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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 34
Chapter Title: The First Command
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‘What a disaster.’
I quickly found my siblings in the crowd. Yulia and Isaac were in the far left corner, and Edmond was on the opposite side.
Andrea was still playing with Juri.
The problem wasn't Andrea, but the other three. For now, all eyes were on the Saint, but if this dragged on any longer, someone might notice something was wrong.
“Hoo.”
I let out a sigh, trying to calm my churning stomach. It was a huge relief that I was the only one in the second-floor gallery, which overlooked the entire ballroom.
Perhaps because it was also used as a stage for plays. There were even private boxes for high-ranking guests.
I felt much more at ease after stepping into one of the small, room-like compartments.
Below, I could see the Saint making his entrance.
“Lev.”
As I called his name, a familiar cat's cry echoed.
*Meow~.*
-It's been a while since we've been out, Contractor. Wasn't it you who was just nagging me not to wander around carelessly?
A black cat walked out of my shadow, looking as natural as if it had been there all along.
-You hadn't called my name in so long, I was starting to suspect you thought of me as nothing more than a talking cat.
“Well, you're not entirely wrong.”
-What?!
Lev was about to bare his fangs, so I quickly got to the point.
“The Saint is down there. We're on the verge of everything being ruined.”
-Oh? I did sense an unpleasant presence. So, his closest servant is here.
Lev leaped up and stood near the railing, his tail shooting straight up in interest.
“Tell me how to get my siblings out of there without being noticed.”
-Do you think I'm some kind of magic lamp that grants wishes? Well, there are demons like that, but it's not my specialty.
“Can you do it or not? Just tell me that.”
Lev's eyes curved into a smile, as if he found my predicament amusing.
-There's nothing I can do. Their master is not me, but you.
“What?”
-Did you not say they are your familiars?
Lev's tail coiled bewitchingly around my wrist before falling away.
-If you want them to suppress their instincts and obey you, then ‘command’ them! Then your servants will kneel before you and pledge their loyalty!
“…Command them?”
-Yes! Not with words. Your soul and theirs are intimately connected by the thread of master and servant.
Talk of souls and connections felt too vague for me.
There was also a strange discomfort. Lev firmly called my siblings my servants, but I couldn't. The awareness of them as my siblings was stronger.
-You don't have time to hesitate.
“!”
At Lev's whisper, I looked down and saw he was right.
I could see Isaac licking his lips, as if savoring a taste.
‘No, Isaac. What are you thinking?’
Yulia's eyes fluttered half-open. I was afraid others would see her black pupils.
‘Yulia! Please, snap out of it!’
Even Edmond was unclenching his tightly balled fists. It looked like he gulped.
‘Even Edmond?’
There was truly nowhere left to retreat. I could feel desperation rising to my throat.
In that very moment, an unknown certainty washed over me.
“《Stop》”
A strange resonance left my lips. At the same time, my siblings' movements ceased.
I instinctively sensed that they knew my location, that they could feel my presence. It was a truly bizarre experience.
A wave of relief washed over me, knowing I had prevented the worst-case scenario.
A sudden wave of exhaustion hit me, but I couldn't collapse now. I squeezed out the last of my strength and added one more thing.
“Now…《Let's go home》”
I desperately needed a soft bed.
***
“Oh? Sister Emily!”
Andrea spotted me and ran over in a flash, hugging me tightly. Juri, with a maturity beyond her years, lifted the hem of her dress and curtsied.
“Hello, Juri~. Ah, and the young lord of Duke Acmonet. Thank you for spending time with Andrea.”
Herace waved his hand and replied.
“Ah, not at all! Juri had a wonderful time. Are you leaving now?”
“We are. Andrea, you should say goodbye to your friend.”
“Can't we play a little longer?”
“Hmm. I'd like to, but Isaac ate something bad and has a stomachache.”
“Brother Isaac is sick?!”
“A tiiiny bit?”
*Sorry, Isaac. I have to use your name.*
Hearing that Isaac was sick seemed to snap Andrea to attention. He tugged at my sleeve, urging me to hurry back.
“Let's go! Quickly!”
“Okay, okay. Just a moment. Well then, we'll see you again later. Goodbye, Juri.”
“Have a safe trip home.”
Juri bowed politely. I nodded to Herace, and he hurriedly returned the gesture.
*Neither of us has a title, so there's no need to be so formal.* As I led Andrea to the family carriage, he glanced at me cautiously and quietly asked.
“What do you think of him, sister?”
“Hm? Of who?”
“Brother Herace.”
*They must have gotten close. It's rare for Andrea, who's usually quite shy, to speak so comfortably with someone.*
“Well, he seems like a nice person.”
“Hmm. Then that's good.”
Something about my answer must have pleased him, because Andrea broke into a grin. It was the kind of smile that brightened your day, and it seemed to melt away all my fatigue.
“Let's hurry! Brother Isaac can't be sick!”
“You're going to fall. Don't run!”
Andrea scampered all the way to the carriage. Someone must have seen us coming, because the carriage door swung open and snatched him up.
“Gotcha, you little rascal!”
“Kyahahaha!”
Andrea squealed with laughter as Isaac lifted him high into the air.
Behind them, Yulia and Edmond greeted me silently, their faces pale. I nodded back, then got into the carriage and closed the door.
As the carriage started to move, I muttered under my breath.
“That was… way too close.”
Everyone else nodded silently. Only Andrea, not understanding, tilted his head.
“Huh?”
“I wasn't talking to you, Andrea. It's about something else.”
“Oh, okay! Oh! There's the river!”
Andrea was quickly captivated by the scenery rushing past the window. When he was that focused, he could sit and watch the world go by for hours, so we were able to resume our conversation.
“Who would have thought the Saint would show up there.”
“I know. Of all the rotten luck.”
Isaac let out a hollow laugh.
“That... was that you, Emily? My mind was hazy, but I heard your voice clearly.”
“Ah, yeah. I don't really know the specifics of how it works, though.”
“You did well. We were able to stop because of you.”
Edmond looked even paler than usual. I didn't bother asking what he almost did. It was obvious what a zombie would do.
“W-Well, at least today made things clear! We know never to go near the Saint again, and that Emily can stop us if things get bad.”
Yulia said, trying to sound cheerful.
“It means that even if we lose control, one of us can take charge. Isn't that a good thing, in a way?”
“You're not wrong.”
“And we got out safely in the end, right? The Saint is only here for the Crown Prince's birthday, so he'll probably leave soon!”
The more she talked, the more convinced she seemed that it wasn't so bad, and her voice grew stronger.
*Right. What just happened was terrifying, but Yulia was right.*
“As long as we don't walk into the temple ourselves, we'll be fine! Right? Where else would we ever see the Saint!”
“Yeah. I hear you have to book a private blessing from the Saint ten years in advance. We got our ten-year dose today, so we should be good for a while!”
Isaac chimed in.
The two of them were exaggerating a bit to lighten the mood, but I basically agreed with Isaac.
‘That's right. What are the chances we'll run into the Saint again? The story Natalie told me today is more concerning.’
The one about the only daughter of House Swanson who died and came back to life. I glanced at my siblings and decided to tell them about it after I'd looked into it more.
Today had been shocking enough; I didn't want to add another worry to their plate.
‘I should contact Natalie as soon as possible.’
To ask her to introduce me to that new friend of hers.
‘It's probably a con artist, right?’
It happens sometimes. People who use the names of the dead, or of people who are perfectly fine living in the provinces, to pull a scam. News from rural nobles doesn't always reach the capital in detail, so they exploit that to impersonate them.
‘That's the most realistic explanation. Though it's a bit strange that Natalie forgot about the funeral…’
Then again, if it was Natalie, I could halfway believe she'd forget. Yeah. She lives such a hectic life.
Anyway, I thought the biggest task ahead of me was to get that con artist away from Natalie.
In other words, I was certain that I wouldn't be seeing the Saint again.
…At least, not until I went to work the next day.
