Chapter 94

"Hmm—"

When I woke up and sat up, I found that the petite Marlene was snuggled up next to me, breathing softly in her sleep. It seems that Grace and Ashley had already woken up. Well, they probably have a lot of preparations to make.

They had mentioned that they would rotate the sleeping arrangements. Marlene is close to both Grace and Ashley, so it seems that she can sleep on either the inside or the outside. She was smiling happily as they discussed it.

Marlene has strawberry blonde hair, a shade of golden with a hint of red. She has fair, smooth, and fine-textured skin... She's such a cute girl, one might describe her as fairy-like or doll-like.

It seems that King Melvin thinks it would be better to leave Marlene in my care for her safety rather than at the castle. Immediately after that discussion, he asked me to take her along and guard her at my house, to get her accustomed to living outside the castle as soon as possible.

Perhaps it's also because we are a household of women, but it seems that the news of how Sheila and Ilmhirld were immediately double-tailed and crushed when they were followed has spread. King Melvin apparently believes that our counter-espionage and defensive capabilities are better than those of the castle.

While I think it's a bit much to say that we have a protective barrier, he laughed and said, "No one can touch a house where two Demon Slayers are staying."

Marlene turned over in her sleep, reaching out as if searching for something where I had been lying. When I gently held her hand, her expression seemed to relax. I wonder what kind of dream she's having.

I quietly used Circulating Qi to check her magical state without waking her. Her throat... the flow of energy is stagnant. This is probably due to the burn marks left by the poison. While I can improve her condition with Circulating Qi, it's difficult to completely heal her because the damage has set in over time. Also, she herself doesn't seem to want it.

As for her magical power—given that her family was chosen for their aptitude for the Country Protection Ceremony, she possesses considerable strength. Rosemary was also quite powerful, but...

Marlene has a high aptitude for being a shrine maiden. The unique skill set of shrine maidens and priests, "Prayer," includes things like blessings, curse removal, and field attribute changes, which are often special and large-scale.

However, she isn't well-suited for direct combat. While she has powerful skills, they aren't easy to use.

Therefore, we need to consider other means to ensure her safety, even if she can't speak. I want her to be able to defend herself to some extent, even when we're together.

Considering her aptitude for communicating with gods and spirits, and her similarity to magic users... the best option would be a summoner or a monster tamer.

This is also reflected in Rosemary's fighting style, who is also suitable for the Country Protection Ceremony. She uses magical creatures like puppets and dragon-toothed soldiers... Given that the royal family needs a leader, this makes sense.

In any case, we should start thinking about her self-defense methods from here. The fact that the monsters in the dungeon can't be tamed or contracted is a problem, but... I have a plan.

As I was thinking, Marlene opened her eyes slightly, still looking a bit sleepy.

"Good morning, Marlene."

When I greeted her, she sat up and smiled at me.

Well, considering today's plans, we should probably put on the disguise ring. The formalities haven't been completed yet.

"Alright. Let's go downstairs."

Marlene, now disguised as Marian, nodded, so I took her hand and we headed downstairs.

When we got there, Grace and Ashley greeted us with smiles.

"Happy birthday, Marlene."

"Happy birthday, Theodore."

Sheila and Ilmhirld clapped, and cheers rose in response.

"Happy birthday, Theo."

Alfred, Rosetta, and the Forest Birds were there, along with the receptionist Heather. The house was quite lively. They had even set up tables in the garden and planned to serve food there. They must have woken up very early to prepare.

"Thanks."

I scratched my cheek, feeling a bit embarrassed. It's my 11th birthday.

Usually, only Grace and Father celebrate it. Catherine and the others... just went through the motions with Father.

So, being celebrated by so many people like this... is a bit unusual for me.

"Teo, would you mind if we also celebrate Marian's welcome party today?"

"Sure. It's better to combine celebrations."

Marian's expression brightened.

"Then, Marian, please come this way. Let's get you ready."

Ashley took Marian to change and get ready.

"Happy birthday."

"Happy birthday, Theodore."

"Thanks, everyone."

I was led to the head of the table, and Rosetta and the Forest Birds came to offer their congratulations.

"He said he'd try to come back, but it's uncertain. So, he asked me to give you this just in case."

Rosetta handed me a letter. It's from Father. He must have given it to her before we left Termwillows. When I read it, it said he was sorry he couldn't be here for my birthday.

Perhaps he had planned to come for my birthday before. If he intends to show up, he might be traveling back and forth through the Dragon Cage. I think he's quite busy with the aftermath of the recent incident. I don't want him to push himself.

"Please chat with everyone until lunch. I'll prepare a special meal today."

Grace said, and she and Sheila went to the kitchen.

"Is it okay to invite more guests? Ophelia, Viola, and... Talcott. And a few from the Knights. For those who don't know the location of your house, I'll get permission first."

Alfred said. Come to think of it, the guests for the surprise party are all people who know the location of my house.

As for the other members of the Knights, there's Mercedes, Chester, and... the Knight Commander, Mildred?

"Sure."

"Alright. I'll tell the driver to pick them up."

"Can I bring those two? They're going to play music."

Ilmhirld asked. She meant the Siren Justia and the Harpy Dominique.

"Sure. Thanks."

"Great. I'll go get them."

My, my. A princess, a prince, the Knight Commander, and monster girls... This is quite a diverse and luxurious lineup for a birthday party.

"---How's the dungeon exploration going?"

"It's going well. We've made it quite far up."

Lucian of the Forest Birds has the same laid-back attitude as always. They've apparently discussed strategies for dealing with Guardians. When a Guardian appears, the number of monsters in the floor increases, so they plan to use the red teleportation stone immediately if they sense anything suspicious.

"The shield we had made at the Brightwell Workshop is working great. It's a small shield that's easy to handle, but it can expand into a large shield with a Magic Shield spell when needed. It's really strong, even with the low-quality magic power I have."

Robin demonstrated a shield bash with a satisfied look. It's a prototype shield, specially designed to be efficient for front-line fighters with low magic power.

"Please tell Alfred and Viola your thanks and feedback. They'll be happy to hear it."

"Of course. But it was Theodore who introduced it to us."

Monica smiled. The three monster girls' performance and singing created a lively atmosphere as we chatted and enjoyed the food. It was a very lively birthday.

"Teo."

I turned at the sound of my name. Grace and Ashley smiled and handed me a package.

"Teo, would you accept this?"

"What is it?"

"Grace and I made it together."

It seems to be a birthday gift. When I opened the package, it was a scarf. The color matches my coat. It's going to get cold soon. They probably want me to use it in the winter. It will be useful when I travel between the dungeon and home.

There are small, delicate embroidery patterns on both ends. Bird designs, probably done by them. Hmm. When did they prepare this?

"---Thank you. I really appreciate it."

I immediately put it on, and they looked at each other, holding hands, and smiled happily.

...Yeah. I'm really happy. I should prepare something in return.

As I was thinking about what to get them, a carriage arrived at the house. It has the Gartner family crest. Father must have returned. He'll probably leave again tomorrow or the day after.

"It's good that you made it... but it's quite lively here."

Father stepped out of the carriage and smiled wryly.

"Well, it just happened naturally."

"That means you're well-liked. Happy birthday, Teo."

"Thank you, Father."

Father nodded. Then, he escorted a woman out of the carriage.

Heather's expression turned to shock when she saw the woman. She must have recognized her from the adventurer guild when I mentioned her name before.

"Actually, I stopped by the Sylm Baron's territory on the way. Since the short stay was convenient, she wanted to come along, so I brought her."

"Long time no see, Theodore. Congratulations on your birthday."

The woman who greeted me was—Berine, the receptionist at the guild.

I see. If she hitches a ride with Father's Dragon Cage, she can make a short trip between her work.

"Hehe. Long time no see."

"Yes, indeed."

Berine laughed, covering her mouth. The interaction was a bit forced, but it couldn't be helped.

Probably, she had been working behind the scenes regarding Ashley and was expecting my reaction. The right thing to do here is to welcome her normally.

I do think Ashley's situation is a good thing, and it probably exceeded Berine's expectations. So, I'll enjoy her reaction in return.