Chapter 71
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Chapter 71
Kieran returned triumphantly, cradling Chesa like a hero victorious from war.
"The baby!"
Karha, who had been waiting anxiously at the Luxury Hotel, nearly stumbled as he rushed to his feet when Kieran arrived with Chesa.
Karha hurried over and stopped before them, clearing his throat with exaggerated formality before speaking with practiced composure.
"Thank you for coming back. I'll do better from now on."
It was clearly a welcoming speech he had prepared and rehearsed in advance.
The boy's shy greeting was endearing, but...
"...?"
I tilted my head, studying Karha's appearance more carefully.
He should have been waiting quietly at the hotel.
Yet somehow, he looked... slightly armed.
Noticing my gaze, Karha quickly shed the light armor he had been wearing.
"I was just wearing this because I was bored."
"You'll give Chesa the wrong impression, Karha."
Kieran gestured gently toward the sword at his waist, his tone soft but firm.
"If she thought you'd resort to force if she refused, that would be troublesome. Be more careful next time."
"Yes, sir."
"..."
'That wasn't an impression—that was the actual plan.'
Had I refused today, the Capital Mansion might have been destroyed once more.
Realizing the truth, I laughed quietly to myself.
But I didn't see Belzeon or Ishuel anywhere.
As I glanced around curiously, Kieran smiled knowingly and explained.
"Belzeon is currently being punished... and Ishuel has gone to see the Duke. He's begun taking lessons from Duchess Ibroyel."
The first statement was so shocking that I barely registered the second.
"Brother Belzeon... is being punished...?"
I had expected him to be severely scolded for what he'd done.
But I never imagined he would actually be punished.
My face went pale with shock, and Kieran waved his hand dismissively.
"It's nothing serious. He's just doing some work in the Underworld. It's what he normally does anyway—just taking on the Twins' share as well, so don't worry."
"And baby, you wouldn't know, but we nearly died because of Belzeon," Karha grumbled petulantly.
He pouted in clear displeasure.
"Though both Belzeon and Ishuel have been living outside recently... they'll be back tonight. Just wait a little longer and you'll see them soon."
The solemn tone made me think I wouldn't see them for a while.
But hearing they'd return tonight seemed odd.
Kieran noticed my curiosity and chuckled softly.
"Because..."
He brought up a fact he had completely forgotten.
"You must attend the banquet tomorrow evening."
***
I had planned to make my debut in High Society at the gala hosted by the Ibroyel Duke Family.
But with so many incidents occurring in succession, I had completely forgotten about it.
Now that I thought about it, there hadn't been much time left before the gala even when I ran away.
After losing several days, I found myself heading to the gala the moment I returned home.
Fortunately, the diligent Hata had already crafted and sent over hats and hair ornaments.
Miya, true to her word, promised to arrive early tomorrow morning with the completed outfit.
That evening, I was able to meet Belzeon and Ishuel, who returned utterly exhausted.
Both of them bore the marks of whatever ordeal they had endured, looking completely drained.
They returned home like corpses, appearing ready to collapse at any moment.
But the moment those half-dead boys confirmed my presence, their faces brightened instantly.
"Little one."
When Belzeon called me by that ticklish nickname and embraced me tightly, I felt both a little embarrassed and genuinely happy.
Ishuel greeted me with a genuine, radiant smile.
"Welcome home, sister."
He didn't forget to add a gentle reminder.
"Let's not run away again from now on. Understood?"
I nodded in agreement to Ishuel.
The morning of the gala.
Miya burst into the Luxury Hotel before dawn.
"I'm here, meow!"
At Miya's manner of speech, I pressed my forehead with my hand.
At least she had the good sense to leave the cat ears behind.
If she had shown up with those ears attached, she would never have made it past the hotel lobby staff.
She might have been dragged away by the Capital Security Force instead.
"Welcome, boss."
Ishuel greeted Miya with a gentle expression.
Behind Ishuel, whose eyes gleamed with vitality, the members of House Basilian—dragged out early in the morning despite their protests—were sprawled across the sofas.
Karha was completely passed out face-down in the corner of a sofa, while Belzeon sat with his arms crossed, dozing off.
Kieran, too, had me sitting on his lap while he yawned repeatedly.
While everyone except Ishuel was barely holding themselves together, Miya arrived with the outfit bundled up, announcing confidently.
"The finest outfit has been completed, meow!"
At her declaration, Ishuel clapped his hands in applause.
After examining the outfit, he became even more generous in spirit.
The atmosphere suggested he would have smiled warmly even if Miya had shown up with cat ears and a tail attached.
"Yes, this is it... This is exactly what I wanted...!"
Ishuel examined the outfit with eyes that seemed to gleam with an almost manic intensity.
Beside him, Miya excitedly explained her masterpiece.
The two of them rapidly exchanged conversation about lace here and frills there, speaking so quickly it was difficult to follow.
Kieran, who had been observing the spectacle, offered a single comment in an ambiguous tone.
"Impressive."
It was a vague remark—impressive in what sense, exactly, remained unclear.
Miya's distinctive manner of speaking and her actions were certainly impressive.
And the garments she had altered were equally remarkable.
The outfits that Ishuel and Miya withdrew one by one and draped upon the mannequins had been utterly transformed from their original state.
They felt so entirely new that one would never recognize them as the same pieces without being told.
The mundane, commonplace aura that had clung to them before had vanished completely, replaced by something distinctive and captivating.
Above all else, they seemed perfectly suited to the members of House Basilian.
Ishuel had already disappeared to try on his own outfit.
Miya approached, clutching Kieran's garment, her footsteps making soft pattering sounds.
Kieran lifted his eyes swiftly.
The moment their gazes met—his crimson eyes locking with hers.
She trembled violently as she asked.
"W-would you p-please try this on...?"
Kieran said nothing in response, yet Miya's feline manner of speech corrected itself instantly.
Though her inflection remained somewhat peculiar, likely due to her nervousness.
Watching Miya tremble with her shoulders hunched as though facing a predator, Kieran smiled faintly and accepted the clothing.
"I'll go change into Father's outfit."
Kieran pressed a kiss to Chesa's forehead and disappeared into another room.
Chesa rubbed her forehead with her hand, blinking.
Miya had suddenly thrust her face forward into Chesa's personal space.
"Such a cute little lady...?"
Speaking like some drunken fool, Miya laughed with an unsettling cackle—hehehehe, huhuhuh, hihihihi—and it was terrifying.
Chesa instinctively recoiled, her body shrinking backward in refusal.
The more she retreated, the more Miya's fervor intensified.
Her eyes blazed a vivid crimson as she spoke in an eerie tone.
"Shall we change your clothes...? I'll help you...? Please don't refuse...?"
Unable to contain herself any longer, she scooped Chesa up without hesitation.
"Eek!"
Then, carrying the shrieking Chesa, she bolted into the adjacent room and began her earnest doll-play in earnest.
"Awww! Ohhh! Ohhhhh, so precious, so adorable!"
She bounced and pranced about, utterly lost in her own world, displaying every manner of eccentricity.
While Chesa sat vacant and dazed, she found herself dressed in a gown before she could even register what was happening.
As Miya tied the ribbon of the lace bonnet that Hata had crafted with such devotion, she muttered incessantly to herself.
"This is insane. I, Miya, have created the masterpiece of my lifetime. I've absolutely destroyed this ball."
"...."
I had already thought her sufficiently peculiar merely from her cat-like mannerisms.
Yet to discover she could become even stranger than that was truly astonishing.
Having finished dressing Chesa, Miya clutched at her chest and made a strangled sound—krgh.
She carefully cradled Chesa and stepped out of the room.
The men of House Basilian, already dressed and waiting, turned their gaze in unison toward Chesa.
Miya asked with an insufferably smug expression.
"Well, gentlemen? You like the outfit, don't you?"
But the crimson eyes were all too preoccupied with staring at Chesa to offer a response.
Kieran muttered something under his breath, his voice tinged with bewilderment.
Brought to you by Valir Scans! To support our team and enjoy the latest releases, please read directly on our official site: valirscans.org