Chapter 74
74
I sat slumped on the gazebo bench, staring at the hand mirror with a blank face.
No matter how many times I looked, there were two gaping holes right next to my upper front teeth.
'I'm doomed, utterly doomed.'
Children my age start engaging in external activities around this time. Not full-fledged tea parties, but showing their faces at family events with their parents.
That's because all the teeth that had fallen out by this time would have grown back.
'But mine just fell out...'
And the two teeth next to the lower ones were also wobbly.
'Hang in there, guys. If you fall out too, I'll really look hideous. At least wait until the spring social season is over.'
As I was earnestly praying while holding the hand mirror, I heard footsteps. It was Chairman.
"I have brought a letter."
Looking at the envelope, it was from Seria. I reached out my hand.
"..."
"…?"
But Chairman didn't seem to want to hand over the letter and stared at my face for a while.
"You came to see my teeth."
"Would you like to show me? Seria specifically asked me to send it, so-"
He took out a large Video stone.
"-I brought something like this."
"Really! I'm worried about what to do."
I said with a pout, and Chairman shrugged.
"Why?"
"Because it's weird. I have to pay so much attention to pronounce things properly. I'm even trying to speak clearly right now?"
"Then you should ask the head of the Dubois family to make your teeth grow."
I widened my eyes.
"Is it possible to control the growth of the human body? I've never heard of that before... Ah."
Veronica Dubois, the head of the Dubois family, is a magician who failed in her research and hasn't aged past eighty. In other words, she suppressed the growth of the human body.
Chairman nodded.
"She would be the best in that field."
"I'll go."
I grinned, revealing my missing teeth. Chairman chuckled, saying, "How cute," but I didn't care anymore.
'If Veronica can make my teeth grow!'
Dad said I could go anywhere freely as long as I had a guard including the Three Lions, so I immediately called the knights.
But why did it turn out like this?
Sitting on the carriage seat, I glanced at Yohan, who was sitting across from me.
'Uncomfortable...'
I only intended to tell the knights to go to the Dubois mansion, but I ended up accompanying Yohan.
The Three Lions were largely absent due to training ahead of spring. So, the only Lions who could take me to the mansion were the ones attached to Yohan's escort (which is written as escort but read as surveillance attached because he argued with Dad).
[What should we do, Baby Young Lady...? Ah, that's right. Yohan also has business at the Dubois mansion. How about you go together?]
I naturally thought Yohan would refuse, but for some reason, he took me along.
"Um, thank you..."
As I spoke, Yohan's gaze turned to me.
"For what."
"For taking me."
"I have things to discuss at the Dubois family, and taking you will distract the surveillance, making it easier to have a conversation. Where is there anything to be grateful for here?"
Yohan said with indifferent eyes, and I rolled my eyes.
"That's... Aha, that's right. There's nothing to be grateful for."
As I cheerfully nodded, Yohan's eyes became strange.
"As Aunt said, you're a strange one."
"Me?"
"You're unique."
"Why?"
"Most people would mumble, 'Still, thank you,' and try to keep talking."
"Should I say thank you anyway...?"
As I asked with my eyebrows lowered, Yohan tilted his head slightly.
"I do like that you don't bother me."
"Then I won't apologize after all!"
As I smiled, Yohan glanced at me and then turned his gaze away.
'I must never bother Yohan.'
He doesn't show his claws unless someone gets on his nerves.
Like at dinner yesterday, he was indifferent to his brothers when Henri and Isaac didn't act sharp first.
'Dad is the cause of Yohan's annoyance, so he must have confronted him.'
As I was thinking that, the carriage stopped.
Yohan and I were welcomed by the Dubois family and entered the mansion.
"Welcome, Baby Young Lady. My name is Melanie Dubois. I am the wife of the Furry Dubois."
A middle-aged woman with a particularly pale face greeted me.
'She seems like a nice person.'
Her smiling face is kind, and she speaks in a fun way that eases tension.
"Hello. Beautiful Dubois."
"Oh my, how can you say such lovely things? I've heard a lot about you from my husband. My husband always enjoys telling stories about the Baby Young Lady."
"I hope he wasn't speaking ill of me?"
As I spoke, looking at Viscount Dubois, the Viscount jumped, and the Viscountess chuckled.
"If he were such a disloyal person, I would be sure to report him. Now, let's go. The Chairman is waiting-"
Just as she was saying that, there was a clattering sound from the stairs!
"Baby Young Lady!"
It was Veronica, rushing down with a flushed face.
As soon as she came down, she grabbed my hands.
"I'm so glad you came! I was so excited after receiving the letter and was waiting anxiously. And I've prepared a lot of cookies too...! Oh, that's right. Melanie, the chocolate biscuits I asked for are missing."
"A servant has gone to buy them urgently. More than that, Chairman, shouldn't we go upstairs and talk?"
As Melanie asked kindly, Veronica said, "Yes! That's right, yes!" and led me away.
"I'll show you my lab. There are many interesting things."
The people of the Dubois family seemed somewhat embarrassed, but I didn't waver and went up the stairs with her.
As soon as we entered the lab, Veronica explained this and that.
"This is the root of an Elza tree struck by lightning, this is a fossil of an Ironclad Dragon, and, and..."
"Excuse me!"
As I spoke, Veronica widened her eyes.
"Hello?"
I greeted her with a smile. Only then did Veronica blush and mumble, "Ah, greetings..."
"Welcome, Baby Young Lady. Welcome to the Dubois family."
"Yes. Thank you for showing me your wonderful lab."
She fidgeted with her hands and mumbled.
"Everyone says it's a creepy place... Oops! Let's sit here and greet each other."
On the table Veronica pointed to, there was a pile of snacks.
As soon as I sat down, she piled donuts and cakes onto my plate and asked.
"But what brings you here today?"
"I have a favor to ask."
"Anything. Just tell me."
"My teeth fell out. So I want them to grow back quickly!"
"Why? You're so cute like this. I've been glancing at you since earlier because you're so-o-o lovely."
I lowered my eyebrows and covered my mouth with both hands.
"A dignified Young Lady doesn't lose her teeth..."
"Hmm, I think being cute is better than being dignified, but anyway, solving the Baby Young Lady's problem isn't difficult."
My face brightened, and I asked.
"Are you going to make my teeth grow back quickly?"
"Of course, I can make your teeth grow back quickly. But anything grown artificially is fragile. The Baby Young Lady's teeth might break again."
The new teeth will be permanent teeth. If they break, I'll have to live in the same state for the rest of my life.
'I might be called the Gappy-Toothed Young Lady!'
My face turned pale at the terrible thought.
"Then what should I do?"
"We can create illusory teeth until your teeth grow back. They're illusory, so you'll pronounce things the same, but no one will know your teeth are missing."
"Please do it!"
I said, brightening up, and Veronica smiled.
"Anything for the Baby Young Lady. Um, then can you give me a reward?"
Of course. I held out the handbag I had brought from the castle.
"I brought a lot of money!"
"Well... not money..."
She fidgeted and glanced around, then shyly covered her cheeks and twisted her body.
"I want to braid the Baby Young Lady's hair. Haaaah...!"
...Veronica is not normal after all.
'But that's fine.'
I nodded vigorously.
"Okay."
"Yay-! Then let's start right away!"
"Is it difficult to create illusory teeth? Does it take a lot of time?"
"No. It's just a matter of infusing information into a medium and refining it. It's not that difficult since you just have to make it into an accessory and wear it. Well, other magicians or Priests don't seem to be able to do it, though."
Veronica said, tossing things on the desk as if looking for something to use as a medium.
"I don't know why it's so difficult. All the young ones these days are stupid. Well, they've never suffered, so they're not desperate."
The face of a teenager showed a glimpse of an eighty-year-old elder.
And I recalled Chairman's words.
[You feel sorry that Veronica Dubois is called the Witch of the West? I think you're misunderstanding something... ]
[Isn't it because Veronica's appearance doesn't age that people think of her as more terrifying?]
[Not at all. No one is happier about failing in research than Veronica Dubois. She's a person who fanatically loves cute things. The reason Veronica Dubois came to be called the Witch of the West is because she devastated the entire northeastern region because people didn't talk to her at a party.]
[...And the central government just stood by?]
[Of course, she was arrested and spent a long time in prison. But no one could say to kill such a dangerous person. That's because Veronica is an extremely skilled magician. Even now, no magician can match her knowledge and skills.]
I clasped my hands together, thinking that I should get along well with Veronica.
Veronica was still diligently rummaging through the desk.
"Isn't there anything? Then there's no choice. Baby Young Lady, let's use that."
I was stunned when I saw the stone she was pointing at.
Isn't that the Ironclad Dragon fossil she was bragging about earlier?
"But that's very precious..."
"It's not more important than braiding the Baby Young Lady's hair."
She said resolutely, placed the Ironclad Dragon fossil on the desk, and said.
"I need a few drops of blood, but the Baby Young Lady has Divine Power, so shall we use that instead? I don't want your cute hands to get hurt."
I nodded and infused a little Divine Power into the fossil.
At that moment.
Goo-o-o-ng!
The world faintly vibrated, and tinnitus crossed my ears.
Veronica opened the window to check outside, saying, "What was that?"
Meanwhile, I was blankly staring at the air. Seeing me like that, Veronica tilted her head.
"Baby Young Lady?"
"...I, I need to go to the bathroom for a moment!"
"It's the second room on the right in the hallway."
I hurried out of the hallway and entered the room Veronica told me about, slamming the door shut!
And I looked at the air again. To be exact, at the beautiful person, no, something, with long hair down to her waist floating in the air.
"I am the ninth Pillar, Paimon. Are you the one who summoned me?"
I just wanted to get my teeth to grow back quickly because they fell out, but I summoned a new demon.
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