Translator: Blushy
Editor: Sam
A few days after I heard the heavy report from Otou-sama. During that time, I knew Otou-sama and Nii-sama were secretly discussing something with serious expressions on their faces while occasionally looking at me, but I pretended not to notice.
It was better to know something than not knowing anything at all. But I donât want to know too much and be stuck. So, I thought the best thing to do was not to ask what they were discussing.
However, Otou-sama decided that he would tell me.
âLei.â
âAi.â
I made up my mind to listen and faced Otou-sama.
âAh. Itâs, uh, the Remingtons...â
âChrish?â
âNot her.â
I only wanted to ask him about Chris, I thought, but I waited in silence for him to continue.
Otou-sama looked from one side to the other and didnât seem like he would start talking, but finally he turned to me as if he had made up his mind.
âThe Remingtons, or rather Ange, has insisted on meeting with all of the Four Marquises for the last time.â
âAww of thhe Four Marquishesh.â
There must be a connection between Otou-sama and the other Four Marquises that I donât understand since they channel their magic into the magic stones. I nodded strangely.
âHave fun.â
âNo, no.â
Otou-sama waved his hand in front of his face in a panic.
âShe wants to meet everyone who has inherited the Four Marquis blood. Before she goes to the place where she will be imprisoned.â
I wonder if this is her final farewell.
âIth wouwd be fine for her jushth tho shee her famiwy.â (It would be fine for her just to see her family)
â... I thought so as well. If it were me, then I would only want to see my family in my final farewell. But itâs her final wish, so it was decided that it would be granted. So...â
âLei two?â
âYes, you too. Alistair just happens to be in the capital as well, so sheâll be saying bye to him as well.â
I canât understand what Ange-obasama is trying to do. How is it fun to show everyone how you are before you go to be punished? I wouldnât want to go to such a tragic place either. Itâs fine just for her to have quiet time with Chris and Felicia.
But Iâm a good listener.
âOway.â
Iâll go and stand quietly next to Otou-sama and Nii-sama. I nodded quietly.
The place where Otou-sama and Nii-sama took me to was the royal castle that we always go to. The only difference was that our destination wasnât the Princeâs Palace, but a room I didnât know. I instinctively looked around for Nico, but he wasnât one of the Four Marquises, so thereâs no way he would be here.
Instead, both Chris and Felicia were in the room. I wasnât sure whether I should run up to them or not, but Chris jumped at me energetically.
âI wanted to see you, Lei.â
âLei two. Lei wanthed tho shee you thoo.â
We hugged each other tightly. Felicia, on the other hand, looked at me with guilt. She knew that I went through something terrible because of her mother. I nodded my head to tell her that it was alright.
Stan-ojisama, Gill and Alistair stood behind Felicia as if to protect her. They really look alike when I look at them like this. I felt like laughing even at a time like this because I thought they were probably thinking that Otou-sama, Nii-sama and I look alike as well.
But Alistair walked away from his family and stood behind me. Stan-ojisama and Gill looked sad for a moment, but then smiled wryly since they couldnât stop him.
Even though he was staying at the Lisburn House and spending time with them as a family, I guess in his mind, he still thought of himself as the guardian who had raised me for six months. I was delighted about that. Nii-sama looked extremely unhappy about this but moved to the side to give Alistair a little space.
Then, Gill came over to me instead of Felicia, who was hesitating, and took Chris by the hand and led her back to the Lisburnâs.
As the Four Marquises went to their places and the uncomfortable silence continued, a different door from the one we had entered through, opened. The people who came in were Ange-obasama and her husband. They seemed to have been treated properly, and I felt somewhat relieved to see them dressed and behaving in the same way as they always do.
âAnge. Broad,â I heard a whisper escape from Otou-samaâs mouth behind my back. I learnt for the first time that Chrisâs fatherâs man is Broad, and that his eyes were the same gentle milk tea colour as Chrisâs.
âOkaa-sama! Otou-sama!â
Chris ran up to them. Ange hugged Chris rightly.
âChris you seem well.â
Ange-obasama looked up with her arms still around Chris and turned towards the Lisburns.
âStan and Julia. Thank you.â
âItâs nothing. Weâre just taking care of them.â
âThank you. Felicia.â
Unlike Chris, Felicia didnât run up to them and Ange-obasama looked at her a little sadly. But the words that came out of her mouth were enough to surprise us, âWhy did you leave us?â
âOkaa-sama...â Surprise wasnât the only emotion in Feliciaâs tone. Her voice also contained confusion, dismay and anger. Ange-obasamaâs words showed that she was unaware and unreflective of the danger she had put Kingdom in.
âBecause I thought it was the right thing to do. I canât neglect my duty to protect the citizens of Kingdom as a Four Marquis.â
âI see. So, you canât either. How silly.â She said as if it was nothing. Then she removed her arms from around Chris and pushed her towards Broad. Chris was also hugged tightly by her father.
âAngelique. Why did you call us here?â Harold-ojisama asked quietly.
âWhy? Iâm not interested in you, Harold or Stan.â
I could tell that Nii-sama was feeling nervous behind me, and I could feel Alistairâs confusion.
âItâs just the Albans baby wouldnât come if I didnât say I wanted to see everyone who carries the blood of the Four Marquises. Oh, she just turned two the other day, didnât she?â
Yes, didnât you come to my debut? I put my hand in front of Otou-sama who was about to step forward and stopped him, then I spread my legs a little, adjusted my posture and locked eyes with Ange-obasama who was staring at me.
âThatâs not a pretty look. I just wanted to take a last look at why things hadnât gone the way I planned.â
I didnât say anything except stare back at her with my chest puffed out. Ange-obasamaâs eyes were cold.
âEverything would have turned out great if you hadnât returned from Wester.â
âAnge! You!â Otou-sama raised his voice in agitation. I could feel Mark stop Otou-sama and Nii-sama as they attempted to rush at Ange-obasama.
âWhat are you on about? I didnât do or say anything.â
There was someone who didnât even think anything was wrong with what they had said.