Chapter 52
Chapter 52
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 52
Chapter Title: Why Are Those People Here?
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Dad went on vacation.
During the time he was gone, I decided to focus entirely on taking down that vicious Axel Mirmod.
First thing every morning and evening, I trained hard to build my strength.
The maids—experts who'd mastered their muscles—helped me out.
‘Gotta build some power!’
I watched the maids and mimicked their moves with all my might. Of course, my short arms meant I couldn't match them.
But still...
“My biceps are a wittle bit bigger now!”
“A-After just three days...?”
Bench Sis, who was rubbing my squishy arms, muttered softly in bewilderment.
“It's just... fat... Ack!”
“Nonsense. Oh, our baby miss has some amazing muscles!”
“Really?”
I glanced back and forth between Deadlift Sis and Bench Sis, then let out a sigh.
Next up, I enrolled in Grandma's poison academy.
“Oh dear, my little honey bun. Your poor face looks so worn out.”
“Hm...?”
“Come sit on ol' Granny's lap.”
“...Okay.”
I climbed onto Grandma's lap and listened to her lessons on poisons.
‘The world is full of poisonous plants.’
There were tons I could use on Axel Mirmod.
I hid my sneaky grin and paid close attention to Grandma's class. The moment she mentioned the Cerbay flower that messed with people's minds, I slapped my knee.
‘If I'm gonna be a villain, I gotta handle poisons like a pro.’
After hours of her passionate teaching—enough to make her throat hoarse—drowsiness started creeping in, so I tried to get off her lap.
But...
“Honey bun, you can't just leave it at this, right?”
Grandma looked terribly disappointed.
I hesitated and scratched the back of my head.
“Nuh-uh. Not goin’!”
“Oh, thank goodness! That's my girl!”
In the time I hadn't seen her, Grandma had turned a little—no, a whole lot—into a doting grandma.
I tilted my head in confusion. She pinched my chubby, bouncy shrimp cheeks and murmured regretfully.
“Looking all scrawny like this.”
I'd gained weight, and my muscles even felt pumped, so how could she say that?
I narrowed my eyes at her like a flounder. She patted my head sympathetically and spoke.
“Let's eat.”
“...?”
Saying "let's eat" with such scary eyes—truly someone to look up to.
***
A few hours later.
Back at the mansion, I patted my now bulging belly. Grandma had laid out a feast of every delicacy under the sun and threatened that I had to finish it all.
Twelve appetizers, then main courses with dozens of meats and fish. When I said I was full, she gave me plum tea for digestion and made me eat more.
When I insisted I couldn't take another bite, she stroked my cheeks and said ominously,
‘She told me to come back tomorrow...’
Her voice was just like the witch from the gingerbread house.
‘Tomorrow, I gotta skip Grandma's and rest.’
My stomach felt stuffed, and my arms looked like Michelin tires—puffy.
In short...
“I'm gonna die...”
Deadlift Sis whispered while rubbing my arms.
“...You did eat a lot.”
“Ung...”
I flicked my forehead to snap out of it. A red mark lingered, making Bench Sis wince sympathetically, but that wasn't the point.
“Anyway, how's the arboretum digging goin’?”
“You bet!”
“The honorable muscle pigs from our Press family are workin’ hard, so no worries!”
As she said it, Bench Sis flexed her biceps. I nodded in admiration at her reliable muscles.
That's how Dad's vacation passed.
I thought it'd stay peaceful the whole time.
But right when I thought that, trouble hit.
***
“Didja hear the news?”
“Hm?”
I was clenching my tiny fists, staring hard at the magic tool. I needed a way to delay Axel's return through this thing.
Axel was due back in less than two weeks.
My little head felt ready to burst—right then.
“Urgent news, Miss Sien.”
Ted burst into the room, hair flying. I tilted my head.
I hadn't seen Ted much, but I'd never seen the knight look this frantic.
“Message from Sir Leonhardt. Axel Mirmod's return has been delayed.”
My big eyes went even wider.
I hadn't fully built my skills yet, nor turned Dad into a full villain—and now this unexpected stroke of massive luck.
I gawked and gestured with my chin.
“Why the delay?”
“Apparently, big unrest in the Mercy region that Axel’s handling. He can’t possibly visit here.”
Mercy region—where Dad had gone to volunteer.
For a split second, I worried if my dad had gotten caught up and... died?
Panic hit me, and I looked at Ted worriedly.
“Is my—D-Dad... okay?”
“Lord Matthias Mirmod is...”
Ted fell silent.
‘Why the silence?’
Even more anxious, Deadlift Sis beside me started fussing.
“What did Matthias do in Mercy? Th-That...”
“Don't talk about the gruesome stuff, Deadlift.”
“H-He's alive... right?”
Just imagining my one and only dad dead made my eyes well up.
Deadlift Sis stared at me like she'd heard the strangest question ever.
“Huh?”
“M-My daddy.”
“...Of course he's alive?”
“To worry about that... Worry about my muscles instead.”
Even with the maids chiming in, I was super worried.
“...Gotta check if Daddy's safe...”
As my hands trembled with worry, Ted spoke.
“No need to worry. Lord Matthias is safe and will return soon.”
“Reawwy? Then I'll scold him when he gets back!”
Relief washed over me that he was alive.
I clenched my fists determinedly, thought stern thoughts, then turned.
“By the way, any progress on the arboretum digging?”
Today's events made it crystal clear.
Dad was such a free spirit—too nice, going on vacation to a place that might riot.
So I needed to gather gold quick and hire knights or mercenaries to protect him.
Otherwise, my fragile dad might croak...!
First things first: make money.
I sparkly-eyed the maids like I was urging them on.
“Our baby miss even knows words like ‘progress’...”
“...That's not the point right now!”
I shook my head, and Bench Sis spoke up.
“Ah, they say it's almost done. By tomorrow, they'll reach the end. The diggers said something snagged on their shovels.”
“Let's check the arboretum tomorrow morning.”
Axel was delayed longer, Dad was still alive, and tomorrow I'd be rich.
The extra time meant I could take on that Axel jerk for sure.
***
Next morning.
I woke up, brushed my teeth super diligently all by myself, and wiggled into my socks solo.
That wasn't all.
I did cute pigtails and put on my gold-embellished outfit full of dignity.
All prepped, I checked the mirror, and inside...
“Do I look like I'm gonna be queen?”
“Oh yes, indeed.”
There was the super cool me.
I grinned and flicked my pigtails.
“Alright, everyone, let's go!”
My loyal maid subordinates flanked me.
“Yay!”
Knight Ted stuck by my side too.
“I'll come along.”
I smugly lifted my chin at my entourage.
Today was shovel-the-dirt-and-pick-gold day, so gold-foil outfit it was. All decked out fancy, I had a happy feeling everything would go smoothly.
I shrugged my shoulders and grabbed the maids' hands.
But...
***
“W-What's this?”
I peeked anxiously from the arboretum entrance, surveying inside.
Unlike before, it was a total barren field. All the rose trees were chopped down.
We'd planned to cut them for wood, but I hadn't expected it this fast.
I thought Muscle Maid Sis knew the situation.
“R-Really? Why'd it progress so quick?”
“Totally.”
Even the sis who'd hired the workers looked clueless... super weird.
An ominous feeling made me blink repeatedly.
Seeing my flustered face, the maids started bickering.
“What the... Hey, Bench. What's goin’ on?”
“We did bring lotsa honorable muscle pigs from the family, but...”
“Yeah, but this... M-Magic or somethin’?”
What if...
‘Someone found out about the gold bars and came to steal ‘em?’
It made sense.
My antics at the dark auction must've looked suspicious.
“Where'd those workers go?”
“Yeah. They love eatin’ and gossipin’—no way it'd be this quiet.”
Plus, no sign of the muscle crew from Maid Sis's family.
I'd planned to thank ‘em for digging up my gold and share a bit as a gift.
‘What happened?’
I bristled like a spiky hedgehog.
“Let's head deeper in first.”
“Yes!”
The maids flanked me, Ted guarded my back.
I led like a boss and went inside.
At the tense scene we reached...
“Gasp.”
...I rubbed my eyes in shock. Why was that person here?
“Diggin’ with the shovel~ today too~.”
Delphia, silver hair flying, wielded a shovel as big as herself, digging away.
Beside her, Leonhardt grumbled but brushed dirt off gold bars.
‘What the heck is this?’
Wondering if only I didn't get it, I checked my guard maids and Ted.
They shook their heads too.
“We kept it secret so rumors wouldn't spread... Didn't expect them to show up and help.”
“Probably silenced or chased off the family hires...”
“H-How'd it leak?”
As I whispered, Deadlift Sis facepalmed.
“Come to think of it, Lady Delphia’s super interested in everything Miss Sien does. She told us to report right away if it’d help you...”
I shook my head vigorously.
‘Such is the burdened life of a popular kid.’
Anyway.
I toddled forward.
“Sis!”
Delphia, mid-dig, turned at my voice.
She dropped her shovel like it burned and jumped up.
“Finally, a face I wanna see! That old hag—hate her guts. Hoggin’ you all to herself!”
I'd thought she was too busy to visit lately, but nope. And Leonhardt tagging along? Weird combo.
“Pipsqueak, you... knew about the gold here, didn’tcha?”
Leonhardt's eyes sparkled at me.
“Yup! My gold!”
I beamed and charged full speed.
Delphia spread her arms for a hug.
But I blew past her to the pile of gold bars.
“Eek!”
As I bounced excitedly, thinking I was rich,
“How’s our baby so lucky?”
I heard Delphia mutter. Leonhardt shook his head.
“Not luck—genius makes it happen.”
Cheeks squished in my hands, I thought.
The fact that I found gold bars? Headline news, big time.