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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 73
Chapter Title: A Bumpy Ride
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Kivrin tilted his head, as if he didn't understand why I was so shocked.
I went straight to Rose and asked her to take good care of Kivrin while I was away.
Rose agreed, but she looked at me with concern.
“I'm more worried about you than him.”
“Huh? Rose, did you feel anything strange when you went to the marquess's domain? Any idea why only the forest there was ruined?”
Rose raised an eyebrow.
“How should I know? As long as you're safe, who cares if that damn territory goes to ruin?”
I opened my mouth, then closed it.
“...You get along so well with the Young Lord, so why won't you try to be friends with him? You wouldn't even let him give you the engagement ring.”
Rose shuddered.
“Are you crazy? Huh? Don't even bring it up! I'll seriously run away from home!”
“...”
The maids really need to see this.
Time passed without any new information, and the next day, Emil came out with Menelik.
It was my first time seeing Emil in proper outdoor attire, so my eyes widened.
“Is Emil coming with us too?”
“Yes. This thing is coming along.”
As Menelik cut in to answer, Emil protested.
“A ‘thing’? At least call me a ‘punk’!”
*‘Thing’ or ‘punk,’ there doesn't seem to be much of a difference.*
Meanwhile, Cesar, who was acting as my escort knight in Rose's place, had a dark expression.
“If you two are accompanying us, then my presence seems rather useless...”
“Gasp, not at all! I feel so much safer with you here, Sir Cesar!”
Perhaps because of all the praise I'd given him, instead of continuing to wallow in despair, Cesar simply bowed his head.
“Thank you for your trust. I will protect you with my life, Young Mistress.”
“...You don't have to risk your life. With Sir Cesar, Father, and Emil here, I feel like I could fall over backward and still be perfectly fine.”
I said that, then paused.
*Our plan is just to give Marquess Ingram a gift and stay for a single night. Isn't this kind of manpower a waste?*
Though Menelik often ignored him, Emil was an exceptional mage. He'd even defeated the master of the Magic Tower before.
And Cesar was no ordinary knight, either.
I glanced at Menelik. When he moved, the scabbard hidden under his cloak was briefly visible.
I didn't know what Marquess Ingram was plotting, but since his opponent was Menelik, Winter's concern was understandable.
*—When Rik went to the Great Temple with you, he came back without killing anyone, right? That was a huge accomplishment. I hope it'll be the same this time.*
Yeah, I'm much more worried about my father-in-law than Marquess Ingram.
Having finished picking on Emil, Menelik belatedly joined the conversation.
“I wouldn't let our Cheria fall in the first place. Yelena said that if Cheria bumps into something even a little bit wrong, she could break a bone.”
“Pardon?”
“Really?”
Cesar and Emil were shocked in unison.
I sulked a little.
“Have neither of you ever broken a bone as a child?”
“I have not.”
“Nope.”
“...”
Why!
As I was feeling an unnecessary sense of defeat, Menelik lifted me into the carriage.
Menelik didn't like to travel with much, be it luggage or people, so we all rode in a single carriage.
As soon as I took my seat, I started munching on a cookie, while Emil pressed his face to the window, letting out exclamations of wonder.
“Carriages are a pretty great way to travel, aren't they? I don't know how many years it's been since I've been out like this. Oh, Young Mistress, did you see that bird just now?”
He's so excited. That's usually my role.
I glanced subconsciously at Cesar. He let out a silent sigh, and then our eyes met.
Flustered, Cesar quickly turned his head away.
And then, even more flustered, he snapped his head back forward.
“It was not my intention to...”
“I know.”
This sibling relationship seems quite complicated.
I offered Cesar a cookie.
Just then, Menelik held out his hand.
“Where's mine?”
“...”
There's only one left!
I began to struggle with a dilemma.
Should I give it to him?
N-no! I've gotten much closer to my father-in-law!
He'll understand even if I don't give him the whole thing!
After much deliberation, I broke the cookie in half and gave him a piece.
My hand was trembling, and Menelik looked like he was about to die from laughter.
I shouldn't have given it to him...
I slowly ate the rest of my cookie.
Suddenly, Emil braced a hand against the carriage wall.
“W-wait a minute. I think we need to stop.”
His voice was quite serious. With a pale face, Emil looked back at Menelik.
Huh? Did he see something?
“I'm about to throw up.”
“...”
Cesar put a hand to his forehead. The carriage stopped, and Emil went outside to empty his stomach.
I asked Menelik.
“How long has it been since we left?”
“About fifteen minutes.”
“...”
While I was speechless, Menelik muttered.
“Should we just leave him...”
“I agr— No, I mean, never mind. Please forget I said anything.”
Cesar quickly retracted the true feelings that had slipped out.
Emil returned just before Menelik's patience ran out.
Since no one was worried about him, he looked twice as pitiful.
In the end, I was the one to break the silence.
“Emil, are you okay?”
Emil's eyes welled up with tears.
“You're the only one who worries about me, Young Mistress. *Sob*, but no, I'm not okay.”
I took out the motion sickness medicine Yelena had packed for me.
“Here, take this. I don't get motion sick, so I don't need it.”
Besides, the ducal carriage has such a smooth ride.
Just then, Menelik spoke up.
“What if you suddenly start feeling unwell?”
Huh?
“Wouldn't it be better for that punk to throw up a hundred times than for you to throw up once?”
...What is he talking about?
While I was thinking how strange his logic was, Cesar nodded in agreement!
Emil, succumbing to their authority, swallowed his tears and shouted, “That's right! I'll just throw up a hundred times!”
I looked back and forth between Emil and Menelik before asking Emil.
“Emil, didn't you know you get motion sick?”
“Every time I rode in a carriage before, someone knocked me out, so I never knew.”
Emil sniffled.
Cesar spoke, making it obvious he was reluctant.
“I do have some spare medicine. It's not the best quality, however...”
“What? Give it to me now!”
Emil lunged, his eyes blazing.
After snatching the motion sickness medicine from Cesar, Emil leaned back in his seat with satisfaction.
...And twenty minutes later, he threw up again, at which point Menelik finally knocked him out.
* * *
In any case, we arrived at the marquess's domain.
Marquess Ingram completely dropped his pompous attitude and stared in shock.
“I received no word that Your Excellency would be visiting again...”
Ehh.
Then who did he think was coming?
I was the only one whose eyes were darting around in confusion.
Emil was just muttering about feeling sick, and Cesar was tense, worried Emil might throw up on his clothes.
Menelik asked nonchalantly.
“It's the gift that matters, not the person delivering it, right?”
Marquess Ingram struggled to compose himself.
A strained smile formed on his lips.
“I understand. In that case, you may leave the gift and be on your way.”
“That would be a problem for me. Winter prepared something precious, so she told me to come back after receiving treatment of equal value.”
“...”
When the master of the duchy, famous for his insane wealth, used the word "precious," Marquess Ingram faltered.
Just then, Emil raised his hand.
“I think I'm going to be sick.”
At his urgent words, devoid of any formality, Marquess Ingram jumped back.
A maid from the marquess's household, who was supposed to guide us, stepped forward instead.
“I will guide you.”
Emil followed the maid, dry-heaving dramatically.
Marquess Ingram clicked his tongue in disapproval.
“What kind of hooligan is this attendant...”
Oh, he doesn't know Emil?
I tugged on Menelik's sleeve to give him a quick signal, then followed after Emil.
While Emil was vomiting his guts out, the maid brought a tray with medicine and water.
Wanting to speak with Emil alone, I held out my hands.
“I'll take it to him.”
The maid obediently stepped back.
After waiting and peeking down the hall and out the window, Emil finally emerged.
I held out the tray.
Emil looked shocked.
“Young Mistress, did you follow me because you were worried? I mean, of course, I'm incredibly moved, but do I really seem that frail to you?”
“...”
What is he talking about after all that vomiting?
Emil snatched the tray, set it down somewhere random, and whispered.
“This is all a ploy to make the marquess let his guard down.”
I gave him a dubious look.
“For a ploy, you started throwing up the moment you got in the carriage...”
“You have to deceive your allies first—*Urk*, just a moment.”
“...”
Emil ran off to throw up again.
