Translator: Nox

Chapter 29

I am currently standing at a crossroads.

“Really? Kalips, where did you hear that?”

“From Madam Phrea.”

“Are you sure you didn’t mishear? She’s seven years old.”

The twins’ reactions were skeptical, but their tone was laced with curiosity. Kalips snorted.

“That’s why we’re going to verify it. I find it hard to believe too. No matter how much of an idiot she is, she carries the name Travel—how could she not be able to read?”

I had a choice: maintain the facade of illiteracy to appear harmless, or risk a scolding for lying to Grandfather.

‘Obviously, I’m choosing not to get scolded by Grandfather. Kalips is like a chihuahua, but Grandfather is terrifying…’

Kalips took his hand off the object he had placed on my desk. It was a newspaper issued today.

Oh, it’s been a while since I’ve seen a newspaper.

“Hey, if you’re so indignant, try reading it.”

“…….”

Instead of responding to Kalips’s sneering, I scanned the articles with my eyes. In my other memories, my childhood recollections were limited in content, which had been a shame.

‘I might be able to deduce the future using my memories and the newspaper articles.’

For example, the pumpkins that recently began cultivation in the Port Kingdom under permit. They were a variety unsuited to the climate of the Heysel Empire and couldn’t be grown here.

They’ll probably admit defeat within four years, won’t they?

The thing to watch out for is the ornamental plant that came as a bonus. Right now, it’s worth about five thousand Kona, but once it’s discovered that it can be used to make recovery potions, its value will skyrocket hundreds of times over.

‘Should I ask Dad to look at the newspaper?’

When we lived in Bonwell Village, Dad never brought newspapers home. It was likely because the name Travel appeared in the articles day in and day out.

Even now, an article titled “Travel’s Second Son, Returning to Grand Master Status?!” was prominently occupying the main headline.

“What are you doing? Can’t read it?”

When I remained silent, Kalips asked with a smirk.

Hmph. No matter how much you provoke me, I have no intention of even pretending to read. Let’s see. Is there any other useful information—?

“Oh.”

“‘Oh’? Is that it?”

Kalips snatched up the exclamation that had slipped out in my surprise as if he’d caught me in a lie, then turned toward the others triumphantly.

“Ciel, Hati, Mati. You heard that? She can’t read.”

I heard Ciel telling him to stop and the twins giggling.

Kalips leaned his hands on the newspaper and lowered his face toward me as I sat with my head down, whispering.

“Hey, bottom-ranker. My mom lost money yesterday because of your dad. Grandma told me to be nice to you, but I don’t think I can do that. What should I do?”

It was a threatening nuance. However, Kalips’s words went in one ear and straight out the other.

‘Ugh. I can’t see.’

Kalips’s hand, resting on the newspaper, was perfectly covering the article I wanted to read.

Just then, the sound of Madam Phrea’s heels clicking in the hallway drifted through the window and into the classroom. She would arrive any moment. Kalips said, “Better be prepared,” and tried to take the newspaper back to his seat.

But he couldn’t. I had grabbed the newspaper and wouldn’t let go.

Unable to move even a few steps, a tethered Kalips snapped in annoyance.

“Hey, let go!”

“Oppa.”

Press. I gripped the newspaper firmly and looked up at Kalips.

“O-Oppa? Are you crazy? Don’t say something so creepy—”

“Can’t you give this to me? So I can practice reading.”

“Let go.”

“Why? You said it’s impossible for a Travel not to know how to read. So give this to me. Please?”

“I told you to let go…!”

It was while we were scuffling over the newspaper that the sound of Madam Phrea’s heels stopped. Opening the classroom door, she spotted Kalips and me and pushed up her glasses.

“What are you doing?”

“Kalips-oppa brought me a newspaper! He told me to practice reading.”

“I never—”

“That is a good attitude. However, we are about to begin the lesson. Master Kalips, return to your seat.”

“……W-Work hard, then.”

At Madam Phrea’s intervention, Kalips grumbled and left the newspaper behind as he returned to his seat.

I beamed at him, then turned my gaze back to the desk. It was to finish reading the article from before.

It was a small article occupying a corner of the page, featuring a black-and-white photo of an environmental group protesting and a brief description.

---

Opposition to Land Development. / Environmental groups opposing the land development by Marquis Ash are holding a protest in front of Silon Village.

Grip.

I clenched my fists tight.

---

I had shown sincerity in class today to avoid homework, but it backfired. Madam Phrea, claiming she could see the results of the assignments, gave me even more homework than usual.

“Do I have to do it today too? I answered quite a few questions.”

“Yes. Out-of-class assignments are proving effective for you, My Lady. Today, you are to write these sentences thirty times each.”

“Ugh.”

“I believe I told you to refrain from such speech. Please answer with ‘Yes.’”

“……Yes.”

“Good. Submit it to Head Butler Servair before you leave.”

Madam Phrea left, and I was alone in the classroom. I thumped my forehead against the stack of papers on the desk.

I don’t have time to be writing things like this.

‘I have to follow Dad when he goes to the Grand Temple.’

Silon Village, mentioned in the article, was the village next to where the Boltman Baron and his wife lived.

The land development was being carried out under the orders of Marquis Ash, and shortly after development began, the surrounding villages, including Silon Village, were attacked by wild dogs.

The unfair part was that those villages had nothing to do with Marquis Ash, and the problem was that it was the beastkin who had sent the pack of wild dogs.

‘They say the world has changed, but there are still races that harbor hatred for humans.’

The wild dog beastkin tribe that lived in the development area was one of them.

When my other self was twenty-three, Crown Prince Theon had spoken about it.

— Beastkin, enraged by the land development, formed a pack to maul humans to death. My grandfather lost both his arms while facing them at the front lines. He suffered greatly until the day he died.

My other self and Crown Prince Theon had been camping together while fleeing from pursuers.

Sitting before the campfire, tossing in twigs, the Crown Prince had spoken of his grandfather with a remarkably calm expression.

However, reading the emotions hidden behind that expression was incredibly easy for my other self. It was the regret of being unable to protect someone precious.

— That is my greatest regret. If only I had returned a few days earlier, I could have saved at least one of his arms.

Back then, I had simply thought ‘So such a thing happened’ and moved on. I knew that no matter how hard one tried, the past could not be undone.

‘But the situation is different now, isn’t it?’

Theon was my friend now. Knowing full well that the event Theon would regret most in his life was about to happen, I couldn’t just sit idly by.

‘I have to ditch the homework and go!’

Silon Village was adjacent to the road leading to the Grand Temple.

Before that, I needed time to persuade Dad to take me and Theon along. The fact that I couldn’t go before meant there was a high probability I wouldn’t be able to go this time either.

“…….”

But even though I had made up my mind, I couldn’t lift my head immediately. There was one thing holding me back.

“What should I do?”

Madam Phrea has already gone home.

If I just leave the empty assignment here, I’ll definitely be in her bad books.

A student who works hard but is at the bottom cannot be placed on the same level as a student who doesn’t work hard and is at the bottom. Madam Phrea was harsher toward the latter.

‘Should I ask Mr. Servair to speak well of me? He’s still kind to me thanks to the stocks, but…’

As I sat with my head buried in the papers, contemplating, I heard the classroom door open.

I tilted my head slightly to the side. There stood the twins, with their curly blonde hair and angelic looks.

“Oh.”

What are my underlings doing here?

It’s not like they came because they were worried about me struggling with homework. I blinked at the twins.

Mati and Hati, after confirming no one else was around, walked up to me with bravado, took two pieces of paper they had brought, overlapped them, and tore them lengthwise.

Riiiiiiip.

Through the gap of the paper splitting in half, I saw Mati’s smirking face. The term ‘little devil’ suited him perfectly.

“You made us write something like this when you don’t even know how to read?”

Mati sneered. Hati, standing beside him with her hands on her hips, spoke up.

“To think we wrote such a pledge for someone stupider than a commoner. This is void.”

The torn pieces of the underling pledge fell to the floor. I watched the twins blankly before pushing myself up.

I was a full head shorter than the twins. Since I couldn’t win in terms of physical size, I intentionally let out a long sigh and shook my head. It was a move to seize the upper hand.

“Unnie and Oppa, you guys are dummies, aren’t you?”

“What?”

“Dummies?”

“First. The underling pledges you wrote yourselves are also with me. Second, I just can’t read yet; it’s not like I don’t understand words.”

“……So?”

As I explained while counting on my fingers, the twins grew wary, sensing an unusual atmosphere.

“If I go straight to the main house and tell Grandfather—”

“Waaaah! Cancel! Cancel! I’ll be an underling! I’ll do it!”

“It was my fault—!”

The twins grabbed both my arms as I made a move to leave the desk.

……They really are Travels through and through. This is why I can’t show even a moment of weakness.

This worked out perfectly.

“Then, Underling Hati-unnie, Underling Mati-oppa.”

“……Yes.”

“Uh……”

I turned back to the twins and gave a wide grin.

“Would you do a favor for your illiterate little sister?”