Chapter 88

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I plan to update every Monday and Friday.

January comes, February flees, March departs.

This proverb from a past life is also used here, indicating how busy the first, second, and third months are.

I didn’t ask who Viktor contacted or how, but the story progressed very quickly, and Louis was appointed to this place by mid-February.

Father, who was unaware that Louis had already entered Kikunoi, explained his situation repeatedly to Neko.

“You’re so stupid, I can’t believe you’re my father… cough, I thought you were careless,” he said.

“Did you just hear a word that I shouldn’t let Regulus hear right now?”

“It’s just your imagination, just your imagination. Anyway, not doing a background check and trusting an introduction from a superior, well, yeah… To avoid suspicion, I also attached a letter of introduction from the Prime Minister.”

“Oh…”

Of course, he wouldn’t be suspicious.

From what I heard from Rottmayr, Father, though at the bottom of the nobility, is evaluated reasonably well as a soldier.

A soldier’s evaluation includes loyalty and the ability to follow orders without question, meaning without suspicion.

It’s no surprise that Father took the introduction from his superior at face value.

That’s fine.

Thanks to this, I managed to take away Father’s actual authority without much effort.

“Thank you, Viktor.”

“You’re welcome. But it’s the power of the Prime Minister’s letter. Like handing over the entire fief to Saint-Just.”

“Disappointing, even from a family member.”

Handing over the management of the fief, which is the foundation for the upbringing of his own important son, to someone else, what is he thinking?

By the way, is he even writing proper letters to Regulus?

I’m just worried about everything.

Anyway, this isn’t a conversation to have in a café.

On a certain day in February, I was holding Regulus’s hand and came to a café in town with Viktor, Lala, and Utsunomiya.

Regulus’s hair had grown, so we were going to the barber to get it cut, but nobles usually have their own service providers.

We came to town because we aren’t ordinary nobles.

There were no service providers for a lord who never returned to his fief.

So, Utsunomiya and Lala were accompanying Regulus to the barber.

Regulus might be uncomfortable with unfamiliar people touching his hair, so Utsunomiya was there to comfort him, and Lala was there to explain in detail the hairstyles that would suit Regulus.

Meanwhile, Viktor and I were watching the La Pucelle girls practice.

The song they will sing in the competition has already been decided, and they are also practicing choreography. They are currently training to sing without their pitch wavering or their voice cracking while dancing.

Their fans are also growing steadily, and some are even planning to travel to the capital for the competition in April. It’s wonderful.

Incidentally, the café doesn’t serve alcohol and is open until dinner ends, around 8 PM in my past life. La Pucelle’s concert ends half an hour before that.

Adventurers work from morning until dusk, and in the evening, both monsters and wild animals become more active, so they don’t act at night unless it’s a special request. The operating hours are adjusted accordingly, and the labor standards from my past life are also considered, with an eye on coexistence with other shops.

Coexistence and mutual prosperity are the best.

The welcome bell attached to the door rings.

Naturally, my eyes are drawn to the sound, and I see Regulus and Utsunomiya standing at the entrance.

But one person is missing.

“Hey, you’re back.”

“Welcome back. What happened to Lala?”

According to Regulus, who has his fluffy, chick-like bangs and a neat cornrow on the side, and Utsunomiya, who looks troubled:

“Lala-chan, adventure guild…”

“Adventure guild?”

“Well, I don’t really understand, but I thought I should inform you, young master.”

After Regulus’s haircut, the three of them were walking past the adventure guild when they heard a woman’s shrill voice from inside.

Out of curiosity, Lala peeked in and saw a blue-haired, strong-looking woman shaking the collar of the guild master, Laurent.

“Lala apparently tried to stop the conflict, but it seems she knew the woman who was grabbing the collar.”

“So, she’s still in the guild…?”

“Yes. It seems the conflict was about Effet Papillon’s products, and she thought it would be best to inform you, young master.”

There’s no choice but to go.

After saying goodbye to the La Pucelle members practicing in the café, we rushed to the adventure guild.

The conflict was still ongoing, and a woman’s shrill voice could be heard from outside.

From the fragments of “adventurer’s clothes,” “guild-affiliated,” and “I don’t know if it’s Effet or Ese,” Utsunomiya’s judgment that it was about Effet Papillon seems correct.

At the guild entrance, many people were gathered, curious but not wanting to get involved in the conflict.

Pushing through the crowd, we entered to see Laurent with a stern, almost crying face, Lala covering her ears, and a blue-haired woman rapidly speaking to them. They all turned to look at me as the door opened.

“Good afternoon, it’s quite lively here.”

“Oh, Kikunoi! You came at the right time!”

“Mamamaru, you came!”

I’m being welcomed enthusiastically, but the blue-haired woman is giving me a suspicious look.

Regulus, slightly annoyed by the “What’s with this kid?” look, frowned. I smoothed out the frown and went to Lala’s side.

“Pleased to meet you, I am Kikunoi Kikunoi.”

“Kikunoi, Regulus von Stein, here.”

Putting his hand to his chest in a noble’s greeting, the crowd of onlookers, including adventurers and townspeople, fell silent.

My little brother, only four years old, can greet properly. Isn’t that amazing!?

As I was marveling at Regulus’s fluffy golden hair swaying, the blue-haired woman snorted.

“Kikunoi, you must be related to the lord of this fief. I didn’t call for a child. Can you call an adult related to Kikunoi?”

“Unfortunately, my parents are not here. If I cannot handle it, please formally request a meeting with my parents in the capital. Do you have any noble acquaintances? If you want to meet the head of a viscount’s household, you need an introduction letter.”

“W, well, that….”

“Do you have any proper identification? I will report to my parents that a noble lady caused a disturbance at the fief’s adventure guild and requested a meeting with the head of the household… but be aware that the first meeting will be through the military police.”

“What! Are you accusing me of a false charge!?”

“It’s not a false charge. Our maid saw you grab the guild master’s collar, and there are many witnesses. Obstructing business and assaulting the guild master are serious offenses. As the acting head, I must protect the peace of the fief. You are disrupting it, and I cannot ignore it as an acting head.”

As I stared at her, her eyes, the same color as her raised hair, darted around.

She’s probably trying to figure out what to do.

Then Lala clapped her hands.

“Thunderbird, that’s enough. Mamamaru, when she says she’ll do something, she does it, but she listens carefully. She doesn’t take adventurers lightly and explained what could happen if things continue this way. Since you can talk to the acting head, why not settle for that?”

“Grr… I have no choice. Compromise is necessary… necessary, so I’ll compromise!”

“I’m glad you understand.”

The woman called Thunderbird crossed her arms and turned away.

Laurent, who looked relieved that her temper had cooled, nodded silently and waved his hand. I looked at the woman again.

Her blue hair was cut to her shoulders, and she wore a black leather poncho with a pants outfit, her knee-high boots accentuating her long legs.

“Now, why were you shouting so loudly?”

“It’s simple. I need to see the head of the Effet Papillon trading company, and I want you to introduce me.”

“Effet Papillon?”

“Yes. I need to talk to them.”

“Is it a complaint about their products?”

“Do I have to say it!?”

Her blue eyes must have widened again.

She’s quite intimidating.

This Thunderbird, well, she’s tall and beautiful, and when she’s angry, it’s incredibly dynamic.

As I was thinking this, Thunderbird’s expression changed.

Her eyes, which were initially filled with anger, turned to a look of curiosity, then to a hint of fear, and finally to a pale face.

“Why isn’t my ‘intimidation’ working!? What’s with these kids!? And a lion on his back? He’s not glaring back at me! I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m scared!”

“Regulus, stop it. She’s scared, so stop it.”

When Regulus looked at me with a big smile at Viktor’s soothing words:

“Regulus, are you doing something?”

“Re, I’m not doing anything. I just thought it was scary to glare.”

“Right? That’s weird… Anyway, intimidating a child is not a mature thing to do. I will listen to you, and since Effet Papillon is under my jurisdiction, I will handle the issue. If you continue to act this way, I will have to consider my options.”

Well, the only option is to report to the military police that I was unreasonably provoked.

Sometimes a bluff is good.

With a serious face, I said this, and Viktor and Lala stepped forward to protect Regulus and me.

Even Laurent, with a stern face, exuded a killing aura.

“While I’m being lenient, you should change your attitude.”

“Thunderbird, I can’t protect you anymore.”

“Stop it here. Then apologize to Kikunoi. If I have to arrest you, it will be difficult for the adventure guild.”

Oh, no.

I made a mistake in my approach.

As the acting head, I have the most authority here. If I say I have options, of course, this will happen. No, no.

“Well, let’s calm down and talk. Okay?”

I made a theatrical cough and waved my hand. The tense atmosphere eased a bit.

Then, Thunderbird, with teary eyes, nodded slightly.

And then.

“It’s not that… I always feel the need to say it and get hysterical…”

“I see… So it’s that important?”

“Yes! Yes! Because Effet Papillon doesn’t have women’s undergarments! Female adventurers are struggling!”

It’s all about undergarments lately!

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