Over the past week, the Belverk Ducal House had plunged into an unprecedented state of emergency, mobilizing every resource at its disposal.
Of course, the cause was me, bedridden due to the backlash from my Unique Ability awakening and overuse that day.
Thanks to that, retainers who should have been focused on estate duties were procuring rare medicines and elixirs from all corners, while the knight order responsible for the family's defense stood guard right outside my door.
"Duke, the merchant guilds from various regions are protesting about when the Belverk territory lockdown will be lifted."
"...Tell them to quietly deliver herbs if they don't want to go bankrupt."
"Indeed, Young Master's safety comes first right now. Understood."
That much was still somewhat reasonable, but no matter how I thought about it, issuing a territory-wide lockdown or ordering herb collection from merchant guilds across the nation was utterly absurd.
"Um, what is this...?"
"Young Master, shh. Please stay still."
"Ah, and you can't tell anyone about this outside, okay?"
Among them, the crowning absurdity was one night when maids entered my room carrying what was clearly an ominous-looking holy grail, soaked a cloth in its contents, and placed it on my forehead—which wasn't even feverish.
For reference, I later heard that the grail closely resembled an imperial treasure lost decades ago.
But surely not? No one would go that far, right?
"Young Master. You know we're always on your side, right?"
"Yeah?"
"If anyone hates on you, you have to tell us right away?"
Another notable event was that, once I was mostly recovered and starting rehabilitation, the mansion's maids began approaching me more directly.
"Like, say, Schwarz, or some marquisate lady..."
"Any Belverk maid can handle it quietly and cleanly... No, improve relations for you."
"...We're experts at cleaning up that sort of thing."
They had always treated me well even while I was bedridden, but lately, they were being blatantly obvious about it, which felt suspiciously off.
This must be the aftermath of my body scars being exposed to everyone that day, right?
No wonder lately, whenever I encountered maids or retainers in the corridors during rehab walks, they all gave me pitying looks and patted my head as they passed.
No, I'm not that pitiful a kid? Now I have a reliable mother and even one friend—I'm living a happy life.
'...Come to think of it, I could have made one more.'
Lost in such thoughts, I suddenly wore a sullen expression and gazed out the window.
'What was Peep in the end?'
I asked Mom and Big Sis several times, but no one had seen Peep since I collapsed in the Mist Forest.
It seemed the fully recovered little guy had regained its freedom and flown off into the sky.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙System updating... Unable to respond to user's calls for the time being. Quest clear messages will output normally, so please refer to them.
On top of that, the System that gave me the hidden quest had been stuck on an update screen ever since, ignoring all my questions.
Is this... her making excuses to avoid me because things didn't go as she said?
'Never calling her Big Sis System again.'
Normally, I'd ignore her even if she appeared 100 times, but since she saved me in that dire moment, I'll just revoke the "sis" title as forgiveness.
"Kairen, you're finally fully recovered."
"...You're weak as hell. Because you're a novice?"
Anyway, after days of luxurious rehabilitation, I made a full comeback and stood before Mom and Big Sis again.
"Then, shall we finally get started?"
"Huh?"
But I, grinning foolishly at the light feeling in my body, had no idea yet.
"It's time you learned the full story."
That my mother, Duchess Astridje, had been waiting solely for this day.
"Explain exactly what happened that day."
The moment I heard those words, Kairen and Lilien, summoned to the study, both turned pale as ghosts.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
"Don't make those aggrieved faces. It's the punishment you deserve."
"..."
"I already told you—no trying to weasel out."
About 30 minutes later.
"Kairen, your arm is dropping."
"Eek..."
I started with a rehearsed excuse, but under Mother's icy gaze, I confessed everything and was now kneeling with both arms raised, peeking at her expression.
"Lilien, you too."
"Ugh..."
For reference, beside me, Lilien was glaring at me with a face full of annoyance as she took her punishment.
Sorry, Big Sis. But I'm just not good at lying.
"The Mist Forest is a restricted area. Especially for an heir not yet of age—strictly forbidden."
"..."
"...Even with Belverk's unwritten rules, some laws supersede them."
Notably, even then, the reason Mother was punishing us wasn't 'attempted murder' but 'rule violation.'
That confirmed it—even Mother couldn't directly intervene in Belverk's succession battles.
Until now, I'd let my guard down thinking it was a romance fantasy parenting story, but this reminded me Belverk was no pushover.
"Lilien, you're grounded for a week. Stay in your room and read books quietly."
"Eek? But I saved Kairen."
"...That's why your punishment was lightened."
Anyway, after some mutual agreement between me and Sis, the final punishments were minor compared to the incident's fallout.
"And Kairen."
"Eep."
"You'll get your punishment too, of course."
But even that felt huge to me.
Because a week grounded meant no contact with Mom or Sis for quests?
"So, for a week, you'll serve confinement alternating between my room and the study."
But my revealed punishment differed somewhat from Sis's.
"That's discrimination!!!"
"...It's what Kairen demanded in my name's vow. As Belverk's head, I must honor it."
"Ugh...!"
Lilien, initially indignant, clenched her teeth and shut up at Mother's explanation, but I knew.
The time I'd asked Mother for was only one hour.
"Playing it like that, huh..."
But it wasn't the time to point that out, so as I quietly kept my mouth shut—
"Hey, novice."
"Yes?"
"...We're allies, right?"
Lilien, trembling with rage beside me, suddenly whispered venomously.
"So, play along for a sec."
"Uh..."
"Don't want to? Then ditch the alliance and die by my hand. I don't need it anyway."
As I pretended to hesitate, Lilien's voice turned icy like days ago.
"Aigoo, what's this."
"...?"
"Oops, I dropped something from my pocket by accident."
Not wanting to be her target again, I nodded quietly, and she dramatically shuddered before dropping something on the floor.
"Can't lower my arms to pick it up. What a predicament."
Mother's eyes chilled upon spotting it.
'...That's the doodle I drew?'
It was the scribble I'd painstakingly drawn recently to troll Lilien—a caricature of her.
"Lower your arms and clean that up."
"No, I should take my punishment properly."
"...Tch."
Why did both mother and daughter's gazes suddenly fill with killing intent over that?
"Anyway, it's weird. Why does the friend doodle only have one person?"
"..."
"Looks like someone from a certain place isn't a friend. Yup yup."
That mystery was swiftly resolved by Lilien's follow-up.
What a childish revenge attempt—what a brat.
But thinking again, she is a kid. Older sis or not, she hasn't even finished elementary school age?
But even so, this wouldn't work on Mother, called the Monster Duchess...
"..."
...Wait. Is that my mother seriously glaring at Lilien with pure killing intent?
No way? This childish plan actually worked on Mother? Nah, impossible. Just my imagination.
"Kairen, what's with that drawing?"
Despite the chill, I stammered excuses in bewilderment as Mother suddenly turned to me.
"M-Mother is Mother. My most precious pillar of support."
"...!?"
"So friends are... Ah, probably not, right?"
I thought it was a solid answer, but Mother briefly looked shocked, eyes widening.
"...Lilien, go to your room."
"Yes yes, of course."
"Keep your arms up there too. I'll hear if you lower them."
But reverting to her usual chill demeanor, Mother dismissed Lilien from sight.
"Yes, Mother."
Smirking coldly, Lilien passed the head's desk, emphasizing "Mother."
"Kairen."
In the ensuing silence, Mother looked at me blankly, about to say something.
"...No, nothing."
She shook her head, oddly cowed, and gave an order.
"You go to your room too. Take that drawing."
"Yes."
"...And keep your arms up."
What? What did I do wrong?
I wanted to ask, but Mother's averted gaze and slumped aura stopped me.
"Hm...?"
Thus, bowing to pick up the doodle and leave quietly, I suddenly widened my eyes and tilted my head.
"That's weird?"
"...What is?"
"Ah, nothing."
Clearly, when I drew it, only Sis was there—but now, beside her, holding hands and smiling cutely, was another character.
It kinda looked like... me?
"Hey."
"...?"
"...Stop staring and get out."
Absorbed in the doodle, I heard Sis's murderous warning from outside and quickly pocketed it, hurrying off.
"Sis, did you draw this...?"
"...Shut up, idiot."
Hearing the cold curse, I could guess who drew it, but I'll just tuck it in the cat box later.
"...Do I really seem that way in your eyes too?"
"Th-The empire's ladies would be appalled to hear that."
"Y-Yes. Suitors are still lining up..."
Along with Mother's uncharacteristically sullen voice questioning the maids behind us.
"Excuse me."
"...?"
Anyway, as I exited the study to meekly raise my arms in my room—
"...Who?"
A maid I'd never seen since arriving at the mansion passed me and opened the study door.
Oddly, maids need the head's permission to enter the study, as far as I knew.
Yet no permission was given—how did she just walk in?
"N-Novice."
"Yes?"
"Eyes down, come here."
Pondering that, I turned at Lilien's unprecedented fearful voice, surprised.
"Nothing good comes from being noticed."
Stating that, Lilien—shockingly pale—was trembling quietly.
"Who's she?"
Worried at the sight, my question revealed one fact.
"...Second Daughter's personal maid."
That Belverk still harbored two more monsters—even more dangerous than Lilien, perhaps Mother.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
Meanwhile, at that time, in a rundown warehouse in the empire's back alleys.
"The incident's resolution: all survived."
Someone seated on a luxury wooden chair unfit for the place received a covert report from a bowing spy.
"...Additionally, alliances with the mansion's maids and retainers. And recently, an alliance with the third daughter."
The spy, glancing up, broke into cold sweat realizing the girl before him was watching silently with her crescent-moon eyes.
"O-Of course, the remaining maids and retainers are all the head's closest aides."
"..."
"They must stay neutral at crucial moments. So the plan is still—"
Before the spy finished, a soft, ticklish voice interjected.
"Do you know the difference between hydrangea and forget-me-not?"
"...Pardon?"
"No, it's fine if you don't."
At the abrupt question, the spy looked baffled; the girl quietly frowned and changed topics.
"Anyway, about my new little brother."
"..."
"They say he's quite small and cute."
With that, the girl—supported by a subordinate—slowly rose, smiling frailly as she stepped forward.
"I should go see just how cute he really is."
Yet despite her frail appearance, no one in the warehouse dared lift their head.
"...If he inherited Belverk blood, probably not."
For in that instant, the red gleam leaking from her slightly opened eyes mercilessly illuminated the assassin's cooling corpse beneath the chair—the price of intruding here.