Translator: Blushy
Editor: Sam
“Nii-syama!”
“Lei, I’m back.”
Nii-sama got off the carriage.
“Where’sh Giww?”
“Gill went back home. But more importantly, I have good news.”
“Otou-syama!”
I apologise to Gill for Nii-sama saying more importantly, but I’m sure the good news is about Otou-sama coming home. Nii-sama grinned and nodded in anticipation.
“I Heard that the Easter royals surrendered the castle straight away.”
“Thath fashth?”
“Yes, it’s pathetic.”
Nii-sama looked sarcastic and it didn’t suit a 12 year old.
“They insist that only the Third Prince is responsible for what happened, and that they had nothing to do it with. Even if that were the case, then the royal family would be responsible for not being able to control the Third Prince, so why did they think they could get away with it?”
“Ai.”
I also thought the same as Nii-sama, but his thoughts were a step ahead from mine.
“But I wonder if that was part of the Third Prince’s plan as well.”
“Hish?”
“Yes. I don’t know him very well, but I don’t think he would seek power in such a straightforward way. Above all, he’s not someone who would work under others.”
He didn’t seem like he had any ambition to rule a country as a King, but more than anything, he didn’t seem the type to follow anyone’s orders. When he came to the royal capital as a messenger, I thought he looked like a chained beast even though he acted like a royal.
“He thoow advanthage of thhe order?”
“Yeah, that’s what I think. Easter’s royals didn’t really care if the mission was a success or not. They naively thought that at best, Kingdom would lose its authority, and that Kingdom would get rid of the Third Prince, who was like a thorn to them.”
That’s what the Third Prince said at that time. I pondered over his exact wording.
“Ith’sh a pwoth devished by my counthry, he shaid.”
Nii-sama couldn’t understand what I had said and tilted his head in puzzlement.
“It’s a… plot devised by his country. I see. So, he knew and went along with it.”
“Ai. He ashwed me if i wanthed tho go withh him and thhath he can guaranthee my freedom.”
“So, it is like that? He used their plot as a means to free himself from Easter. Which means…”
Nii-sama looked at me sternly.
“The Third Prince, or rather, Cyrus, may be hiding in the city and accumulating power. Dammit.”
“Nii-syama?”
“Sorry, Lei. If he does come back, then it will probably be during our time. He could still do evil deeds in Frontier, like he did when he attacked you, even if he’s not interested in power. It’s frustrating to think that we’re letting such a dangerous enemy at large.”
I didn’t think that deeply, and I couldn’t imagine the future like Nii-sama does. However, it was horrifying to think that he took the royal family hostage and locked us up for his own purposes and plotted for his own path to freedom first. Perhaps, he had an escape route in mind from the beginning.
“Ith wouwd be nice if he wived peacefuwwy shomewhere elsesh.” (It would be nice if he lived peacefully somewhere else)
“You’re so nice, Lei. I want him to die by the roadside, *cough cough*,” Nii-sama coughed and rephrased his words, “I hope he never comes out to the light of day again.”
I always get involved and end up in the middle of things, so I had no choice but to act with no time to worry. But it must be painful for Nii-sama and Otou-sama to be able to do nothing but worry. I reached out to Nii-sama with all my might.
“Nii-syama. Ai.”
“Do you want a hug? Okay.”
Just as he had done for me when I was a child, he should just hug me and soothe his heart in times of pain and sadness. It makes me happy too.
“Lei is so cute.”
“Ai!”
Small people are cute. Babies who act humble and deny this are scary, so I’ll just agree with him.
Nii-sama seemed satisfied after holding me for a while. He put me down gently and smiled.
“So, about the good news.”
“When? When wiww Otou-syama be bacw?”
“It’s not just Otou-sama, you know?”
“Hansh?”
I wonder if Hans will be back soon. I feel like Natalie’s invisible ears perked up.
“Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem like Hans will be back yet.”
Hans isn’t going to be back yet. If so, then what’s the good news?
“Didn’t I tell you that Wester soldiers joined Otou-sama and the other Kingdom soldiers who are waiting at the border?”
“Ai.”
I believed Nii-sama said that Wester sent a small number of soldiers to help. I looked up at Nii-sama in surprise.
“No way.”
“You probably spot on. That’s right, among those soldiers are Alistair and the other four. They’ll be coming here with Otou-sama.”
“Awishthair!”
I promised Nii-sama that I would go with him to Wester this summer, but because Easter had done something uncalled-for, our fun summer holidays got spoiled.
But I might still be able to meet Alistair and the other hunters.
“Oh, by the way, I heard Prince Hubert will be here too.”
“You mawe him shound wiwe an exthra.” (You made him sound like an extra)
Bart and the others were incorporated to the small Wester unit led by Prince Hubert as a countermeasure against Hollows, and Alistair followed alone since Bart and the others were taking care of him. Otherwise, Prince Hu wouldn’t have brought Alistair to the border where a battle could occur.
In that sense, I trust him. Although I wouldn’t tell him that.
“Nii-syama, Huu ish a good pershon.”
“I was only with him for a short time.”
I guess he’s saying that he’s reserving his judgement of Prince Hubert since they were only together for a short time. I thought of something interesting.
“Which pershon ish bethther?”
“Bethther? Better? Lei asked another difficult question.”
Nii-sama laughed troublingly.
“But I’m sure his reputation will improve in the future since he’s directly involved in cleaning up Easter.”
Nii-sama generalised. He suggested that the world would think that way even if he didn’t. But I was surprised about something else.
“The Four Marquishesh and thhe royaw famiwy can’th weave Kingdom.”
“Lei, you’ve noticed!”
Nii-sama picked me up, held me up high and spun me around.
“In the end, this can’t be settled without the Four Marquises or royal family. Lei, I believe that this is perhaps a good opportunity for the Four Marquises to be a little freer in Frontier!”
“Wow!”
I don’t really understand Nii-sama’s joy. Most people don’t leave the country even if they’re not a Four Marquis. But I guess there’s a big difference between not going leaving even though you could and not going leaving because you can’t.
“But that’s still a long way away. In the meantime, let’s prepare to welcome our Wester friends, Lei.”
“Ai!”
I haven’t had uplifting news in a long time.