Chapter 42
Chapter 42
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 42
Chapter Title: Mastain Ducal Family (1)
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“Wow…”
After a journey that felt long if long and short if short, we arrived at the Mastain Ducal Residence.
The World Tree Capital certainly boasted an overwhelming presence, but the Mastain buildings surpassed even that.
The walls alone were dizzyingly tall, and a long line of merchants stretched out, waiting for inspection to enter the castle.
“What the hell is that…”
“Never thought I’d live to see something like this…”
The merchants chatted idly in their plant carriages as they waited in line, all eyes drawn to it. Meanwhile, I let out a deep sigh at the sight of that endless queue.
The weather was already cold enough, and waiting in a line like that would be downright torture.
“Hmm…”
Laura frowned as I kept sighing heavily.
“Let’s just use the family’s private passage.”
Her words perked up my ears.
A secret passage? No reason not to use it.
“Where is it?”
“I’ll guide you there.”
Yumi stepped forward at that moment.
Yumi whispered the location of the secret passage to Bine, and the carriage quickly headed that way.
Ssshh…
The plant carriage glided smoothly over the frozen ground like a sled.
Finally, the carriage came to a stop in front of a small gate guarded by two knights with fierce expressions.
“Halt!”
One knight raised his hand to stop us and approached slowly.
He held a sharp sword at the ready.
“This is the private passage for the Mastain Ducal Family only! Step back now!”
He bellowed after confirming there was no Mastain crest on the plant carriage.
“Ugh…”
Laura seemed annoyed but groaned and rose from the carriage, opening the door and stepping out.
“Gah, loyalty!”
“Loyalty!”
The knights, who had looked so imposing moments ago, snapped to attention and saluted sharply the instant Laura lightly hopped out.
Sweat beaded on their foreheads and trickled down—they clearly feared her greatly.
Just how much had she tormented them for these sturdy knights to be so terrified?
I couldn’t help but feel sorry for the poor guys.
“Um… Lady? Have you… spoken with the Family Head about this…?”
It seemed the knights had heard about Laura’s exile too.
Our Laura was quite the celebrity.
Laura scowled at his words.
“What business is it of anyone if I want to enter my own home?”
She vented her irritation plainly.
The knights exchanged uneasy glances, unsure how to handle it.
Then Laura shouted sharply.
“Open the gate!”
“Yes, ma’am!”
Startled by her roar, they hurriedly swung open the small gate.
They must have decided it was fine since she wasn’t some suspicious outsider, but the legitimate daughter of the Mastain Ducal Family.
Or maybe they feared her antics more than any punishment for opening the gate without orders.
Either way, it was good news for me—no waiting in that massive line—so I didn’t interfere and entered without a word.
True to its name as a private family passage, a magnificent lord’s castle that deserved the title of palace came into view the moment the gate opened.
“Home…”
Laura’s eyes sparkled faintly, touched by the sight of her home after so long.
Meanwhile, Yumi kept conversing with Bine to steer the plant carriage.
Ssshh.
The wooden tendrils shifted, propelling the carriage forward until it stopped before the grand doors of the lord’s castle.
“Hmm…”
The guards at the gate furrowed their brows as we approached.
They weren’t outright hostile—having come through the family passage—but they eyed us suspiciously.
Fair enough; even I’d be on guard if a plant carriage slithered up like that.
“Excuse me, who might you be?”
The voice of who seemed to be the guard captain rang out. This time, too lazy to get out, Laura just poked her head out.
“It’s me.”
“Gah, Miss?”
“Yeah, it’s me. Open the gate.”
“Uh… please wait just a moment.”
The guard captain dashed urgently into the lord’s castle.
Seeing Laura hold back from causing a scene this time, it looked like her usual tricks wouldn’t fly here.
While the captain was gone, Rainy looked around the imposing Family Head’s castle and stuck out her tongue in awe.
“Wow, Derek, this place is a thousand times better than our house. Let’s renovate ours too.”
“It’s my house. Not the Saintess’s.”
Rainy patted my shoulder.
“I’m gonna live in Daven Territory forever, so it’s my house too, right?”
“…You have to return to the Church once the hero party’s journey ends. With achievements like that, you’ll be reinstated as Saintess for sure.”
“Eek…”
Rainy shuddered at the mere thought.
“I just wanna live peacefully in your backwater village. Hanging out with you is fun.”
“…I can’t play with you forever. I have to get married too.”
“Mar… married?”
“Yes. Even to continue the baronial line, I need an heir. If I’m still playing with the Saintess after getting a wife, it might raise weird suspicions.”
Rainy’s face fell.
“Can’t you just… not get married?”
“Would you have me ruin the family?”
“Ugh… So that stupid family matters more than me!”
“Yes.”
“You jerk.”
As I endured Rainy’s grumbling and swats over something so obvious, the guard captain came rushing back.
“You’re cleared to enter.”
Hearing that eased my mind.
I’d worried he might say something like, “How dare you ignore my orders and come back? Keep her out!” But it seemed her father wasn’t that heartless.
“However…”
“However?”
“The Family Head seemed… extremely displeased. Please keep that in mind.”
The wrath of the Northern Grand Duke.
I suddenly wanted to turn back already.
Laura patted my shoulder, seeing my worried look.
“It’s fine. I can convince Father.”
“Yes… Understood.”
With Laura’s confident assurance, the doors of the Family Head’s castle creaked open, and the plant carriage glided smoothly inside.
“Please park the carriage here.”
Servants had gathered, apparently informed in advance.
One who looked like a coachman approached to assist with parking.
“Oh, no need.”
Bine politely declined.
This plant carriage was eco-friendly and returned to nature anyway—no parking required.
“Yes…?”
The puzzled coachman’s confusion cleared up when we all disembarked, and he watched the carriage sink into the ground.
The servants all gasped in amazement at the spectacle.
That was when an elderly man who seemed to be the ducal house’s head butler approached silently.
He moved without a sound—not your average person.
His white hair was neatly combed back, and for some reason, he felt familiar.
“Welcome, guests. I am Daniel, head butler of the Mastain Ducal Family.”
Hearing his name struck me like lightning.
“Do you perhaps have a brother named Denik?”
Daniel tilted his head, surprised I knew.
“Yes… We parted ways thirty years ago, but…”
“He serves as our family’s head butler.”
Daniel’s narrowed eyes widened.
“Oh… That’s a relief. Glad to hear he’s doing well.”
I marveled at the coincidence.
One brother the head butler of the Mastain Ducal Family.
The other, of the Daven Barony.
Who knew life had coincidences like this? I followed the butler inside.
The interior of the Mastain Family Head’s castle was well-heated, warm unlike the chilly outside.
“The Family Head is in his study.”
The butler must have been curious why Laura returned, but he guided us calmly without asking, fulfilling his duty.
For some reason, though, Laura seemed oddly wary of him.
Curious, I whispered to Yumi.
“Why’s the lady hiding?”
Yumi glanced at Laura before whispering back.
“When she was young, the head butler handled her discipline. It straightened out her personality a lot. She’s just been intimidated by him ever since.”
To think this was her “straightened out” personality.
I couldn’t help but admire the butler’s disciplinary skills.
He’d tamed an even wilder version of Laura back then?
If I got the chance later, I’d have to ask for his secrets.
“This is it.”
We stopped before a door made of fine ebony.
The butler glanced over our group, then politely knocked.
“It’s the head butler. I’ve brought the guests.”
“Enter.”
A stern voice came from within.
Creeeak.
The door opened smoothly, revealing a man of enormous build staring at us with a grave expression.
The ruler of the North.
Master of the Mastain Ducal Family.
Tanes Mastain.