd you make a familiar without telling us?"
Now clean, I tried to brush it off, but the maids approached with sulky faces.
"I was gonna retire into your shadow."
"Young Master, aren't we better than that naughty wolf?"
"Let us into your shadow too~!"
What were they on about? Fluffy hadn't even contracted with me as a familiar—shadows?
"...You're not familiars, so how?"
I asked, bewildered, when—
"Yup."
"Ta-da."
"Haha."
The maids melted into my shadow and vanished, only poking their heads out with smiles.
"H-how?!"
I stared blankly and asked again. The maid sisters grinned darkly and explained.
"Young Master, think Belverk maids use black magic for nothing?"
"Right, you don't know our true nature yet."
"So, Young Master, actually we..."
But before they could finish, a cold voice from behind.
"...Loose lips sink ships."
Schwarz had appeared, glaring at the maids in my shadow.
"And that's my exclusive spot."
The maids shut up at her words, then bristled with icy expressions.
"Who do you think you— Eek!?"
"...Kyaa!?"
"I-it tickles!"
But moments later, they shuddered and fled my shadow.
"Young Master, the bad wolf is licking our feet..."
"...Puppy monsters daring to..."
"Hey, no. It's the Young Master's familiar. Higher rank than us."
So Fluffy and the pups inside had chased them out.
Good job, Fluffy. A good wolf that easily boots intruders.
"Young Master."
"...?"
"How could you evict prior tenants so heartlessly?"
Schwarz, watching me quietly from the side, spoke in a slightly downcast voice.
"But Schwarz is my personal maid..."
"...Personal maids are basically familiars, you know?"
"R-really?"
What? Personal maids were familiars? That explained why they could intervene in the candidate conflicts.
I didn't know people could familiar-ize people. Was that okay?
"Eh, doesn't matter to me."
As I scratched my head, Schwarz sidled right up, smiling.
"I'll be stuck to your side anyway..."
Her voice sounded chilling, but whatever. Lately, more beings clung to me.
Schwarz, Lilien visiting my room daily, maids petting me in passing.
Rustle...
And the 1st Knight Order, now escorting me by Mom's order, peeking from afar in the halls. Like now.
'...Stability achieved, somewhat.'
At this point, no worries about getting kicked out of Belverk or assassinated.
So, next steps? Better to wait quietly for the System's Chapter 2 quest once the second daughter returns, rather than rushing?
[Chapter 1 Interlude – Clumsy Outing Operation]
📍 Objective: Go on an outing with Mother (0/1)
As I headed to my room with those thoughts—
A quest with that messy name popped up before my eyes.
'Perfect timing.'
My body itched for action with nothing to do. Good chance to get fresh air and sort my thoughts.
"...Feels stuffy."
I accepted the quest and muttered lowly enough for everyone to hear, with a sulky face.
"Young Master, what was that?"
"Belverk's great and all, but... how to put it..."
One maid, recently evicted from my shadow, reacted. I maximized my pitiful expression and continued.
"It's too closed off..."
"......"
"Sometimes, I wanna go out."
I widened my eyes sparklingly for maximum pity.
Honestly, the gains outweighed the cringe now; no more embarrassment.
"Young Master, timing's bad right now..."
"Yeah, after last time..."
"You caused another incident recently. Stay put for a bit, okay?"
The troubled maids patted my head and replied.
"Yeah, figured as much..."
This wasn't working.
Time for the finisher.
"...But it's fine!"
I flashed a bright smile and spoke energetically to the petting maids.
"I've never even been outside once."
"......"
"Bet it'd be scary. Hehe..."
But as I turned away after that—
'Oh, wait, I already sneaked out once during the Mist Forest thing.'
I realized and added sulkily.
"Well, I did see the Mist Forest last time..."
"......"
"...I'm off to bed."
Thankfully, no one objected as I entered my room. Probably holding back in front of me?
"Ugh..."
Operation failed, regrettably.
About 10 minutes later. Belverk family head's office.
"...Kairen definitely said that."
"Yes, Duke."
"An outing..."
Astridje, handling paperwork as usual, set down her documents and looked up at the maids' report.
"Duke, if I may—he's never been out sightseeing."
"...Leave it like this, and he might think Belverk's no better than Opstein."
"You said it was fine earlier, but I heard sniffling from his room..."
Her face darkened progressively with their words, until she spoke coldly.
"Silence."
The maids clamped shut, sweating and glancing nervously.
"It does seem necessary."
But instead of rebuke, good news came.
"Outing this weekend."
Astridje, expressionless, secretly heart-marked the calendar, then eyed the maids coldly.
"...Move out if you understand."
The three senior maids managing the mansion in Schwarz's absence sprang into action like clockwork.
"Convene the vassal meeting first."
"I'll assemble the servants for briefing."
"...Don't like it, but military ops are knights' turf. Gotta hit the barracks."
An emergency mobilization order swept the entire Belverk territory an hour later.