Chapter 176 – Unexpected Situation (3)

August 27th, 2023

The plan has almost been set, but there are points to be addressed before they fall into the trap. First of all, Adelia was staying at our house. She is my bodyguard, but she has no idea that I am Xenon. She became my bodyguard purely out of favor towards me, and if she gets involved in this situation, it will be quite troublesome.

Because of this, Father even suggested revealing it to Adelia. Although she’s not talkative and her background is suspicious, it’s unavoidable for a smooth progress.

However, the person who firmly rejected it was not only me or Cecily but also Mother.

“No. Dame Cross shouldn’t know that Isaac is Xenon.” 

“Why?”

Up until now, my mother had sat quietly, merely listening to the conversation, so my father asked with a puzzled expression. I, too, was equally puzzled.

Mother gently stroked Lily, who was peacefully asleep in her stomach, and then she opened her mouth with her unique beautiful smile.

“Maybe one day, Dame Cross might face an important decision. Even for that chance, we must not reveal that Isaac is Xenon.”

“Um… If you say so, I’ll accept it. I’d like to hear the details later.”

“You’ll probably understand too.”

In the end, we were left with no choice but to not include Adelia. However, she was highly skilled, having worked as an assistant at the Halo Academy.

Elves might intrude at any time, and her senses should be sharp, so could she really not notice?

Father seemed somewhat hesitant, perhaps because he was worried about that point.

“Dame Cross has exceptional senses, even though I don’t know what she went through in the past. Even during training, she intuitively knows where to attack.”

“She notices everything?”

“That’s right. She said her body warns her on its own. It must be hard to develop such a perception going through ordinary experiences, I wonder where she learned it.”

“… …”

Could that also be connected to the past? As she was not properly recognized as a royalty and lived in the palace, she must have faced all sorts of persecution.

It might have been bad enough to warrant an assassination attempt. Considering the insults Adelia received from her siblings, it’s not an entirely implausible story.

“Anyway, it means we need to handle the operation without Dame Cross noticing… It’s not as easy as it sounds.”

“Your Highness, what if I put her to sleep with a sleep spell?”

“Would that work?”

“It’s not impossible.”

“Hah.”

When things were handled more easily than expected, Father let out a disappointed laugh. As always, magic played the role of doing the impossible.

“Alright, then the issue with Dame Cross is resolved. We just need to let our employees know that thieves broke in.”

“But the key is when they will come, right? Father-in-law, when do you expect them to come?”

“Well, my friend purposely messed with their tracks, so it’ll take some time. At best it might be three days, if they’re fast, tonight.”

They will come tonight. A week ago, Mora informed me that something would happen at night. And today is that day.

There is still plenty of time until nightfall, but it’s a bit urgent to set up the trap soon. It’s better to hurry.

“I understand. Let’s set up the trap first. Please wait a moment.”

“Where are you going?”

“I have something to bring from my room.”

I suppose you have a rough idea, but it’s the summoning scroll for Siris. Since I’ve already explained everything, they won’t be surprised by Siris’s introduction.

When I got up from my seat, Cecily tried to get up with me, but I immediately stopped her. There’s no need for her to follow me when I’m just going to the room, and it won’t take long anyway.

Instead, I asked Cecily for one favor.

“Oh, Noona, can you ask Gartz to join us in this matter? The more people, the better, right?”

“Lord Balak is currently under strict home arrest. Can you guess why?”

“… …”

Poor Gartz. At least he was fortunate enough to get his autograph returned. Without that, he would’ve been extremely downcast.

I forced a bitter smile and headed to the room to get the summoning site. It’s the first time I’m going to the room since I met Father.

“Oh?”

“Hmm?”

As I turned the corner, I came face to face with Adelia. She was gently drying her wet, chestnut-colored hair, as if she had just finished bathing. At first, her sky-blue eyes blinked, but soon they began to widen.

“What’s wrong? Weren’t you in Helium?”

“I just came back. It’s a bit suffocating to stay in Helium all the time. It’s good to see my parents’ faces sometimes. But did you just bathe?”

“After training, you should take a bath. But…”

Adelia stared at my face intently and tilted her head to the side. It seemed like she noticed my hair had grown longer in that short time.

“Your hair… seems to have grown longer?” 

“I have my reasons. I think I’ll keep it like this for a while. It grows back even if I cut it.” 

“Oh, really? Surprisingly, it suits you well.” 

Adelia touched her chin and seemed to be deep in thought. Since we had plenty of time, I just waited patiently.

However, for some reason, her face started to blush gradually. While I was puzzled, she suddenly cleared her throat and asked quietly.

“Ahem. Do you… like long hair, cutie?” 

“Huh? All of a sudden?” 

“No, I was just curious, that’s all. Marie, that girl, and even the Demon Princess, they all have long hair, you know.” 

Upon hearing Adelia’s words, I recalled Marie and Cecily’s hairstyles. Both of them indeed had quite long hair, with Cecily’s reaching down to her hips.

Moreover, my hair had grown long now, too, so it’s understandable why Adelia would have such a misconception. However, the three of them had such beautiful faces that any hairstyle suited them well.

Honestly, whether it’s short or long hair, as long as you are as pretty as the two people mentioned, that’s enough.

“Not really? I just like it when I like it.”

“Oh, I see. How about me? Am I okay?”

“Right now, you are the prettiest.”

It’s not an empty compliment, it’s sincere. The wavy end of her dark brown short hair and the distinctive small nose add to her beauty. Even her husky voice.

With Adelia’s lively charm fully on display, one could say she is the prettiest now. Even if she grows her hair longer, it would only diminish Adelia’s charm.

“Thank you. Though it’s a bit embarrassing to hear it out loud.”

Adelia heard the sincere praise and twirled her hair with her fingers. Seeing her feeling shy, which was different from her usual self, added a different charm.

Seeing that, I inwardly chuckled. Her feelings are too obvious. Even someone who’s bad at picking up cues would notice that she has a crush on me.

But Adelia herself was completely unaware of this fact. Is it because this is the first time she’s experienced something like this, or is it because she genuinely doesn’t realize it?

“So… are you going back to Helium?”

“Yeah. I’ll stay there for about a week.”

“I hope so. It gets boring without our cutie around.”

“Well, we’ll be together all the time once the vacation is over and we return to the academy. Anyway, I’m heading out now. Take care, Noona.”

“Yeah. I’ll work hard.”

Adelia stepped aside and waved her hand discreetly. I waved back and walked towards the room. When I turned back after walking a little, she was still standing there, waving her hand with that characteristic confident smile.

Every time I saw her, I felt a sense of nostalgia. They say unrequited love is always painful. Moreover, knowing that I already have two lovers makes me feel even more sorry. But I can’t just readily accept her feelings.

To fully embrace her, a complex process must be undergone. I wonder what choices Adelia will make at the end of that process. It might be a story of the distant future, or it could happen not too long from now, but the fact that she has to make a choice remains unchanged.

I can only hope for her to make a wise decision.

*****

I got the scroll in the room and promptly tore it apart. My family watched with intrigued expressions as I ripped the scroll in half and waited patiently.

After about 30 seconds passed, the torn scroll was engulfed in blue flames and soon turned into ashes, dispersing into the air.

Then, a magic circle formed on the floor, emitting a blue light, and slowly, someone began to appear.

“Did you summon me?”

It was a familiar voice of a woman. Siris, one the dark elf famous for concealing their appearance, stood before us. She was still wearing her revealing armor.

Father groaned when the Dark Elf appeared, and both Cecily and Mother watched silently with surprised reactions. I scratched my head as I looked at the armor worn by Siris. It wouldn’t have been embarrassing if it was just the two of us, but now that I was with my family, I felt really awkward.

“Let me introduce you. As I mentioned earlier, this is Siris, the Dark Elf who connects me to the Queen. Among the Dark Elves, she is exceptionally skilled.”

“… …”

While I introduced her, Siris looked at me with a complicated expression. After all, I had been keeping this secret all along, and suddenly I was summoned in front of my family.

However, her expression changed quickly as I explained everything about the situation. She nodded as if she understood.

“So, that’s what happened. First, let me introduce myself. My name is Siris Lunatic. As you might have heard, I am currently working as a courier for Isaac, having committed a crime against him.”

“I am Hawk Ducker Michelle. Isaac’s father.”

“I am Anna Ducker Michelle. Nice to meet you.”

Siris introduced herself politely, and Father seemed curious, asking her a question in a curious tone.

“Isaac mentioned you being a messenger earlier, how long is the contract valid for?”

“Until Sir Isaac goes to Lady Mora’s side. At least for over 50 years, I suppose.”

“… …”

As soon as they heard Siris’s response, the parents turned their gaze towards me without hesitation. They seemed to be suspicious, as if they were thinking the same thing: her too?

I was taken aback for a moment, but I quickly realized what they were suspecting. Since Siris, a beautiful lady, was my messenger, they must have imagined some strange scenario.

In order to dispel their misunderstanding, I quickly shook my head and said urgently, 

“That’s not it. she’s not a slave but just a messenger.”

“Hmm… I see. By the way, a Dark Elf, huh? It’s my first time seeing one, so it’s intriguing”

“Is it also the first time for you to see a Dark Elf, Father?”

“I operated in the border area, so there’s hardly any contact with Dark Elves. Maybe if they were part of an Elven reconnaissance unit, but that’s about it.”

With a curious glint in his eyes, Father looked at Siris intently. However, his gaze inadvertently shifted to some inappropriate places because of Siris’s attire.

Of course, every time that happened, Mother would prevent it by putting her hand on Father’s thigh. In some cases, she would pinch his thigh, causing Father to chuckle.

“Anyway, Siris.”

“Yes, Lord Isaac.”

“I called you, Siris, for the reason you heard earlier. Soon, a close associate of the Council will come to our mansion. I hope Siris and Arwen can assist us. It’s also an opportunity for Arwen to eliminate the Council.”

“I will ask her about it and let you know.”

Siris left with those words and used teleportation immediately. About 30 minutes later, while we were carefully establishing our plans, she returned.

“The Queen has kindly accepted. However, she said she cannot directly help us.” 

“It’s okay. As long as Arwen finishes it properly, that’s enough.” 

“Is there something I can do to assist?” 

“Siris, well, yes. Please let us know in real-time where those elves are. Father, since the elves were tracking, you roughly know where they are, right?” 

“I’ll roughly draw a map. They should be around here.”

The planning proceeded swiftly. With two skilled individuals in magic and ample force to subdue the elves and communication between the Michelle territory and Alvenheim.

Of course, we didn’t forget to consider potential variables. Especially since Mother wasn’t strong, someone must protect her just in case.

We didn’t think the elves would take hostages, but things don’t always go as planned. If Mother gets overly stressed and something happens to Lily, it will be a real problem.

“Then, Lady Anna, I’ll protect you. With Lord Hawk and Princess Cecily, they should be able to subdue them.” 

“Thank you. I’m sorry for causing inconvenience even on our first meeting.” 

Fortunately, Siris being responsible for protecting Mother blocked all potential variables. If they launch a surprise attack, no matter how powerful the elves are, they’ll be taken care of by Cecily and Father.

Then, we carefully reviewed and re-reviewed to make sure there weren’t any overlooked parts. With little time, meticulousness wasn’t a choice but a necessity.

Finally, when all the preparations were complete, I checked the time. It was exactly 6 o’clock. Now it was time to have dinner.

“Shall we start wrapping things up now? Let’s have dinner first and then double-check everything.”

“Sounds good. What about Siris?”

“I’m fine not eating. Right now, it’s more important to assess the situation.”

Siris left the mansion without having dinner, opting to trace back the lead. Following the map drawn by the father should lead to some news soon.

After resolving everything until dinner and reorganizing our plans, we each returned to their bedrooms. We didn’t forget to deliberately place the manuscript on the desk.

We could wait quietly for news from Siris, but…

“No, it won’t do.”

“Why? Are you sure the elves will really come tonight?”

“I don’t know, but there’s a possibility. So put it on again.”

“Tsk.”

With my firm reminder, Cecily pulled up the straps of her partially undressed evening dress. Her lips pouted in annoyance.

Earlier, Mora had warned that if I didn’t want to face an embarrassing situation, I should avoid any romantic encounters tonight. Now that it was night, I could understand the reason.

However, it wasn’t just about being embarrassed; Cecily disliked the idea of showing her intimate side to others.

“However, Isaac.” 

“Yeah?” 

“You said you will spread the news about having your hand injured, so are you taking a break from serialization for a while?” 

Cecily, dressed in an evening dress, asked with a puzzled expression. Frankly, it is a concern. If my hand is injured, it’s only natural to take a break from serialization, but I can’t help but think that my itchy hand might end up writing the manuscript anyway. 

However, if I claim to have had it neatly fixed at the temple, there shouldn’t be any problem with the serialization itself. Although unexpected events might occur during that time, I wouldn’t know about them. 

“Maybe I’ll rest for about a month. In the meantime, they might be searching for a person who injured their hand.” 

“Now you’re even bluffing, our Isaac has grown so much.” 

Cecily gently stroked my head, as if impressed. I didn’t really like being treated like a child, but since it felt good, I let it go. 

‘Damn brats. I hope they get fucked.’

I’m really looking forward to tonight.