Chapter 23

・Finally, the secret of Rize's birth and the sweet love romance of her deceased parents will be revealed!

"Alright, you guys, we're moving today. Help me with the preparations."

"“Yes!”"

It's been a day since the castle was completed, and I've gathered my close friends at the lord's residence to pack up. I plan to take this opportunity to get rid of unnecessary things and start my new life with a fresh mind.

So, we started the work right away—

"Milady Rize, Milady Rize! I found your childhood undergarments. Can I have them!?"

"Sure, I don't need them anymore, so do as you please."

"Yay! I'll treasure this Alicia as my lifelong treasure! Oh, I'll display this one as a sacred object and use this one for everyday wear...!"

"Everyday wear...?"

Hmm, those are my childhood undergarments. I doubt Alicia, who is petite except for her chest, can wear them... but whatever. She seems happy, so it's fine.

"Lord Rize, Lord Rize! If we're moving, I think food will just get in the way!"

"Ah... since it's a good opportunity, clean it up for me, Irena."

"Sure thing! I'll eat it all to uphold the pride of the beastmen!"

Cheap pride of the beastmen!

Oh, by the way, there are quite a few old items in the food storage... but Irena's already gone. Whatever.

Sigh, really... Alicia is diving into a sea of old clothes, and Irena has already holed up in the food storage. I hope they'll help with the packing seriously...

As I was thinking this about the free-spirited girls, the head guard Klaus approached.

"Rize, I've gathered all the books and documents in the house. I've categorized them, so it should be easier to arrange them after the move."

"Klaus, you're the best."

"Wh-What!? R-Rize...!?"

Well, hiring this guy was a good decision. He's casual but works seriously, and I really appreciate having him around. Thanks a lot, okay?

Just as I was conveying these thoughts, a mysterious "whoosh!" sound came from where the maid Belle was cleaning. Was there a monster or something?

"By the way, Rize... while organizing the books, I found this..."

"Oh, this is..."

Klaus, who seemed a bit tired and had a slightly red face, handed me an old painting. It depicted a man and a woman in formal attire.

Ah, no doubt—this is a portrait of my parents.

"What a nostalgic painting of my late father and mother. It's probably from their wedding day."

"Of course. I found it casually tucked between the books, but the woman looks a lot like you, Rize."

Indeed, I should thank my mother for that. My father, on the other hand, has a rather unimpressive face. It's like he's completely given up on the future, with a face that looks like he's about to die.

...If I hadn't taken the bold step of reforming the territory, I would probably have ended up with a face like that.

"...Your mother was quite beautiful, Rize. To be honest, women who marry into the Baybalon territory are usually..."

"Yeah. I don't really care, but it's bad if a commoner marries and a child with little magic power is born. For a long time, the Baybalon lord would take in women who were too ugly to find a husband or had some issues and were disowned by their families.

My mother was originally from some earl's family... but she made a bit of a mess. You can tell from the painting, right?"

"Ah, yes, I had a vague idea..."

Klaus said this while looking strangely at the mother's noticeably bulging stomach.

"---My mother was a bit of a disappointment... she ran away from home and was drinking heavily at a bar. She met my father, who was also drinking heavily and seeing everything negatively, and they got drunk and... well, you know..."

"Please, don't tell me, don't tell me, Rize!! I'm really sorry, I'll seal this painting deep underground!! I'll just think that Rize was born from a virgin birth!!"

"Ah... if I die and someone writes my biography, make it sound like I was born that way..."

"Yes! I'll do it with my life!!"

Alright, Klaus will do the job properly. Now I can die anytime.

...Dad, Mom, watch over me from the afterlife.

See how the super-capable me, born from your thoughtless actions, is leading the country to peace—!

※Yesterday, I declared war on the country without thinking.

I look forward to your reviews and feedback!