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IBP 169
......As I blinked in confusion, Duke Ardos scooped me up into his arms with a hearty "Heave-ho!"
"Our Coco. Shall we go eat some chocolate with Daddy?"
"Hup, chocolate."
My ears perked up at the mention of chocolate.
As I blinked, The Father of Emperor of Mice, who had been perched on Ruth's head, hopped down and began squeaking beside Daddy.
"Then, Coco, eat some chocolate and get some good rest. You're already a divine beast, so what's the problem?"
Jjek-jjeki also added a word, fluttering about in the air.
"Hmm, Coco. It would be wonderful to eat chocolate and some sweet potatoes too."
Strangely, The Father of Emperor of Mice and Jjek-jjeki were very friendly toward Ruth and Daddy. It was as if they had been bribed!
Just imagining it made the taste of chocolate and sweet potatoes linger in my mouth.
I almost drooled, but I am a very cool divine beast!
I returned to protect my sister, so I had to keep my wits about me.
'Get it together! To make sure my sister can live comfortably from now on, removing the Imperial Concubine is the top priority!'
I widened my eyes and shouted.
"......No! I won't eat! I have to talk to Caligo!"
"......Th-th-then, may Daddy stay with you?"
"Daddy can stay, but this is a secret conversation I need to have with Caligo."
Ruth clung to my hand, murmuring pleadingly.
"Th-then, I'll stay here. Coco. Or maybe the mouse. Or the bird, or even my shoe......."
......What would be the point of Ruth's shoe being here?
As I pondered this, Daddy and Ruth both let out sighs so deep they could have sunk the ground. Caligo asked me cautiously.
"Coco, that...... what is the secret you need to talk about?"
Only then did I reach a great realization.
'The two of them are jealous that only Caligo and I are having a secret talk!'
Of course, as a smart and perceptive divine beast, I knew very well that they loved me immensely.
I looked at them with a coy expression.
"Don't be jealous. I have secret things to tell you two as well."
"Huh? Wh-what do you mean all of a sudden?"
"I'm going to give Caligo a secret mission, and I'll give a secret mission to Ruth and Daddy too."
"Eh? Then you called Grand Duke Caligo because of a, a secret mission?"
"Yup."
That's strange.
This time, Caligo and Amius seemed a bit crestfallen.......
A rose even fell—plop—from the mouth of Amius, who had been smiling dashingly the whole time.
Regardless, Daddy beamed a wide smile and stroked my head.
"Right! This father and Ruth shall certainly carry out the mission, of course, of course. What do we need to do?"
"Ruth, go out into society. And speak ill of the Imperial Concubine."
"Huh?"
"You know that very annoying 'socialite lady's way of speaking,' right? You have to use that to subtly speak ill of the Imperial Concubine, Ruth. You can't say it openly."
I intended to make the Imperial Concubine anxious. I hoped she would grow impatient and move to find the divine beast. The fear of being deposed would be the finest bait to make her move.
'But Ruth shouldn't become a bad person in the process.'
I've played with my sister often, and I've spoken with Lady Miru, Cherry's owner, so I know well.
The socialite lady's way of speaking is optimized for indirect insults!
It is a tremendous way of speaking where the speaker is amused, but the listener cannot even get angry and becomes incredibly frustrated.
Ruth scratched the back of his head and murmured.
"Socialite lady's way of speaking? Ca-can I really do something like that?"
"Yup! Ruth is a noble too. ......Is it not possible?"
When I tilted my head, Ruth blinked rapidly and then answered energetically.
"Is there anything this older brother can't do? Huh? Of course I can!"
"What about Daddy?"
"Daddy....... Make me a chocolate cake."
Because if I eat that, my brain will spin even faster and I'll become Genius Coco. Heehee.
"Very well."
A strange sense of competitiveness flickered in Daddy's expression.
I beamed a wide smile and gripped both of their hands tightly.
"Now, everyone, go on! I'll give Caligo and Amius their missions too."
* * *
......On the way out after finishing the conversation with Coco.
Caligo was chewing over the words Coco had said.
"Caligo, this task might be very, very dangerous. But I don't want Caligo to be in danger. If it seems dangerous, run straight to me. Coco can protect you. I'm strong now......!"
"I don't care if it's dangerous."
"......Yup?"
"I'll do whatever you tell me to."
......He had used Amius's feet to deliver a rose. He thought it was a quite dashing line, but after receiving the rose, Coco had pouted like a duck.
"What I want most for Caligo is for Caligo to be the happiest person in the world—no, the second happiest person in the world!"
As expected, second.
So Caligo thought.
In truth, he hoped the task she mentioned was quite dangerous.
If he risked danger for her, just like Lady Chloe, perhaps he could proudly claim the spot beside her.
Since he is currently lacking to stand by her side.......
Hiding his deeply impure inner thoughts, he left the Ardos estate while reflecting on his conversation with Coco.
Ruth, who had not yet departed, blocked his path.
"Grand Duke, keep this in mind. The engagement has not been finalized. Coco is too young...... I simply cannot let her go...... anyway, it means it's not possible until you achieve some merit."
Caligo gave a small smirk and said.
"I think I'll achieve that merit today."
He was recalling the conversation with Coco in his mind.
"......Excuse me?"
Looking at Ruth's vacant expression, he shrugged his shoulders.
"Well then, I'll be going. I have things to do."
Ruth hesitated, trying to dig something out of Caligo. Then, with a bewildered expression, he stared at Caligo's hand.
'What is...... that?'
Is it a talisman? Or a doll?
Ruth's head tilted.
'......Did I see it wrong?'
Strange.
The 'something' Caligo held in his hand seemed to change from moment to moment, and then it slowly vanished.
Ruth scratched his head vigorously and then paused.
'Ah, come to think of it, I have things to do too!'
* * *
A few days later, an imperial council was convened to announce the divine beast.
Young Lord Ruth of the Ardos family, chosen by the divine beast, appeared and expounded on the greatness of the divine beast for over an hour.
Despite this, the atmosphere in the meeting hall was not good. And for good reason.......
"As a socialite lady, let me say one thing."
"Lord Ruth, really, why have you been like this for a while now? You should call me a young lord."
"Ah, shut up....... I mean, hmm, I hear the buzzing of a fly somewhere."
......Ruth Ardos's blunt remarks were usually just straightforward, so they were tolerable. But now it was different. His twisting and turning words sounded like insults far worse than usual.
It was around the time Ruth's remarks rapidly chilled the atmosphere of the meeting hall.
The Count of the Imperial Court, a maternal relative of Imperial Concubine Hervezette, let out a long sigh.
The family's position was already precarious because the Imperial Concubine, who was a distant relative, had been placed under house arrest.
The words Ruth had been murmuring while leaning his chin on his hand with an uncomfortable expression were grating.
"Hmm, I quite like that the agenda of this meeting is the <Divine Beast>. I wonder what that note Her Highness the Imperial Concubine received was? The divine beast in our house says they never sent such a note."
"......."
"Count, do you by any chance know? You are of the Concubine's bloodline, after all."
He was even being sarcastic now!
Ruth's rudeness was nothing new, but as he repeatedly mentioned the Imperial Concubine, the Count was about to explode with rage, until.......
"What are you looking at?"
......He shrank back upon seeing Ruth's powerful fist.
"......Ah, it is nothing. I know nothing of it, Lord Ruth."
"Hmm, I'm just curious. The divine beast is in our family, so I'm wondering whether the note Her Highness received is true or not......."
"......."
"Surely Her Highness the Concubine wouldn't have lied about receiving a note from the divine beast. It's a curious thing."
The clue in those words sent a chill down the Count's spine.
'If Her Highness the Imperial Concubine, blinded by the divine beast, lied about receiving a note.......'
The divine beast is the foundation of the Empire.
No matter how high her rank, impersonating a divine beast is a grave crime.
If the Imperial Concubine were completely cast out, her family, who were practically in a community of fate with her, would also have to prepare for retirement from central politics.
"If there is someone impersonating the divine beast clinging to Her Highness, our family intends to keep a close eye on it."
"......."
"Ah, I'm not saying Her Highness is like that."
Seeing the nobles exchange glances, the Count wore an uncomfortable expression.
'The Ardos family is certainly emboldened by having the divine beast. To think they would openly show their desire to unseat Her Highness.'
Despite creating such a suspicious atmosphere, Ruth tapped the man beside him and asked a strange question.
"Hey, how was it? My way of speaking. Did I sound like a socialite lady?"
"Even giving you the benefit of the doubt, you are absolutely not a lady......."
......Why is he so obsessed with being a lady?
He couldn't fathom what kind of plague had infected him.
The Count rubbed his goosebump-covered arms and left for the Imperial Concubine's palace.
* * *
Ten minutes later, inside the Imperial Concubine's palace.
Imperial Concubine Hervezette glared at the Count with a face full of rage.
"What do you mean? That the Duke Ardos's family is moving to depose me?"
"Yes. They have raised an issue with that note, which is the token of the divine beast, Your Highness."
"They try to block my path at every turn."
"......However, Your Highness. I humbly beg your pardon, but......."
She looked at her hesitating kinsman with a cold gaze.
"Yes, you want to ask if that note is true."
She smiled coldly and, out of habit, placed her hand on the crystal ball she had brought.
A ball that instinctively felt the power of the divine beast.
Earlier, a mystical wind had flowed from that ball, and a small piece of parchment had fallen to the floor.
It was a new revelation from the divine beast.
[The place where you go is where I am,
For the one I choose shall be but one person.]
A small map was drawn on that note.
"The divine beast has chosen me."
With a confident word, the Imperial Concubine stood up.
"Your, Your Highness?"
"I must go out, so you may leave."
She smiled brightly and pulled down her hood.
If she meets the divine beast during this outing.......
The ones who will be ruined for the crime of daring to impersonate the divine beast will be the Ardos family.
Following the map was not very difficult.
After passing through the market where the vulgar resided, she approached a rock where a mystical light shone.
The Imperial Concubine could tell at once that this was a sacred place.
For a blue bird, looking like a spirit beast, was fluttering up above the rock.
Imperial Concubine Hervezette frowned and pulled out the vibrating crystal ball from the inner pocket of her hood.
As if completely dominated by the power of the divine beast, the crystal ball was moving with a fine vibration. It was then. A very suspicious voice reached her ears.
"It's you."
"......What?"
She took a defensive stance and turned around.
A short man with a vague impression, brown hair, and brown eyes was approaching.
Having brought all sorts of defensive gear when leaving the Imperial Palace and possessing a supernatural ability, she could ignore a trivial man.
However, because the crystal ball vibrated as the man drew closer, she could not easily move her feet.
Furthermore.......
"Suspicious one in the hood. Are you not the one chosen by the divine beast?"
......The man's words were far too tempting.
She whispered, testing him.
"Chosen by the divine beast? I am not a person of Ardos."
"Ah, no. That divine beast is a fake."
"......How do you know that divine beast is a fake?"
Unlike the Imperial Concubine, who pulled her hood deeper, the young man, who seemed barely over twenty, answered cheerfully as if he had nothing to fear.
"That's obvious. Because I am serving the 'real' divine beast."
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