"The inside is cleaner than I thought."
Having arrived at the Mist Forest as planned and scouted the surroundings, I muttered that and plopped right down on the spot.
'...So now I just have to hold out here for a few days.'
It might seem a bit pathetic, but that was exactly my strategy for winning over Lilien Nox Belverk.
'The third sibling who distrusts humans makes an unreasonable demand of the protagonist as a test, only to get burned in return—it's a time-honored cliché in child-rearing stories.'
Sorry to my third big sister, but asking a child not even ten years old to do something so dangerous and unreasonable was wrong from the start.
And what earring? Someone without even pierced ears wouldn't carry something like that around and forget it, right?
That's right. Since Big Sister set up such an obvious trap, I had no choice but to use it to my advantage.
From the moment I entered the Monster Ducal House of Belverk, every moment was a fight for survival—I'd prepared myself for that.
And the method I chose for that was incredibly simple.
It was to become the naive, kind youngest who unconditionally believes Big Sister's words and spends sleepless nights wandering a forest teeming with magical beasts just to make a friend.
Seeing that, third big sister would feel guilty, retract her killing intent toward me, and naturally soften her heart even just a little.
Of course, this plan hinges on the flaw that Lilien Nox Belverk must be a fundamentally good person who would feel guilt over something like that.
But I've thoroughly analyzed the traits of the third sibling from vast child-rearing story big data.
According to that data, Lilien has probably just been twisted by her surroundings and circumstances—her true nature is likely quite kind.
Otherwise, System Big Sister, who's been favorably disposed toward me all along, wouldn't have suggested 'Making a Tsundere' as Lilien's sub-quest.
But the problem is surviving in the Mist Forest—used for the Monster Ducal House's adult ceremonies—for several days without my Unique Ability having awakened yet.
Of course, I've already prepared countermeasures for that too.
First, hold out in the safe zone near the entrance as much as possible, then head deeper only when I sense people approaching.
This method minimizes the chance of encountering life-threatening magical beasts.
But what if I still run into an extremely dangerous one? That's where the second countermeasure comes in.
-Swish...
The perfume from Mother that I got as a gift after she caught me staring wide-eyed at its nice scent a few days ago.
You might ask how a mere perfume could handle magical beasts, but this is the perfume of 'Monster Duke' Astridje.
To explain in more detail, purifying the Mist Forest isn't something anyone can do—it's usually the family head's job.
And Mother is an existence etched in history as uniquely terrifyingly strong among all past heads.
The magical beasts who've been unilaterally hunted by her every year have long since learned to see her as the forest's apex predator.
So as long as I spray this perfume she often uses, I won't have to worry about beast attacks.
'...That was Schwarz's explanation.'
I was skeptical at first, but it was true.
From the entrance, the beasts that caught my scent and swarmed—I sprayed perfume a few times, and they all freaked out and fled for their lives.
Incidentally, among them were high-grade magical beasts that required a full knight order to handle, according to the bestiary in the study.
Beasts fleeing at the mere smell of humans... Just how strong is our mother?
Of course, I'm not relying solely on that perfume mimicking Mother's scent.
Anything can happen, so for the third and final emergency countermeasure, I've prepared something else.
'With this, I definitely won't have to worry about dying.'
It was the top-grade return scroll specially made by the Magic Tower that Schwarz bought from the black market.
Using it is simple: just tear the paper in half, and it teleports you instantly to a pre-designated location—in my case, near the ducal house.
Normally, a spatial movement scroll this convenient and easy to activate is extremely expensive, but with the ducal house's wealth, it's no big deal.
But this time, I needed to prepare it in secret, so Schwarz bought it with her own money.
"...As long as it's what Young Master wants, I can buy anything."
The way Schwarz's eyes trembled when she said that definitely wasn't my imagination.
For the sake of her now-empty wallet, once I secure my position in the ducal house, I need to repay this favor tenfold—no, a hundredfold.
"...Hm?"
Anyway, as I was thinking that and about to take a step to find a place to lie down—
'What is that?'
Suddenly, a small dot appeared in the sky, growing larger as it flew straight toward me.
'A m-magical beast?'
Panicking at the sight, I pulled out the perfume and sprayed it around, but the unidentified flying object showed no sign of slowing.
"Eek!"
Just before collision, I barely ducked my head and avoided getting hit.
-Splat...
Right after dodging the crisis, the mystery flyer crashed to the ground and tumbled for a while.
"Chirrp..."
Approaching cautiously to check it out, I widened my eyes and muttered softly.
"Not a magical beast... just a bird?"
The identity of the flyer that nearly killed me here was, surprisingly, an ordinary-looking yellow bird.
"...It's kinda pretty, though."
No, looking closer, it wasn't ordinary at all. Even I, no expert on animals, could tell it was elegant and beautiful.
"But it looks pretty injured..."
Despite its appearance, it was covered in wounds everywhere, with one wing half-broken.
At this point, it was a miracle it had flown here at all.
"Hey, are you okay...?"
For some reason, I felt a kinship with it and carefully reached out—just then.
📜 HIDDEN QUEST 📜
Mist Forest
📍 Encounter ??? (0/1)
📍 Protect ??? (0/1)
Clearing this will grant absolute advantages in future developments.
Staring blankly at the message that popped up, I quickly grasped the situation, smirked faintly, and carefully scooped up the bird.
"This is... that thing."
I'd momentarily forgotten, but this world strictly follows romance fantasy child-rearing story tropes.
Naturally, I could guess what this hidden event I encountered was.
"...Definitely a spirit or divine beast."
In romance fantasy child-rearing stories, the protagonist is supposed to have a cute spirit or divine beast companion—it's a cliché.
If I protect and diligently heal this bird now, it'll surely grow into a Spirit King or phoenix later and protect me.
"Heh heh..."
"...Tweet?"
So from now on, your name is Peep. Let's get along starting today, okay?
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
Meanwhile, at the Belverk Ducal House.
"One command: find that child. Use any means necessary."
From early afternoon, the mansion had entered emergency mode. In the entrance lobby where maids were assembled at the door, Astridje issued orders with a face full of killing intent.
"Mobilize all available personnel and search outward from the territory center, gradually expanding the range. Leave only the minimum reserves for mansion security."
In uniforms that might feel awkward to Kairen but were familiar to most of Belverk.
"Of course, I'll search the territory outskirts with the knights too."
Finishing her orders in the frozen atmosphere, she descended the stairs radiating chill, then suddenly turned back and spoke lowly.
"...Lilien Nox Belverk."
"...!"
"If you have sins to confess, now is your last chance."
At those piercing words, Lilien—who'd been gritting her teeth and bowing her head—paled and her lips trembled.
"I-I..."
But her words cut off, and their eyes met briefly.
"...You don't know."
Moments later, Astridje withdrew her gaze first, muttered coldly, and walked past her out of the mansion.
"Right, even you wouldn't lay hands on a child not yet ten."
"..."
"You've always been gentle only with children, after all."
As the mansion doors closed, silence descended on the entrance lobby.
"...Ugh."
In that silence, Lilien—her face even paler, lips quivering—suddenly twisted her expression and walked off somewhere.
"Hey, Schwarz."
Soon after, she arrived at none other than Kairen's door.
"Answer me, you bitch."
Standing before it, she growled lowly, then began pounding as if to break it down, raising her voice.
"Where is Kairen right now?"
"..."
"...This is all a show, right? I know. Pretending to go to the Mist Forest but actually hiding somewhere safe—I know it all."
She might be cautious about eavesdroppers, but current Lilien lacked even that judgment.
And more surprisingly, for some reason, unlike usual, no one was actually listening around.
"Y-You're not crazy enough to walk into that place yourself. Right? Yeah?"
"..."
"L-Let me guess? Kairen's hiding somewhere in that room. Mother's just playing along with the youngest's prank. Right?"
But Lilien, not even noticing that, forced out a trembling voice and battered the door violently.
"Answer me! You damn..."
Just as the door—tougher than steel—neared cracking.
-Creak...
Without warning, the door swung open, revealing Schwarz inside.
"Hey, brat! Where are you!?"
Ignoring her, Lilien rushed in and started searching frantically, as if certain Kairen was hidden there.
"I know you're in here...!"
However, her frantic rummaging soon slowed.
"...Come out already."
In truth, she'd realized it the moment she entered.
Aside from Schwarz, there wasn't a single ant hiding here.
No ability or trick could fool the super-senses of the Crimson Eyes—she knew that all too well.
"...For real?"
As she mindlessly dropped the flowerpot she'd grabbed while searching.
"No way. What idiot would walk into hell just for some alliance... "
"..."
"...What?"
Suddenly, Schwarz poked her side.
"What the hell are you..."
Turning with a cold expression, Lilien finally looked properly at Schwarz and widened her eyes.
"..."
Red chains wrapped tightly around Schwarz's body flickered in and out of visibility.
And Lilien knew well those were traces of restraints only Belverk heirs could place on their personal maids.
"Why...?"
Evidently, Schwarz had received an absolute 'command' from Kairen.
She could guess the content. Seeing her always by his side, it was probably not to reveal his whereabouts or pursue him.
Realizing why Schwarz hadn't been punished despite letting Kairen go, a fundamental problem hit Lilien.
'Why the hell go this far to hide?'
-Swish...
Lilien's doubt was answered as Schwarz held up something with both hands—the very evidence Astridje and the maids had already checked, abandoning the mansion search.
No, she'd half-suspected it but denied it, so it unraveled in an instant.
📜 Runaway NoteI'm off to make a friend! What better chance than a treasure hunt to make friends? The territory outskirts might be a bit dangerous, but I'll be back by tonight![A crudely drawn doodle of a bird that looks just like itself]
And soon, Lilien's eyes began trembling slowly.
Schwarz's cold gaze pierced her, but Lilien's eyes stayed fixed on the crooked handwriting.
Finally, her gaze reached the bottom: a foolishly meticulously drawn doodle of a new bird friend that resembled her perfectly.
"...N-No."
Unknowingly stepping back, she muttered.
"I didn't mean for this..."