Brought to the carriage, I finally released the tension in my shoulders. There are guards outside so I could now relax.
From the way they were speaking, it seems that all the kidnappers will be caught soon.
“Britney, are you alright?”
“Ehh-, I feel down from the second floor, but I truly am uninjured. I suppose all this blubber was useful for something.”
“I-, is that so… truly, I’m glad.”
He sounded a little embarrassed giving his response. Ricardo’s somewhat suspicious behavior is amusing.
“I was scared getting kidnapped, but I felt reassured because Ricardo was there with me.”
“No, I wasn’t in any way helpful. During the escape from the small hut all I could do was watch while Britney did everything.”
After giving that reply, he looked visibly depressed.
As he’s thirteen years old, I couldn’t expect him to act like a knight from a storybook. Ricardo, however, seems to have believed he could.
“The pathetic me couldn’t do anything… yet, both of us were able to escape safely. For that I’m truly happy.”
“Although Ricardo seems to be feeling down, I think I was saved because you were there. Were I alone, I would have been helpless. I might have never thought of a way to cut our ropes. Because of that, thank you for being there.”
“The one who should be thankful is me. I think I’m only safe and sound like this because you were there… Were I caught at that time, in the worst case I may have been a hostage.”
Ricardo who saw me smiled a little after saying that.
For a guy who is much too serious and yet shy, it was a very gentle smile.
Incidentally, I had been practicing horseback riding in the morning, and we were trapped in a dusty room together, but he never gave any complaints about my sweaty odor in the carriage.
A short time later, it seems that all of the perpetrators were caught, and Grandfather with a flushed face poked his head into the carriage.
“Britney, Ricardo! Are you both alright!?”
Briefly looking outside the carriage, I saw our kidnappers laid out over the ground with Grandfather’s subordinates watching over them.
Those who retained their consciousness looked deathly pale and were obediently obeying the soldiers.
The appearance of the men who have completely lost their fighting spirit is similar to a corpse. It seems they’ve gone though something utterly horrific.
“Ojii-sama, we’re both alright. Both of us are safe.”
Climbing into the carriage, he walked over to me and hugged me as hard as he could.
“Ahh, Britney! Are you truly uninjured?”
“Ehh-, I’m truly uninjured. Thank you very much for coming to save us.”
“Because of the worthless me, my granddaughter went through a truly hard time. Truly, I’m so sorry.”
“No, it’s not Ojii-sama’s fault. Because the masterminds behind this were Uncle-sama and Aunt-sama.”
“… So it was them after all, huh?”
Grandfather, now knowing what the aim of the kidnappers was, once again formed his usual and kind face.
He then told the soldiers who had gathered in front of the carriage before I knew it.
“Britney, since a long time ago has been an honest, direct child… I’m useless at anything besides war, and because of that my cute granddaughter has been caught in a major incident due to their two-facedness. Those who would injure my cute granddaughter, even if they are relatives, shall not be forgiven! I will deal the perpetrators their appropriate punishment.”
To Grandfather’s words, the soldiers nodded heavily.
“As well, this kidnapping incident is entirely my fault. I will take responsibility, and soon I think I will hand the seat of the Hakusu Earldom over to my grandchild Ryuze…”
Despite the unrest among the soldiers, Grandfather continued speaking.
“After becoming Earl at a young age, I had quite a hard time maintaining the territory. Because of that, as much as possible I wanted to avoid pushing this heavy burden onto my cute grandchildren. However, on the way here I talked with Ryuze, and I thought I could leave it to him. Ryuze will easily surpass me, and is a truly excellent grandchild.”
Ryuze had been dissatisfied that Grandfather refused to vacate the seat of the Hakusu Earldom, but Grandfather, in his own peculiar way, seems to have deeply thought about his grandchildren in his judgement.
“From now on, I want you to serve him in substitute for me. I will serve as an adviser to him.”
The soldiers bowed their heads in silence.
My Aunt and Uncle were to be immediately transferred to the tower that houses criminals. Their monitoring will be more severe, and a harsh life is awaiting them.
From his grim face, Grandfather turned back towards me, and returned to his normal face with a smile.
“And Britney, because Ryuze and I still have business to take care of, please return home before me.”
“Yes, Ojii-sama.”
There is nothing I can do now, so I decided to leave it to the professionals.
Also, I’m concerned about the stamina of Ricardo who was suddenly abducted after a long trip from the Astaru Earldom.
I’m almost certain he’s more tired than he looks.
“Ricardo, if you’re tired it’s okay to lie down. I as well am going to relax on the carriage-ride back.”
“Ahh…”
“I’m sorry if my snoring is annoying.”
“You snore, huh…?”
I’m overweight after all, so I think my snoring is loud.
Whenever I inadvertently fell asleep in the laboratory, Ryuze pointed it out and teased me. Moreover, he said it was quite loud.
“If it’s at a volume that interferes with sleep, please don’t hesitate to wake me up.”
The cause of snoring is that when lying down, the airway is sometimes constricted and it becomes difficult for air to pass. When the airway narrows, it requires more force to move the required amount of air, which shakes the throat causing an unpleasant sound.
Overweight people naturally have more fat on their necks, so it’s inevitable that the airway will be constricted more easily.
Ricardo floated a stiff smile, and saying nothing, prudently nodded his head.
Translator’s Corner:I cried.
It seems Ryuze has power now. Hoo boy. Well, at least there won’t be any more plots from Uncle-kuzu and Aunt-kuzu.
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