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CHAPTER 98………………………………………..
The party went smoothly, and it was finally time to open the presents.
Throughout the whole process — as about thirty children came up one by one to offer their gifts — Piace didn’t stop smiling once.
Even when receiving something as small as a pen, she rejoiced and never forgot to say thank you.
Unfortunately, the three men’s gifts weren’t very popular.
Of course, she accepted them happily, but not with the same delight she showed for the children’s presents.
When she received Ruspel’s book on something about geometry, she looked confused. Leonhart’s ring was far too big to fit on her finger.
She did like Owen’s necklace, but it would be hidden by her clothes, making it somewhat meaningless.
Out of the dozens of gifts, Piace looked happiest when she opened the one I had prepared.
The children crowded around, drawn to the unusually large present.
When the butler pulled the cord, the drapery covering it dropped away all at once.
A small mushroom-shaped house — just the right size for a child to enter.
Piace’s mouth opened wide in astonishment.
“My lady, this is a gift from the Duke. We’ll install it in the garden, so please enjoy it often. Here, this is the key.”
The butler handed Piace an ornate key tied with a large ribbon.
Even as she took the key, Piace couldn’t take her eyes off the mushroom house.
“Only you can enter, my lady, so be careful not to lose it.”
“O-only me?”
“It’s your secret hideout, after all. Not even the Duke can enter without your permission.”
“……!”
Of course, I had already prepared spare keys — there was no way a child wouldn’t lose one.
At the butler’s shameless lie, Piace’s face flushed bright red.
It seemed to finally sink in that she had a space all to herself.
Piace looked around, spotted me, and suddenly dashed over, throwing her arms around my waist.
“D-Duke, I love it! I really, really love it!”
Her voice trembled slightly, as if she might cry.
I absentmindedly patted the top of her round head.
“You should take a look inside too.”
“Yes!”
I tried to act nonchalant, but honestly, I felt pretty proud of myself.
The original plan had been a Renaissance-style palace, but due to time constraints, I’d switched to a mushroom house.
Even so, seeing how much she loved it made me happy beyond words.
All those sleepless nights sketching designs were worth it.
When Piace unlocked the door, the children crowded around her.
“Piace, Piace! Can I go in too?”
“Me too! I wanna see inside!”
“Zanakiel, get in line! No cutting!”
“Wow, it’s so cute! What’s this? Clouds?”
“It plays music too! Whoa, it’s so pretty.”
“Huh?! This box keeps making cookies! Is it magic?”
“Piace, you’re so lucky. I wish I had one too…”
The three men and I stepped back a little and watched.
Ruspel grumbled under his breath.
“Guess my present wasn’t that great… It’s actually pretty interesting, though.”
“Professor Ruspel, I told you — not a book,” Owen said.
“…The gift you gave isn’t much better, you know?”
“Hey, at least she wore my necklace. She didn’t even glance at yours. Look, she shoved it over there.”
“Next year, I’ll win.”
“Oh really? With me around?”
While Ruspel and Owen bickered pointlessly, Leonhart suddenly straightened in his chair.
“Your Highness? What’s wrong?”
“Don’t react. I just sensed killing intent.”
“……!”
“It’s gone now.”
[Lian, I felt it too! It disappeared so fast I couldn’t pinpoint it, but it came from the west!]
[Undine, are you sure? I sensed it from the east — and south.]
[‘What the hell?’]
[North for me! …Gnome says he felt it from all directions?!]
So there’s more than one.
We discreetly scanned our surroundings.
The band played cheerfully, servants bustled about, and the children ran and laughed — nothing suspicious at first glance.
[Lian, don’t worry. If the assassin reveals themselves again, we’ll catch them instantly!]
[Now that we’ve detected them, it’ll be easy.]
[Easy, my ass. What if they never show their killing intent again? You want to just sit here and wait?]
An assassin without killing intent looked like an ordinary person.
If they chose to hide, even a spirit or swordmaster would struggle to find them.
I covered my mouth with a teacup and murmured,
“They’re among the servants hired for today.”
“They could’ve disguised themselves as regular staff. We’ll need to verify every one of them. Let’s start.”
Leonhart rose, but Ruspel quickly grabbed his arm.
“Your Highness, don’t move recklessly — too many hostages.”
“Hostages?”
“The children. If things go south, the assassin could grab one and do who-knows-what.”
“…Then we’ll evacuate the children first.”
“Right. Quietly, so they don’t notice.”
How to move the kids safely without alerting the assassin?
Just then, as if reading my thoughts, text appeared before my eyes:
[Step 3: (in a secretive tone) ‘Your Highness, I’ll take the children inside the mansion. If I say we’re touring the family museum, they won’t suspect a thing.’]
“I’ll take the children—”
I began to follow the instruction, but something felt off.
Wouldn’t that put the kids in even more danger if the assassin’s target is me?
If the assassin was after me, they’d follow wherever I went.
So staying away from the children was the safer choice.
Then why is it trying to make me take them with me?
I couldn’t make sense of it. Was it because this was a “childcare” story where no kids could be harmed?
Then a chilling thought struck me:
Piace possessed holy power.
Don’t tell me… they’re planning to expose her powers by putting the children in danger.
If multiple assassins appeared in the mansion, chaos would erupt.
Panicked children could get hurt — or worse, taken hostage.
Either way, the kids would be harmed, forcing Piace’s power to manifest.
But she hasn’t even awakened yet! Do they really have to do it this way?
Again, the same instruction flashed before me:
[Step 3: (in a secretive tone) ‘Your Highness, I’ll take the children inside the mansion. If I say we’re touring the family museum, they won’t suspect a thing.’]
I thought quickly.
If the writer’s intention is to reveal Piace’s true nature… then someone has to get hurt.
A third warning appeared.
I squeezed my eyes shut, then opened them.
“Professor Ruspel and Owen will take the children—!”
Suddenly, pain exploded in my chest, sharp and suffocating, as if hundreds of thorns were piercing my heart.
I clenched my teeth, swallowing back a groan.
I grabbed my teacup and gulped down the blood rising in my throat with the tea.
My stomach convulsed violently; my vision went dark.
“Duke? Are you all right? You’re pale.”
At Ruspel’s voice, both Leonhart and Owen turned to look at me.
“…Are you unwell?”
“You really are pale, Duke. You don’t look good — should I check?”
I avoided Owen’s hand and bit my tongue, using the pain to clear my mind.
Apparently, I’d gotten used to these penalties — at least I no longer fainted from one.
“I’m fine. Focus. You two take the children inside. Tell them you’re showing the family museum — it’ll seem natural. No one else can access it.”
“What about you, Duke?”
“I’ll lure the assassin.”
Leonhart looked unsurprised, but Ruspel and Owen both froze.
“Are you insane? You’re gonna bait them yourself?!”
“Duke, that’s too dangerous! What if there’s more than one?!”
“I’ve got the Spirit Sword. And a Swordmaster watching my back. Right, Your Highness?”
Leonhart answered with a small shrug.
Ruspel and Owen still looked uneasy, but in the end, they agreed.
Time was short — we had to move the children before the assassin caught on.
We exchanged glances and began the operation.
“Butler.”
“Yes, my lord?”
“How about showing the children the family museum?”
“An excellent idea, sir.”
“There’s a museum at your mansion? Can we really see it?”
“D-Duke, I’d like to see it too! I-I’ve always been very interested in museums!”
“…Is that so.”
Owen, seriously — do you read like that from a textbook?
Ruspel and I glared; Owen lowered his head, his long white hair failing to hide his burning-red ears.
Before the butler could get suspicious, I kept up the act.
“It’s fine to show them. Butler, guide these two as well. Oh, and only take Luna and Cecil from the staff. We wouldn’t want anything stolen.”
“You won’t be joining them, my lord?”
“I’ve got a date.”
“With whom…?”
“Who else? My fiancée, of course.”
I smiled sweetly and looped my arm around Leonhart’s.
“Darling, shall we take a walk?”
