CH 23

Chapter 23 – Dreadful Talk and Cold Sweats



“A coup d’etat in the royal capital?!”



It was a disturbing story that my uncle Arban said over a cup of tea after breakfast. News from the royal capital hardly reaches the borderland, so mostly we just heard it for the first time or something like a bolt from the blue. A gagging order would probably be issued even before the news reaches Palace.



“The King’s older brother, Duke Cain, led some knights and his territory’s army to surround the royal castle.”



Those who are allowed to have an army are the King’s brother Duke Cain and The Four Great Noble Families in the north, south, east, and west of the royal capital.



The Stuart count family who governs over the borderland Palace has hunters for hunting monsters but is not allowed to have an army.



Armies are trained to fight humans, so their purpose is fundamentally different from hunters.



The sole reason why noble families who rule over the territories near the royal family and the royal capital are allowed to have an army is to protect the King.



It’s unthinkable that that army would bare its teeth to the King.



“Then, how’s the King?”



My father, Leonard, asks with a sullen face he rarely makes.



If the King fall, the country will be in danger.



The wise younger brother Arban said that it’s a coup d’etat, not a revolution.



It means that it’s okay to think of this as a terrorist act that doesn’t reflect the people’s opinions from the King’s older brother Duke Cain.



“The King is alright. He blended with the Imperial Guards, took the sword himself, and slew the enemy brilliantly.”



‘Haa……’ Leonard let out a sigh like he was shocked, not relieved.



To think that the one who should be protected at all costs without any chance to be harmed in this country, the King is participating in the fight. So the rumors that he is a belligerent unlike any others in the long history of the royal family seem to be true.



“Now, they have almost been suppressed, but the unfortunate thing is that my university becomes a battlefield… The laboratory and basically everything has been completely destroyed. It would take around three months until it can be fully restored.”



The Royal University, this country’s most prestigious, is right next to the royal castle, and its wide field has become a perfect place to fight.



“I somehow managed to collect my only safe research papers and came home.”



His research for three years became such a tragic thing. His tired appearance when he came back tells how much damage he felt.



“Then, uncle can relax for a while.”



Willaim inquires happily.



“Well, it becomes like that. Sorry that I went home so suddenly.”



With a bitter smile, Arban looks at Leonard apologetically.



He sent news that he will come home, but it seems the person himself arrived sooner than the letter. The city has been a mess since the coup d’etat started, and it would definitely delay the post office too. So it’s a reasonable thing because he departed as soon as he sent the letter.



He was finally allowed to attend university, but graduating soon without achieving the results he desired was his only concern.



“Uncle! I will help with your research. I am also researching silkworms, and I will arrange all sorts of things for Uncle so you can do your research even at home!”



Arban’s research is sericulture, a vital industry in our territory.



Emma likes playing by repeating experiments, verifications, and comparisons as she pleases based on the research results that Arban sent from time to time.



“Arban, the laboratory we made for Emma isn’t inferior even to a university’s. Thanks to the research results you always send, our territory has improved a lot. Don’t worry about anything.”



Leonard pat the apologetic Arban’s shoulder to console him.



For Emma, he arranged all kinds of equipment to this extent… As expected of my older brother Leonard. Just by looking at the four expensive cats in the mansion, I can feel assured that the territory is running well.



It’s just, I haven’t heard they say that the cats’ size is weird. Is it a new type of species?



・・・



Emma, who was lonely after the uncle who dotes on her left for college, pestered her father to let her read all the letters from Arban…



, including all the materials for sericulture researchers in the territory that are handed through her father.



She even looks at all the professional terms in the dictionary and read it repeatedly until she understands, even more, it’s about bugs that she likes in the first place. Arban doesn’t know yet the results of Emma devoting herself to imitate his research.



“Emma, can you lead me to the laboratory right away?”



Arban rounds up the conversation with a doting smile towards Emma. The fishy story1 can’t be heard by the kids any further, and his big brother also has a job. The coup is settled on the surface, but it seems suspicious2. While thinking that he should continue the fishy story with his older brother after all the kids fall asleep… he remembered something.



(1. T/N: 生臭い namagusai can have the meaning of a fishy story or a bloody story. But the more frequently used meaning is a fishy story.)



(2. T/N: The term used here is きな臭い kinakusai, which is a bit ambiguous. The first meaning is the situation is tense or strained as if an armed conflict is about to break out. The second meaning is suspicious, dubious, questionable, shady.)



“Ah… come to think of it, I met the second prince and the princess’ messenger in the Kiary territory on my way home. He relayed, “Please・invite・us・to・the・next・tea・party・by・all・means.” The prince and princess’ request to attend… did you decline it?”



At Arban’s words, the whole family looks at the mother Melsa all at once.



“Hm?”



Melsa makes a blank look.



The number of people who wanted to participate was more than expected. The people I replied with, ‘Maybe at the next opportunity…,’ are certainly a lot…, but did I refused such a big shot?



Melsa started having cold sweat on her back.



Author’s note: It was sweet inside the Tanaka family as always.