Chapter 60
Translator: penny
Chapter: 59
Chapter Title: Birthday Party (3)
“Wow...”
Back in the grand banquet hall and seated once more, I caught sight of a ten-layer cake and my mouth fell open in awe.
“Everything in Belverk is huge...”
Every single layer was adorned with a character resembling a fierce-looking red panda with its arms spread wide—aside from that quirky touch, the cake was perfection itself, without a single flaw.
“What do you think? It's you, Young Master, drawn by us!”
“Do you like it? Haha...”
“As a reward, do the 'kraaang~!' just once!”
No, what? So that was supposed to be me? I'm not that cute. Sure, I might look it now, but I'm a proper ten-year-old.
‘...Though I was originally older.’
The thought crossed my mind briefly, but with the knowledge of a twenty-year-old trapped in a ten-year-old's body, there was no helping it.
“No way!”
“Kyaa~! Even your frown is cute!”
What had my past life self been like? Tall and muscular, probably. It piqued my curiosity a bit, but for now, I needed to focus on the birthday party.
“The guests are entering.”
It seemed the guests I'd invited, now arrived in Belverk, were starting to make their entrance.
“It's an honor to meet you. I'm Sigrinne von Harkfried.”
“...Hello. Artel von Sharhen.”
“Ah, uh. Um. U-uh...”
As the doors opened, in walked three young ladies who clearly screamed "children or heirs of the house heads" I'd met before.
“...?”
All three seemed tense and wary upon seeing me, but putting myself in their shoes, anyone would be on guard inside Belverk.
But something felt off. Hadn't I invited the house heads themselves?
“I forbade the meritorious houses' heads from entering.”
“Gasp.”
“Who knows what those sly foxes might stir up if they set foot inside Belverk.”
Lost in that thought, Mother—who had quietly approached, sat down, and pulled me onto her lap—began explaining in a gentle voice.
“Kairen, next time you want to invite someone, tell me first.”
“...Yes.”
“Anyway, let's take a look at the gifts from the meritorious houses.”
Now that I was ten, maybe it was time to graduate from using Mother's lap as a chair?
But the inexplicable sense of security kept me silent as I quietly accepted the gifts from the young ladies.
“A gift from Count Harkfried of the frontier.”
“It's from Grandfather.”
Thankfully, receiving gifts from Sigrinne, the eldest daughter of Count Harkfried, and Artel, granddaughter of Marquis Sharhen, went smoothly.
“Um, th-that... over there...”
“I won't bite.”
“...Really?”
But when it came to the beloved pupil of Marquis Magnaris, there was a bit of fuss.
“A g-gift from Marquis Magnaris...”
After some awkward hurdles, I'd just taken the exquisitely wrapped marquis's gift when—
“Her Imperial Highness the Third Princess is entering.”
Suddenly, Schwarz's low voice announced from afar.
“...”
And soon, the youngest imperial princess appeared in the banquet hall, dressed in finery.
“Wow...”
I stared blankly, unable to stop myself from murmuring.
“...She's pretty.”
She'd already drawn eyes at the debutante ball, but today, fully dolled up, she was dazzling.
At just ten, with looks like that—who knew how stunning she'd become with age? I could already imagine.
「Nice to meet you, youngest young lord of Belverk.」
“Ah... Yes.”
She stood before me and presented a prepared note, nearly making me bow before I caught myself and greeted her with a dazed expression.
「Kairen.」
Then, stepping closer, she quietly handed me another small note.
「...Talk to me later.」
Reading the note, I tilted my head in confusion, only for chilly stares to fly my way from the surroundings.
“...Hmph.”
Even Mother, with me on her lap, was giving me a cold look.
“I can guess which imperial you were close to.”
“...?”
“...Though Justina wouldn't pull something this annoying.”
Frowning and muttering to herself, Mother had me glancing up nervously, trying to make an excuse.
“...Mother, mmph.”
But at that exact moment, she leaned down, smothering my words against her chest.
“So, now my gift?”
A moment later, lifting my head with a slightly flushed face, there stood Big Sister Lilien.
“Rookie, don't pass out on me.”
Still glancing toward the princess who'd vanished into the distance, I turned back to Lilien—confidently offering a gift package—and gave her a quiet smile.
“I love it, Big Sis!”
“Fuck, you're so gross.”
Despite her words, Lilien's ears flushed red as she turned away.
“Finally, my turn.”
Thinking everyone present had given their gifts, I glanced around—
“Bring it here.”
Mother snapped her fingers, and Schwarz promptly presented a paper wrapped in soft cloth.
“What's this?”
“One-tenth of Belverk's territory.”
“Pardon?”
Staring blankly, I couldn't believe what came out of Mother's mouth.
“I'm granting you oversight of Belverk's outer territories, Kairen.”
“...Yes!?”
“Happy birthday again, Kairen.”
Was it really okay to hand territorial oversight to a mere ten-year-old?
“Congratulations, Young Master~!”
“Let's build your villa in the outer territories!”
“Heh, it's usually overlooked, but the outer territories are Belverk's true jewel.”
And why was everyone congratulating me without batting an eye?
Belverk, was this really okay?
“Wait a minute.”
Worried about the ducal house's future, I was stunned—
“It seems my gift is still pending.”
When the lively banquet hall suddenly fell silent.
“Uriel...?”
In the chilled atmosphere, Mother spoke, surprised.
“Don't worry. I have no intention of causing a scene.”
Uriel Big Sis smiled faintly and approached me, whispering softly.
“Kairen Nox Belverk.”
Pondering why she'd crashed my birthday party, her next words left me gaping blankly.
“I hereby transfer indefinite authority over my personal maids and the 4th Knight Order to you.”
Even I, clueless about propriety and Belverk's unspoken rules, grasped the meaning immediately.
“...Please make good use of them.”
Uriel Big Sis's birthday gift was her withdrawal from the house head competition—and a declaration of support for me.
Thanks to Uriel Big Sis's sudden declaration, as the mood overheated, Mother's order halted my birthday party temporarily.
“I never expected Uriel Big Sis to go that far...”
“...Indeed.”
“Big Sis Schwarz, has something like this happened before?”
Seizing the calm, I returned to my room with my gifts and chatted with Schwarz, who bowed silently beside me.
“This is unprecedented in Belverk's history, Young Master.”
“Ah...”
“No past house head could have foreseen such a peaceful transfer of authority in Belverk.”
From Schwarz's confident tone, this incident would clearly ripple through Belverk.
“I didn't accidentally make some unfair contract, did I?”
“Of course not!”
“Hmm...”
Befuddled, I avoided Schwarz's fierce glare as she thrust her face close.
“...There's something, isn't there?”
Fooling Schwarz—one who knew me best in this mansion—proved impossible.
“Anyway, Schwarz.”
“Yes?”
“Step out for a bit.”
Gauging her reaction, I brazenly smiled and issued the order to leave.
“I want to open the gifts alone!”
At ten now, time to show some masterly dignity.
The tags I'd seen on Schwarz before could spell trouble; better educate her properly from now on.
“Understood, Young Master.”
Relieved inwardly as she quietly bowed after staring, I thought—
“Perfect timing, with uninvited guests showing up...”
“...?”
“Haha, nothing.”
Something odd slipped out, but let's ignore it.
“Enjoy your time.”
Time to check the gifts...
Side effect alleviation process in progress...
Above all, time to grill the tactless System for causing this mess.
‘...Time to give her a scolding.’
One-way messages were fine, but two-way talk drained mental energy—keep it short and sharp.
“Ahem...”
Of course, after showing off the gifts first.
Meanwhile, at that moment.
“...Sigh.”
Schwarz stepped quietly into the corridor, closed Kairen's door, sighed, and glared at the gathered crowd.
“I won't accept this.”
“How did Uriel even rise this far...”
“...This is outrageous.”
Uriel's personal maids, led by her head maid and 4th Knight Order captain, huddled, murmuring coldly.
“...”
“...”
The frontliners—Uriel's head maid and knight captain—stood silently with dark expressions, but the tension lingered.
“Open the door.”
“We'll talk to him ourselves...”
“No.”
Schwarz coldly watched, firmly blocking their path amid the clamor.
“Why? Just a peek at the new master.”
“Circumstances aside, still...”
“...Hey, Schwarz. You.”
A maid stepped forward from the crowd, voice icy.
“Aren't you getting too full of yourself...”
Before she finished, Schwarz seized her throat.
“...Ack.”
As the maid struggled, Schwarz tightened her grip with a chilling smile.
“Making me show my old side.”
“...”
“Get lost before I kill you all.”
All knew the atrocities she'd committed to reach second in Belverk's demonic hierarchy—they backed away slowly.
「Open the door.」
「I have urgent matters to discuss with the youngest young lord.」
Someone pushed through, handing Schwarz a hastily scribbled note—the youngest imperial princess.
Schwarz's eyes widened, then sighed and bowed.
“Sigh...”
The chilly silence hung in the corridor briefly.
“...Very well.”
Breaking it, Schwarz offered a businesslike smile.
“But don't regret it.”
With that, Kairen's door slowly creaked open.
“Hehe, so pretty...”
The princess paused upon seeing Kairen perched on the bed, murmuring.
“Big Sis System, look at this!”
Unwrapping Count Harkfried's gift, he held up a blue gem, beaming innocently.
“Isn't it gorgeous? Like a piece of ice!”
His eyes glazed over, staring at empty air.
“He's at it again...”
“Poor Young Master...”
“...Can't bear to watch.”
Uriel's faction, baffled, overheard murmurs from Kairen's familiar maids and sensed something off.
“...What is this?”
Uriel's head maid asked Schwarz, uneasy.
“Young Master's imaginary friend.”
The corridor hushed as Schwarz explained.
“I didn't pry for details, but...”
“...”
“...It's surely a self-defense mechanism from his ten years in Opstein.”
Though Schwarz and the maids couldn't know of the System, it fit perfectly.
“Ten years of torture horrific even by Belverk standards—it's a miracle his mind held at all.”
“Ah...”
“That it's only this bad is miraculous.”
As Schwarz finished, Kairen swung a famed sword from Marquis Sharhen, pouting.
“It suits me perfectly!”
“...”
“Keep it up, and I'm done talking!”
His odd behavior continued, darkening the crowd's faces, their earlier momentum gone.
“I advise against speaking now.”
“...”
“As you see, once he's like that, he hears no one.”
Schwarz eyed them coldly, then quietly closed the door.
“Only a select few servants know of Young Master's mental state. Not even the house head or young ladies.”
The corridor sobered at her plea.
“So please, keep it secret.”
As Schwarz pressed a finger to her lips chillingly—
“...Cough, cough.”
A cough leaked from the half-closed door.
“Hey, Big Sis.”
“...!”
“About that incident earlier...!”
The youngest princess and Uriel's two aides flinched, listening intently.
“Really?”
Those in the know would find his mutter heartbreakingly naive.
“So I'm really okay, right?”
“...”
“...Just sleep one night and it'll all be fine, yeah?”
Reassured by his imaginary friend's white lie, Kairen beamed innocently.
“Hehe, good...”
As the door shut, the princess and aides bowed, pale for different reasons.
“...Not some ability or command.”
Even Uriel, lurking at the corridor's end, watching silently.
“An imaginary friend... you say.”
The primal misunderstanding about Kairen unraveled for her—but too late.