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[Translator - Pot ]
[Proofreader - Kawaii ]
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Side Story Chapter 3: Theo's Escapade (1)
Hello. It's Theo.
This is already the third time I'm greeting you all.
How have you been getting along?
I truly hope you've been well during this time.
When people I know are happy, it makes me happy too.
How have I been, you ask?
Well...
I was doing really well until lunchtime today.
Why ‘until lunchtime today’? Well, that's because...
"My honey bee! Look at this little one! Isn't he really handsome when you look at him again? I've never seen such a straight nose bridge!"
"Oh, my rose... to praise another man with those cherry-like lips of yours. Just how much are you planning to torment me?"
Just like when I first met you all, I've been kidnapped again.
This time the situation is a bit serious.
At least last time it was just ordinary bandits, right?
"My honey bee! Look at this child's soul! Such a luscious soul! It's absolutely enchanting!"
"My rose, to gaze at another man with those crystal-beautiful eyes. My heart feels like it's being torn apart, but I'll endure it."
You can tell from their conversation alone, can't you? This time I've been captured by dark mages.
"How delighted would they be if we offered this child as a sacrifice?"
"They would surely be delighted! They would bestow even greater blessings upon us!"
They're even planning to use me as a sacrifice.
Why did I end up in this situation, you ask?
To explain that, I'd have to go back two hours.
* * *
"Uncle!"
Two hours ago, I ran down to the basement where my uncle was.
That's because Mom had imposed that terrifying punishment of house arrest on me again.
"The Sword Saint has sent word. He says it's certain that they possess the remnant thoughts of an archdemon."
"Another troublesome thing has appeared. That's already the third time this year."
"It seems you should go check it out as soon as possible. The situation doesn't look good."
But Uncle wasn't alone in the basement. He was there with a knight wearing black armor.
"Oh? Isn't that young Master Theo?"
The knight greeted me as soon as he saw me. I bowed politely in return.
You should greet him too, everyone. This is Sir Dominico.
He's one of the undead who serves Uncle.
He's incredibly strong, though not quite as much as Uncle.
"Theo? What's the matter?"
"Uncle! Please listen to me!"
I explained everything that had just happened to Uncle.
"Mom put me under house arrest because last time I got captured by those bandit guys and interfered with your work!"
"What? Just for something like that?"
That's Uncle for you. He always takes my side.
"Exactly!"
"Sister is being too harsh. I told her it was fine."
"This time I was going to ask you to take me to the Snow Flower Festival in the Schnivalen Kingdom, but Mom forbade that too!"
"Ah, that festival? It's beautiful enough that you should definitely see it at least once."
As Uncle said, the Snow Flower Festival of the Schnivalen Kingdom is so magnificent it's designated as a national treasure.
A performance troupe consisting of over a hundred dancers, musicians, and mages holds a parade, and it's supposed to be incredibly majestic and beautiful.
I couldn't go last year because something came up, and I was determined to go this year, but now I'm under house arrest.
Mom is really too much.
"Can't you secretly take me to the festival?"
"No."
But contrary to my expectations, Uncle flatly refused my request.
"Why not?"
"I told you before, didn't I? I have no intention of interfering with your mother's educational policies."
"It's not that you're scared of Mom, is it?"
"That's part of it too. You know how terrifying Sister gets when she's angry."
Uncle shuddered slightly as if the mere thought was horrifying.
But I'm not the type to back down so easily.
I looked up at Uncle with a face that seemed about to burst into tears.
But Uncle just snorted and said this:
"That doesn't work anymore. Stop acting."
Damn.
The problem is that Uncle knows me too well, just as I know Uncle too well.
"Besides, I have things to do from now on. I need to go out for a bit."
"Where are you going?"
Uncle closed his mouth. He does that when it's difficult to explain. I quickly said:
"I understand. If Uncle is busy, there's nothing I can do about it."
"Thanks for understanding."
Uncle reached out and patted my head. I also rubbed my head against Uncle's palm.
"Instead, I'll buy you some snacks you like on the way back."
"Really? Can I look forward to it?"
"Of course. Well then, see you later."
After saying that, Uncle opened a dimensional portal and disappeared.
Uncle's powers are always fascinating to see.
The only person who would take my side, Uncle, had left like this.
But I'm not the type to give up so easily.
I whirled around to face Sir Dominico.
Sir Dominico startled and then spoke in a firm voice:
"No."
"I haven't said anything yet."
"Weren't you going to ask me to take you to the Schnivalen Kingdom?"
His intuition is really sharp.
Oh, how can Sir Dominico take me to the Schnivalen Kingdom, you ask?
Since Sir Dominico is Uncle's subordinate, he can borrow some of his powers.
That's why he sometimes leaves to carry out missions Uncle has given him.
"A lowly being like myself cannot go against my lord's decision. Absolutely not."
Saying this, Sir Dominico looked at me with eyes as solid as bedrock.
Hmm, he really is like a loyal knight straight out of a fairy tale.
"You granted my request last time."
"That time, young Master Theo deceived me by saying it was lord's errand! Do you know how much I was scolded by my lord after that!"
Sir Dominico shouted in a resentful voice.
Seeing this reaction, it seems he has absolutely no intention of granting my request.
But I don't intend to back down so easily either.
I really want to see the Snow Flower Festival with my own eyes.
I have no choice. I'll have to use my secret weapon.
"I know I'm making an unreasonable request..."
I slightly lowered my head and drooped my shoulders.
I made my expression as gloomy as possible too.
"Y-young Master Theo?"
When my face darkened, Sir Dominico became restless.
Seeing his reaction, this method seems like it will work.
"Do you remember when Hazel came to visit last time?"
"You mean the young lady of the Marquis Ryan Bloom family. I remember."
"At that time, Hazel bragged to me terribly. She said that last year she went to play in the Schnivalen Kingdom with Sir Michael and saw the Snow Flower Festival, and it was incredibly beautiful."
As soon as I mentioned Marquis Michael, Sir Dominico's eyes changed.
"She bragged about such a thing?"
Ah, the reason Sir Dominico is getting so excited is because the two of them are rivals.
The two of them often spar, and until now their win rate has been exactly fifty-fifty.
But recently he lost twice in a row to Sir Michael, so his pride seems quite hurt.
"Do you know if that was all? How delicious the food in the Schnivalen Kingdom was. How enchanting the music was. She went on and on in front of me for over an hour!"
"For over an hour!"
Oh, this isn't a lie.
Hazel always comes to me and rattles off all sorts of brags.
She's really a childish girl, isn't she?
Not only childish, but she has a really nasty personality and is spiteful too!
Aside from having a somewhat pretty and cute face, there's nothing redeeming about her!
"To think such a thing happened... this cannot be tolerated."
Flames rose in Sir Dominico's eyes.
That's just a metaphor, of course. Even if he's undead, he doesn't have that kind of ability.
"The House of Haksen cannot fall behind the likes of the Marquis Ryan Bloom family!"
"That's right!"
"I will take you there! Just trust in me!"
Alright, success!
The problem with being too good-natured is this.
* * *
And so, thanks to the dimensional portal Sir Dominico opened for me, I was able to safely arrive in a major city of the Schnivalen Kingdom.
"You must absolutely stay only within the city. Do you understand?"
"Yes, I'll keep that in mind."
"And you mustn't follow any suspicious people!"
"Of course not."
As soon as we arrived in the city, Sir Dominico went on and on with all sorts of nagging.
It was annoying, but I endured it and listened.
Sir Dominico had reason to be anxious.
"I'd like to stay with you if I could, but if the fact that I've been away for a long time reaches my lord's ears, everything will be discovered."
For this reason, Sir Dominico had to return to the castle.
Since he's trusted by Uncle, he has an enormous amount of work to do.
He has to train soldiers, deal with envoys from various countries, and also...
"My lord should return in about 2 hours."
Ah, so that means I only have 2 hours to play here.
I need to enjoy everything I can within that time.
"If anything happens, you must absolutely call for my lord."
Uncle comes running no matter where I am, as long as I call his name.
But Sir Dominico doesn't have that ability.
"You mustn't refuse to call him just because you're scared of getting scolded! Young Master Theo's safety comes first, second, and third!"
"Of course."
Though I'll definitely think about it as much as possible.
Since Uncle will scold me terribly if he comes!
"And also..."
After that, Sir Dominico gave me a few more lectures before leaving.
Phew, I got tired from listening to all that nagging. Anyway, from now on it's my free time.
"Wow, so this is the Schnivalen Kingdom."
I looked around the streets with a face full of wonder.
Everything from the architectural style of the buildings to people's clothing was completely different from our country.
"Come on, snow-red fruit picked this morning for just 1 silver!"
"Just try one chicken skewer! It's brushed with a secret sauce passed down through our family for generations, so it's very tender and delicious!"
The street vendors were enthusiastically hawking their wares with bright faces.
As expected, with the festival approaching, everyone's faces are bright.
"Miss, could I have one chicken skewer please?"
I held out my carefully saved allowance and asked. At my words, the chicken skewer lady blushed and waved her hands.
"Oh my, calling an auntie 'miss.' What a handsome boy with good eye for people too."
The lady giggled and gave me two chicken skewers.
I held the chicken skewers in both hands and walked down the street, munching on them.
"What time does the Snow Flower Festival start?"
I was walking down the main road with that curiosity when suddenly someone burst out from the entrance of an alley.
I ended up bumping into that person because of it.
What's more, the sauce from the chicken skewers I was holding got on the stranger's coat.
"You little brat..."
A woman with snow-white hair looked down at the sauce on her clothes with a very displeased face.
"Where the hell are you looking while walking around? Should I gouge your eyes out?"
Wouldn't the person who suddenly jumped out also be at fault if we're being fair? Just as I was about to protest like that:
As soon as she confirmed my face, the woman's expression melted away.
"Oh my? Oh my? Oh my my?"
The woman kept exclaiming and then shouted toward the alley:
"My honey bee~ Come over here! Quickly!"
"My rose, if you call, I must run to you wherever you are."
At the woman's cry, a man walked out from the alley entrance.
"My honey bee, look at this boy. Isn't he really handsome?"
"My rose, are you planning to make me die wrapped in flames of jealousy? But he really is a boy whose future is frightening to imagine."
The two people circled around me, constantly exclaiming.
"And look at this brightly shining soul! I've never seen such a soul in my life!"
"He can't compare to your brilliance, but it's still an amazing level!"
"Uh, I'll be going now."
I tried to slip away from the two people.
They obviously seem like people with something wrong in their heads, right? It's best not to get involved with people like this.
Besides, I don't have time since I need to enjoy the Snow Flower Festival...
Click.
Huh?
When I came to my senses, there was a shackle around my neck.
I looked up at the two people with a surprised face. They both smiled brightly and said to me:
"Oh my, where are you trying to go?"
"We'd be sad if you left like this."
People who suddenly put shackles on someone's neck can't be normal.
This was a situation where I should immediately call Uncle, but I asked with a glimmer of hope:
Maybe it's a culture of the Schnivalen Kingdom to welcome guests like this?
"Um... what are you planning to do with me?"
"Oh my, you were curious about that? You don't need to be scared."
"That's right, that's right. We're not savages who commit terrible crimes against children."
Phew, that's a relief. My glimmer of hope was right...
"You're going to be offered as a sacrifice!"
"Isn't it absolutely fantastic?"
Oh, dear God.
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[Translator - Pot ]
[Proofreader - Kawaii ]
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