Chapter 34
Translator: penny
Chapter: 33
Chapter Title: Outing
Speaking frankly, this time I really thought I'd fail the sudden quest the System suggested.
"Maid sisters! I'll be back!"
But it seems I'm a lucky guy after all. The maids must have thought I looked pretty pitiful that day, because they fervently petitioned on my behalf and ultimately made this outing happen.
"Young Master~! Have a great outing!"
"You can't forget about us. Boo-hoo…."
"Not seeing you for three whole days is such a huge loss…."
The maid sisters, who sometimes go a bit overboard, were incredibly reliable at a time like this.
Come to think of it, I never realized those three who always trailed behind me had such solid standing in the mansion. This is why everyday behavior matters.
"Kairen, are you all prepared?"
"Yes!"
"Good. You've been looking forward to today quite a bit."
With the maids seeing us off, we left the mansion, and there at the prepared carriage in front of the main gate, Mother welcomed me.
From what I heard, this outing to the Imperial Capital was to be done incognito to avoid any unnecessary commotion.
That's why we weren't using the usual Belverk-emblazoned carriage but an unmarked one for stealth, and our outing clothes were a bit more casual.
Honestly, I welcomed it. Belverk prestige is nice, of course, but the stares from onlookers were still too burdensome.
"Gasp, Mother."
"What's wrong?"
"Well…."
But when I got close and saw Mother's outfit up close, I could only mutter softly in a daze.
"You're too pretty."
Mother was dressed in clothes a commoner might wear, but somehow it gave off a different charm from her usual attire.
Like the strongest female admiral who always wore her uniform suddenly showing up in casual clothes for a date?
"You don't have to say things you don't mean."
"It's true!"
"…Good boy."
But Mother didn't believe me and just gave a faint smile while stroking my head.
Mother really needs to realize someday how beautiful she is. There's that saying that beautiful women don't realize their own beauty—guess it's true.
"Ahem."
As I was getting needlessly excited with those thoughts, a fake cough came from inside the carriage.
"Oh, you're here?"
"…Lilien."
"You won't ask why I'm here, right?"
Mother and I turned our heads together, and she quietly raised an eyebrow upon spotting Lilien, already inside the carriage dressed as a commoner.
"I'm Mother's child too…."
As Mother's expression grew increasingly stern, Lilien muttered with wide, sparkling eyes.
Watching her, it looked like she was imitating how I act cute, but sorry, sis—it really didn't suit her at all.
"Today's outing is for Kairen. So…."
"Then ask the person involved, Kairen?"
Seeming to realize it herself, Lilien dropped the act and suddenly turned to me.
"Kairen, mind if Big Sis tags along? Huh?"
"…Sure! It's fine."
"Yay, thanks."
It was too pitiful to say no to her face. Plus, an outing with two people would probably be more fun than one.
"…Trying to hog him all to yourself."
But Lilien interpreted my answer differently, smirking triumphantly at Mother.
"……."
Mother glared coldly at Lilien for a moment, then sighed and quietly signaled the coachman to depart.
- Rumble….
And so the carriage set off from Belverk, carrying me, Mother, and Lilien.
"Hm-hm-hmm, la-la."
Excited to finally breathe fresh air after so long, I was humming a tune when Lilien, sitting beside me, glanced over and asked.
"Hey, that excited?"
"Yes, super excited!"
"We haven't even arrived yet—what's got you so happy?"
I could answer that without a second thought.
"Going on an outing with my favorite Mom and Big Sis is the best!"
But as soon as I said it, the carriage atmosphere went dead silent.
"…Why is everyone acting weird?"
Tilting my head, Lilien looked at me with a strange gaze and asked again.
"Are you doing this on purpose?"
"Huh?"
"Every word you say just oozes charm."
Charm? What charm? I hadn't even put on perfume for today's stealth outing. Did I smell or something?
"Kairen, it's fine in front of us, but don't show that side to just anyone."
"…Why?"
"The world has more people than you'd think who salivate at the sight of someone vulnerable."
As I puzzled over it with a confused look, Mother, watching me quietly from across, chimed in.
"And… honestly, it's worrying."
"…?"
"That some girls might misunderstand and cling to you."
Somehow, everyone seemed to worry about the weirdest things.
Thinking about it, Mother, Lilien, even the maids—they were all total pushovers for me.
"Hehe, it's okay."
But luckily, as a pro at romance-fantasy child-rearing tropes, I knew the perfect line for this.
"I'll grow up and marry Mom!"
"……."
"For real!"
Flashing a bright smile with the flawless line, Mother went blank for a second before quietly closing her mouth.
"Kid."
"Yes?"
"…Never mind."
Meanwhile, Lilien started to say something softly but darkened her expression and swallowed her words.
"Don't worry."
Glancing at her briefly, I leaned in with a grin and whispered in her ear.
"…I'll marry Big Sis too!"
Lilien's eyes went wide, and like Mother, she bowed her head and stopped nagging.
This should keep affection levels steady for a while. Surviving in Belverk is no joke.
"Stop, stop!"
The roads leading into the Empire's heart—the capital—were numerous, befitting the Empire's vast size, the widest among the four continents.
"We'll check your identities!"
But entering the Empire's core was never easy. Even the quietest checkpoints were guarded strictly by Imperial Knight Order sentries.
"What, no pass?"
"Oh dear, we seem to have forgotten it."
"You know this is illegal, right?"
Yet even the tightest security had its gaps.
Especially at the westernmost gate, where harsh terrain kept travelers scarce, it had long been exploited by those in the know.
"Whoa, sir. Hold on. Hehe…."
An old man who just got flagged at inspection stepped out from a carriage bearing a merchant guild seal, bowing and slipping something to the guard captain.
"A small token of my sincerity."
"…Hm, ahem."
The captain glanced around, pocketed it quietly, signaled passage, and whispered.
"Bring it properly next time."
"Of course, sir. Hehehe."
The other guards frowned slightly but looked away.
Assigned to this harsh post, they were outcasts in the Knight Order, so these 'special incomes' were needed to save face.
"You there, halt!"
Scanning for more prey, the captain spotted an approaching carriage rattling from afar and blocked it.
"What are you? Family outing?"
"……."
"Don't look like nobles, but you can afford a carriage? Where'd the money come from?"
Roughly opening the window, he peered in suspiciously.
"…Huh?"
Suddenly, a hand popped out the window, waving something at him.
"Th-this… isn't this the Mark of Exemption?"
"Whoa? It is."
The rookie paled upon noticing, and even the captain looked shocked.
The Mark of Exemption—an absolute imperial pardon issued by the Emperor himself.
More precisely, it didn't forgive crimes; it proved the bearer was beyond imperial laws altogether.
They'd seen replicas in training, but never the real thing.
"Hah, look at these clowns."
"……."
"Some idiots pull stunts like this occasionally."
But staring coldly at the mark, the captain ordered them out.
"Hey, everyone out."
"……."
"Faking the Mark of Exemption is a grave crime."
The panicked rookie tried to stop him.
"S-senior, if it's real…."
"No way. Anyone with that wouldn't use this entrance."
"Still…."
"Quiet. I've done this for years…. Tch."
The captain had his reasons.
Only 'Belverk' could possess such a thing in the Empire.
But their eyes weren't red, clothes were commoner-like, and crucially, this was far from Belverk lands.
"You've got big trouble. I could call the Imperial Army right now."
His actions were perfectly justified for a guard captain.
"Unless… you show some… no, substantial sincerity…."
But tacking on that greedy remark doomed him.
"…Gahhh?!"
Too late—the one holding the mark grabbed and snapped the captain's arm as he reached for the door.
"Cut the crap and open the gate."
A chilling girl's voice from inside, red light flickering, made the rookie tremble in horror.
"H-hiiik? Crimson Eyes…."
"What, first time seeing Crimson Eyes?"
Lilien turned to him coldly.
"…Yeah, first for you."
"Guhk…."
"Normally, we wouldn't be blocked by mere gatekeepers."
We'd used lenses and dye magic to hide identities, changed to commoner clothes, taken detours—fair enough for guards to check.
But we couldn't let Kairen see bribery.
"Cl-clear! You're clear!!!"
Under Lilien's icy glare, the rookie signaled passage instead of the broken-armed captain and backed away.
"…Consider yourself lucky."
Lilien whispered coldly.
"I'm letting it slide because it's the kid's first outing."
Leaving those words, the carriage departed. The rookie stared blankly, then urgently radioed the western gate.
- What? Be wary of one carriage?
"…Yes, the one with the Mark of Exemption is dangerous."
- What does that even mean?
After that, no more gates blocked the suspicious commoner trio's carriage until they entered the capital.
After a long journey, the carriage finally reached the capital's heart and slowed.
"…Preparations are perfectly complete, right?"
Astridje glanced at the dozing Kairen and Lilien leaning on each other from fatigue, then murmured at the window.
- Yes, Duchess. Today's outing route is flawless.
- We've reserved the capital's best dessert shop entirely.
- For emergencies, five nearby dessert shops are on standby reserve.
The maids' responses flooded her mind.
- Knights line the path to the next stop; we're ambushing nearby alleys for contingencies.
- Virtual drills complete—no need to worry.
A week prior, Belverk forces had infiltrated the capital for today's operation.
To preempt all possible incidents for Kairen.
Massive troop movement akin to a military op, but undetected except by the Emperor.
Belverk were espionage experts, after all.
"Still, always prepare for the worst."
- Yes, understood.
"Today must become an unforgettable memory for Kairen."
Confirming control, Astridje turned back to Kairen and Lilien.
"Hey, kid. Wake up."
"…Yaaawn."
"Almost there."
Rubbing her eyes, Lilien shook Kairen awake, face slightly flushed from leaning on him.
"Wooow…."
Stretching wide-eyed, Kairen stuck to the window at the sights.
"Pfft. Kid, your eyes are gonna pop out."
"…The Imperial Capital has plenty to see."
The Belverk mother and daughter smiled unwittingly at his cuteness.
"Gasp."
"Kairen? What's wrong?"
"Mother, look at that."
They followed his wide-eyed point outside, puzzled.
"There's a super cute dessert shop!"
Astridje spotted the teddy bear-themed shop Kairen indicated, momentarily flustered.
"Kairen, that's nice, but we have a reserved—"
She paused mid-explanation.
"…Actually, that one seems better."
"Really?!"
"Yes, this outing is for you."
Stroking his excited head with a faint smile, Astridje eyed his fixation on the teddy shop and murmured.
"Change of plans. Everyone, move."
Opening the stopped carriage door.
"Waa~!"
As Astridje and Lilien fondly watched Kairen dash inside with sparkling eyes the moment the door opened.
"…Huh?"
Kairen's body suddenly wobbled and he fell flat on his butt.
"Where do you think you're going?"
Beside him stood a fox-faced lady with roll-bun hair, mouth veiled by a fan.
"Sorry, but this shop is reserved by the Artel Count House today."
Kairen realized she'd shoved him aside, breaking into a cold sweat.
"Hehe, do you understand?"
"Ah…."
"Seems not, so let me explain plainly…."
Growing smugger at his expression, she leaned in coldly.
"…This isn't a place for the likes of a peasant like you."
Smirking coldly, she added to Kairen, glancing back.
"Got it? Scram, you worthless brat."
As her words ended, chilling silence filled the street.
"……."
"……."
The mother-daughter duo, frozen mid-step behind Kairen, stared blankly ahead with indescribable killing intent.