Chapter 66

The suddenly interrupted voice ceased the motions, and when turning towards it, there was a smiling man in his fifties.

There were several soldiers behind him, Adam, Dylan, Miguel, and Nathan reacted.

「Ah…… c.r.a.p」

「Let’s report, Niisan」

「They were called, huh」

「Can’t be helped. Let’s bring Al and Feli along again」

The four already regained composure, but Geros said while glaring.

「Who the h.e.l.l are you! Don’t disturb us!」

「Excuse me, I’m Captain of the 2nd unit of the Royal Capital guards, Raizen. There has been a report that a suspicious individual is attempting to abduct a child」

「Abduct!? This is not an abduction! I was just taking in a child with a talent for baseball. Stop those false accusations!」

「I see, that is your side of the story. How about you?」

Raizen heard Geros’ story without a change in his expression and addressed us next.

Miguel answered as the representative.

「The “child with talent” he is talking about is my little brother here. He suddenly said “hand over that child” so we naturally declined, and he replied with “I will pay so hand him over”. We declined that too and tried to persuade him to give up, but next, he said he’s taking my little sister and her best friend too」

「Both sides seem to have different stories, I see. Then, let’s ask the people around. Let’s hear what the people around have to say, I will…… the drugstore people, may I hear you out?」

The soldiers started moving on Raizen’s orders while he inquired Lucas and Clare.

「I was watching from the beginning and it’s as this child said」

「That Geros is a liar!」

「Is that so, then, wait a moment until my subordinates come back please」

A short time later, the soldiers returned and reported to Raizen.

「I kept you waiting. I would like to hear the story in full, so I will have you come with us…… take Geros and the two accompanying him」

「「「「Ha!」」」」

「What are you doing!? It’s a false charge! Release me!」

「「Dannasama!」」

Geros was dragged away by the soldiers on Raizen’s orders and Raizen who saw them off turned towards us with a softened expression.

「That was a misfortune, wasn’t it? It’s unfortunate but it would be better to return for today」

「We know. We have been in your care, Raizen」

「No, I will send you “home.” Your friends should join us too」

「We will return by ourselves, you don’t have to mind us」

「Your guardian is waiting for you, so let’s go together. I think you understand, but you have no right of veto」

「…… Haa~」

Not thinking about refusing Raizen’s words, Miguel didn’t put up a vain struggle.

Saying goodbye to Lucas and Clare, we got on a carriage and were escorted “home.”

Of course, “home” was the royal palace, we have parted with Raizen who escorted us and were guided to Evan’s office, but there was another person besides Evan, Lewis, and Claude.

「You have returned quite early. I thought you could have taken it more slowly」

「You already know, right? Father」

「How detestable」

「I don’t know in detail. I just heard that something happened. Grace, did you have fun?」

「Yes! But…… the last bit was scary」

「I see, come to Otousama」

When Evan put Grace on his lap, she smiled in relief.

The man said heartily after seeing that.

「As expected, girls are different. Our house is full of men, so I can’t do anything at such age. Claude, you understand me, right? 」

「Unfortunately for you, I do have a daughter. Feli, Al come here」

Al and I exchanged glances and trotted over to Claude.

Claude placed us on his lap and looked at the man.

「Haa!? When were they conceived! I didn’t hear anything!」

「We didn’t conceive them. They are adopted」

「Adopted…… you did!?」

When the man shouted in surprise, Lewis interrupted.

「When are you going to introduce yourself? Albert and Felice don’t know you after all」

「Right. I’m King of the Trust Kingdom, Regulus!」

「I’m Albert」

「I’m Felice」

(King means he’s Leone-sama’s father, right…… I wonder if he’s doing well?)

While I was thinking about Leone, Adam spoke to Regulus.

「Anyhow, weren’t you supposed to arrive tomorrow?」

「That was the intention, but we were chased by monsters on the way and arrived earlier because all the escaping」

「Monsters, is it? You are Regulus-sama, so you must have defeated them, right?」

「Oh well. There were just too many! I thought to quickly enter the royal capital since it turned out like that, but a Black Tiger appeared right before my eyes, so even I started to panic a bit. If it were only me and the soldiers it would be fine, but there were maids as well」

「Then, did you run away?」

「That’s, while I was hesitating, that fellow’s head suddenly burst open」

「Burst open!?」

「We were startled too and were searching whether there was someone around, but we found only this」

What Regulus retrieved from his pocket while talking was something I was very familiar with.

「T, that’s……」

「Right, a baseball! It appears its head was. .h.i.t by this and burst open」

「W, wasn’t it lying there just by a coincidence?」

「It’s as Elder brother says! To burst open because of a baseball!」

「But you see, it was covered in blood when I picked it up, so I must be right」

「「I, is that so?」」

「However, it’s a mystery. Just where did it come flying from?」

Adam and Dylan feebly laughed, Miguel and Nathan avoided eye contact, Al and I were panicking.

Of course, without overlooking such suspicious behavior, we were firmly pursued by Claude.

「You would be better off asking the person in question. Right…… you guys」

「「「「「「Yes」」」」」」

Hanging our heads, Miguel spoke as our representative.

Grace did not seem to understand it well so she was looking in wonder.

When talking about the details, everyone besides Regulus who didn’t know wryly smiled “It can’t be helped since it’s Al,” and Regulus himself “That’s impressive!” exclaimed in admiration, but the mood became heavy when talking about Geros.

「I will give you money so hand him over…… huh, what a ridiculous fellow. Adam, where are those guys now?」

「Raizen ordered his subordinates to lock them up in a jail」

「I see…… sorry, but an urgent business came up」

「Wait. I won’t let you go!」

「Evan, you have the reception to take care of. Incidentally, I also have an urgent business that came up, so I will excuse myself」

「That’s not fair, Claude!」

「You can’t go too!」

「Then, I also have an urgent business」

「「You are unrelated, aren’t you!」」

「Then…… hey, you can’t naturally go too!」

Regulus who saw Evan and Claude trying to leave the room but being stopped by Lewis happily partic.i.p.ated too.

Al who saw that exchange asked.

「Feli, I’m hungry. Do you have something?」

「Umm~ wait a moment…… n~ sweet potatoes, cookies, pudding…… I also have French fries」

「I want to eat cookies and French fries」

「Alright~」

I retrieved the requested things from the item box and we began eating right away.

Miguel and Nathan who saw that joined in, the drooling Adam joined in as well, and lastly, I beckoned Dylan and Grace to join us too. We watched the exchange of adults while eating snacks.

「What’s this! It’s too delicious…… this seasoning is so nice」

「Elder brother, the cookies are tasty as well」

「It’s delicious you two. Potatoes and cookies can be eaten alternately」

「Is that so, Miguel!?」

「Let’s try it right away」

「It’s really tasty. Was this made by chef?」

「No, this was made by Feli」

「Is that the truth, Nathan!? Felice is incredible!」

「That’s not true~」

「Mugumugu…… n~nn, mugumugumugumugu」

「Al, we can’t understand what you are saying」

「It’s delicious, but I would like something to drink」

「Eh~? …… Can’t be helped, what would you like?」

「The bubbly one!」

「Soda then? Here you go」

What Al requested and I retrieved from my item box was a soda I made.

With the grace of magic.

When he drank it first, he spat it out and didn’t approach it again, but after seeing me calmly drink it, he got used to it little by little and he can normally drink it now.

「Ahh~! This could become a habit~」

「Feli, can I have some too?」

「Me too please」

When I gave it to Miguel and Nathan, Adam and others were looking with great interest, so I handed them the soda too.

When I was about to caution them before they drank, I was stopped by Al while Miguel and Nathan were grinning.

The three who didn’t notice that drank it as if it was water.

「「「Buh! Cough, cough!」」」

「Uwa! What are you doing!」

「But, you guys were chugging it!」

「We are used to it」

「I, I’m sorry. However, this is」

「Dylan-sama, are you okay? Well, we did the same thing in the beginning」

That’s right, when I tried to caution them before drinking, I was stopped by Al and the two drank it in one gulp.

It would naturally turn out like that if you do such a thing.

「Nathan, you didn’t need to say something so unnecessary!」

「That’s petty, Miguel! Why don’t you inform others!」

「Don’t lump me with you! We were deceived by Al!」

「I mean, it would be unfair if I was the only one who spat it out. Whatever you say, experiencing it personally is the best!」

「You are making “I said something good” face, but if that’s the case, why didn’t you do it to Father and Mother?」

「You did it to Riley, Olivia and other servants, didn’t you? I thought Al would do it」

「Somehow, the instincts told me…… “it will be the last time if you do it”!」

「「「「Yeah…… certainly」」」」

(I can understand that…… but he thought of doing it. I tremble just imagining it)

At the boisterous state of the boys, the girl Grace said with her face dyed bright red.

「Ugh, I’m sorry. So embarrasing」

「It’s all right, Grace-sama. This time, try sipping little by little」

「Yes, sip….. sip…… tasty」

「Really? Grace」

「Yes, Adam Oniisama. It’s bubbly and also have sweetness to it, it’s delicious」

Hearing Grace’s words, Adam and Dylan slowly sipped the soda. They opened their eyes and said “It’s good,” but feeling gazes on us, we turned around and saw the adults watching us.

For some reason, Lewis approached us with a smile, it was frankly frightening.

「You guys, what are you doing?」

Adam who felt the pressure of the quiet and yet unusually distant voice replied.

「Ah…… we are eating snacks」

「Do you know what we were talking about just now?」

「…… Yes」

(He would get angry when having a serious talk and the people in question were eating snacks, won’t he!)

「Lewis-san! I-」

「Feli is not at fault! It’s only because I was feeling a bit hungry!」

「Albert and Felice are not at fault. Of course, Grace isn’t as well. In cases like these, the elders are responsible. Isn’t that right, Adam, Miguel, Dylan, Nathan」

「「「「Yes」」」」

(Al is an elder too!)

(Rather, I’m the eldest!)

「In the first place, what time do you think it is? It’s time for lunch in 2-3 hours, you know?」

「「「「Yes…… yes?」」」」

「You who have the appet.i.tes of growing children aside, how about considering Felice and Grace too?」

「「「「Haa…… how about Albert?」」」」

「Albert is good」

((He’s good! Well, that’s true but))

「The amount you have eaten exceeds the snack limit. You must not eat that much before the lunch! You won’t be able to eat the lunch! You guys are the older brothers, get your grip together!」

「「「「Yes! Okaasan! …… Ah」」」」

「……………」

There was no ill will.

The four didn’t have any ill will.

However, but an accident happened with the words that unconsciously left from their mouths.

「Buhahaha! Okaasan…… bukkuku…… indeed…… kuku, aren’t you glad, Lewis! I have thought of you as Okaasan before too! Pupu」

The moment Evan burst into laughter, Claude and Regulus swiftly distanced themselves from him.

Lewis slowly turned towards Evan.

「……… Haa?」

「Hii, I was just joking! Calm down, calm down Lewis! It was my fault! What I really think unconsciously left my mouth!」

While glaring, I line I heard somewhere before came out with a creepy low voice.

「Joke and what you really think…… is it? Is that all you wanted to say? …… Grit your teeth!」

「Gyaah!!」

After that, Evan’s screams resounded for a while, but no one came to see what’s happening while we were obedientely watching without moving.

That day’s lesson is,

Item, Eat only optimal dose of snacks

Item, calling Lewis “Okaasan” is a taboo

Item, Lewis is more powerful than King (in every way)

We must never forget this.

Then, we had been convinced all over again.

((Adam completely resembles his father))

Adam was struggling hard not to laugh at the screaming Evan, but he didn’t notice the sickened gazes of the three elder boys which were saying “Is it time to laugh? You are gonna get it tomorrow, you know? Rather, didn’t we suffer the same thing at the festival?”

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