HTACS 66

Chapter 66

Ayla Trista.

This walking bomb of rebellion casually dropped that bomb and disappeared.

Trista Territory. Eden.

The home base of the family that boasts the empire’s strongest mining industry.

I only know it from the lore.

West of the imperial capital, a bit distant.

The Trista family rules that land, filled with wilderness and mountain ranges.

Hmm. So I have to go there.

From now on, I—

“Wolfram von Lohengrin. Are you there?”

“Not here. If you’re not a customer, leave.”

“Full set of drinks and snacks. One bag of candy.”

“Welcome, customer. Is there anything else you need?”

My bloodline-below entry—my family register mate—Eve barged into the convenience store.

But I thought it was Eve, and then I saw she was a customer.

Eve, but a customer. Between the relationship of a knuckle-worthy family register mate and a customer, I chose customer.

“If you’ve bought everything, please leave quickly.”

“Is that how you treat a customer…?”

“You’ve bought everything, so you’re not a customer anymore.”

“…Well, that’s true, but… Anyway, that’s not it—I came because I had something to say.”

“What is it.”

“Hmm, ahem. Hmm. Ah, really. I’ll only say this once, so listen carefully.”

With a flushed face, Eve scratched her cheek, bowed her head slightly, and continued.

“Th-there was a report that parents had less mana sickness thanks to your potions. Hmm… Thank you.”

“Yeah. Good thing you’re only saying it once.”

“……Pardon?”

“If I heard it twice, I might throw up. Tch. What kind of thanks is that?”

“If I killed you right now, wouldn’t that one time disappear too?”

Oh my.

No bad deeds.

“So, is that all?”

“Ah, no. There’s more. Have you decided where to go for the field trip?”

“Why are you asking?”

“Because of your whereabouts.”

“……?”

“You really don’t know, do you? Hmm. Listen carefully. This potion set sale will definitely have an impact outside Zefflin. The world will take notice of your actions.”

And Eve’s explanation continued.

Trista and Sierra. The subtle differences between the two families. The perception my creations would bring. And the conflicts that might result.

“So if you haven’t decided where to go for the field trip, go to the imperial family. Why don’t you report to Father about what Wolfram von Lohengrin is doing there?”

“Hm. You’re telling me to report to Father.”

“Yes.”

In official settings, they call him “His Majesty” and “Emperor,” but apparently among family they call him “Father.” Good information.

Anyway, hearing Eve’s words, it seems like a lot will happen and it’ll get tiring. As she said, going back to the imperial family is a good suggestion, but…

“I’ve already decided where to go for the field trip.”

“Where? You didn’t do anything stupid, did you? Right?”

“…The Eden Territory of the Trista family.”

“You idiot…!”

Oh my, look at her pointing a holy light spear at her older brother.

Are you going to hit your brother, huh?

“Hoo… I’m debating whether it’d be better to kill you and secure the Lohengrin Empire’s lasting peace.”

“Nonsense.”

“I know. Tch… Anyway, Wolfram von Lohengrin.”

Eve waved her hand to dismiss the spear and glared at me.

“What.”

“Be careful, and come back without any trouble. Because if you get hurt or go missing, it’ll be a big deal.”

“…?”

Did she eat something wrong? Was she worried about me?

“If you die… the first person to come under suspicion is me! The suspicion that I tried to eliminate you! Do you know how much that would obstruct my future?”

“Aha.”

Of course.

Worry for nothing.

“…So come back safely.”

“Hmm. I will.”

—

The day of the field trip arrived.

The Eden that Ayla Trista and Wolfram von Lohengrin are heading to is in the western part of the continent, and naturally, it’s connected by a warp portal.

A key feature is that Zefflin covers the warp portal costs for the field trip, so you can go without burden.

That’s why this field trip becomes a stage for ‘faction verification,’ ‘profit,’ ‘espionage,’ and ‘betrayal.’

Students don’t go purely for ‘field trips’—they become ‘messengers’ delivering their ‘parents’ orders.’

When you want to secretly pass information to someone in the same faction, it’s easier to use your child attending Zefflin than using couriers or magic crystals.

So it’s standard to expect enormous political effects from this field trip, but…

“Ahaha, Wolfram, Ayla! Long time no see!”

“Rudika-san. Long time no see.”

“Ahaha. Thanks for including Rudika!”

“…I don’t recall hearing that Rudika would be in our group.”

“Oh my. Didn’t I tell you?”

“…You didn’t.”

“I see. Rudika-san is coming with us too.”

“Wolfram! Nice to meet you!”

Ayla.

Shouldn’t you have explained that beforehand?

“Wolfram, do you dislike Rudika?”

“No, that’s not it. But it’s true that I’m curious. Why the west of all places?”

“Actually, there was talk this time about going south.”

“Hmm. And?”

“If I go home, it gets quite troublesome. Assassination targets increase all over, you know. I’m not going on a field trip to get more work, am I?”

“Hm. I see.”

I nodded involuntarily.

If the field trip is to your own home, it does seem incredibly troublesome all around.

“Is that so? I’m happy to go home after a long time.”

“Is that so? Ayla’s a good girl! Haha!”

“……”

Everyone except Ayla.

“I want to rest a little, even if just a bit. That’s Rudika’s true feeling.”

“I understand completely. Yes. Nice to meet you too, Rudika.”

“Ahaha. Yeah!”

Rudika, looking much brighter than usual, offered me a handshake.

I lightly took Rudika’s hand and shook it, when a voice called us from over there.

“Next group. Warp portal is ready.”

“Let’s go, Wolfram. You can let go of that hand now, I think?”

“…Hm? Ah, yes.”

“Ahaha. Wolfram’s hands are big!”

For some reason, a slightly sulky Ayla and a cheerful Rudika.

Me. Rudika. Ayla. And Patrasche.

Three people and one beast. Figures completely unrelated to politics.

Ah, this is going to be a truly peaceful trip.

—

After passing through the warp portal, the scenery before my eyes changed.

It’s a skill I used often when playing the game, but using it like this feels novel. It’s like entering a floating blue oval of light and emerging somewhere else.

“…This is.”

“The eastern part of Eden. Hmm… about a 20-minute walk to the mansion.”

“Hmm. I see. 20 minutes…”

I felt slightly dizzy.

The west is quite hot, and walking 20 minutes in this state might kill me.

Well, Patrasche is beside me—if I get tired, I can ride him.

“Hmm. No, they said they’d come soon. Ah… here they come.”

Ayla smiled and cast her gaze into the distance, and when Rudika and I followed her line of sight, a carriage was approaching us with a clatter.

An elderly man in butler’s attire descended from the carriage that stopped before us, bowed deeply, and greeted Ayla.

“Welcome back, young lady.”

“Yes. Long time no see, Head Butler.”

“Truly a long time, Your Highness Prince Wolfram von Lohengrin.”

“Hm.”

“However, may I ask how to address the person beside you? Could you introduce them?”

“This is Rudika Hassan Shadow, who’s joining us for the field trip.”

“Hassan Shadow… Whoa. The secret art of the south. The Shadow family’s…”

“Nice to meet you. I’m Rudika.”

“Yes. Nice to meet you. Now, please board the carriage.”

The three of us boarded the carriage, and as we leaned into our seats, the carriage slowly moved forward.

Beside it, Patrasche followed at the same pace.

“……”

“…Hmm.”

He’s looking at me as if asking why I’m not letting him on.

But I pretend not to notice.

It can’t be helped. You know… if you get on, it’ll look cramped and you smell like an unwashed dog…

So you have to understand, okay?

“……”

“Hmph.”

—

Passing through an enormous, majestic mansion, greeted by countless attendants, the carriage entered the estate.

A truly overwhelming number of people welcoming us—a flashy mansion. But thanks to the 1-tier skill 【Imperial Bloodline】’s compulsion to ‘maintain speech and behavior befitting imperial blood in any situation,’ I somehow managed to endure.

But…

“Long time no see, Your Highness Prince Wolfram von Lohengrin.”

“Yes. Long time no see.”

“Aren’t we destined to become family someday? Let’s drop the formalities.”

“Pardon?”

“Haha. You can call me Father-in-law.”

“……That is… hmm…”

“Dad!”

“What’s wrong! Ahaha! Good things are good. Dear, look at Ayla being shy. You never imagined that, did you?”

Ayla’s father greeting me with a laugh is… truly, immensely. Seriously overwhelming.

No, really.

This is no joke.

After roughly unpacking, we were told the field trip would start tomorrow, and tonight we’d have dinner with the lord and lady of the Trista family—Ayla Trista’s parents.

For reference, Rudika ran away. She flatly refused, saying she’d wander around the area on her own.

What a coward—choosing a quick escape for her peace of mind.

But I couldn’t do that.

So, um, to describe the relationship by Wolfram’s standards…

They’re my future father-in-law and mother-in-law.

……

It’s not like Ayla and I are even dating, yet the world already has a father-in-law and mother-in-law waiting.

This world must be bugged.

“Does the food not suit your taste?”

“No. It’s good. Don’t worry.”

“Yesss!”

And there’s mini-Ayla staring at me with a beaming smile—Ayla’s younger sister, Spica Trista.

“Hehe. His Highness Wolfram looks so awkward. You should stop too.”

“Fine. I will. Now then, Ayla, can you tell us what happened in Zefflin?”

“Pardon?”

“Since His Highness Wolfram stepped down from the presidency, we haven’t heard any information. …I’d like to hear a bit in detail.”

“Yes. Ahem. Well then, I’ll tell you. So, first—about how I made that detestable Regina Sierra eat dirt!”

“Oh my. Is that true?”

“Whoa. You mean the eldest daughter of the Sierra family?”

“…Aha. Haha…”

Really.

This is truly heartburn-inducing.

—

After that, Ayla’s one-woman show of Wolfram’s biography came to an end after about thirty minutes of runtime.

“Ahem. And that’s what happened! Truly rebellious, isn’t it!”

Why does she even attend the academy? If she became an opera singer in the capital, she’d fill the hall to capacity.

“Truly, it’s revolutionary!”

“Right? You think so too, Spica? It’s really rebellious, isn’t it?”

“Yes! It’s truly revolutionary!”

“Rebellion!”

“Revolution!”

……

Yes. This is who she is.

Spica Trista.

Ayla’s younger sister, who enters when Kelterus is in his second year.

If Ayla is the Lady of Rebellion, then she is the Girl of Revolution.

The Rebellion-Revolution sisters joined hands and started giggling.

…Is this the hell of reincarnation?

“Ahem. I see. Magical Sweets and reform. Steps toward the outside… His Highness has truly begun walking the path. For the reformation of the Lohengrin Empire.”

“……Hm? Uh, hmm.”

“Ahem. Understood.”

What exactly do you understand, really?

The father is reform, the eldest daughter is rebellion, the second daughter is revolution.

Truly an incredible family.

“Also, that wolf resting outside… it doesn’t seem like an ordinary wolf.”

“Ah. A direct retainer of the Fairy Queen. In other words, a fairy.”

“Pardon? Whoa. So that’s why it has that level of mana—from the Fairy Queen who disappeared centuries ago…”

“Right.”

Ayla’s father, Count Glass Trista, fell deep into thought.

After that, the meal was filled with laughter and cheer. Truly comfortable, and finally, I felt a little at ease.

As the meal was about to end.

Count Glass Trista finally opened his mouth.

“So, when are you planning to hold the ceremony?”

“……Pardon?”

Pardon?