Volume 5 Chapter 201, The Middle Siblings’ Assessment and Past Stories_7

Translator: Nonon

Proofreader: Silavin

 

POV: Violet

 

Apparently it happened suddenly.

Lord Clo heard that a group which engaged in illegal slave trade had appeared, and they were mainly trading elves.

Due to the matter with Gray and Canary, he became curious and tried to look up the information, but it turned out to be difficult because he was still not used to life as a Territory Lord and he was concerned for Gray’s mental wellness as the latter still held fear towards the idea of slaves.

However, it turned out that this group, which was illegally buying and selling slaves, set up a shop near Shiki and had come to Shiki with several slaves to sell. Apparently, the two previous Lords bought slaves even though it was illegal, so they thought that Lord Clo would do the same if he was the kind of a person to cause problems.

Although they were still slaves, there were still ways to legally purchase criminal slaves, so unless Lord Clo stopped the source of slave trade, they would still end up with a way out, making him unsure of what to do.

However, when he pretended to be interested in buying, the person who came to sell slaves told him about how they were gathering slaves illegally, and how they had somebody with Canary’s mannerisms.

Lord Clo threatened that slave seller, worked together with Cyan, who was not on good terms with him back then, to go to their base and showed a spectacularly magnificent display of skill.

Using his strength, Lord Clo physically sent his opponents flying without magic.

Cyan’s fist took down the guarding orcs with one hit.

Lord Clo’s kick broke the iron bars holding the slaves.

Cyan’s grip strength (+exorcism magic) broke the slaves’ collars.

Just when it seemed like everything was going well, the evil boss appeared out of nowhere, grew gigantic and put the group in danger, but Lord Clo and Cyan combined their powers together and doubled their strength. They successfully drove off the attacker, the illegal slave trade group (also known as the Hatchake Paradise) was arrested, and the friendship between Lord Clo and Cyan deepened.

The slaves all had their crests removed and returned home, while Lord Clo had a sentimental reunion with Canary.

 

“—That’s the story of how my Senior, Lady Canary, came to Shiki.”

“Gray, which part am I supposed to point out as strange…?”

“? Did I say anything strange, Lord Gen?”

“No, I guess you’re not the type to lie…’

 

That was Gray’s story.

I did know that Lord Clo and Cyan didn’t get along well back then, but I didn’t know that their friendship bloomed after overcoming the same perils. It’s quite touching.

However, because Canary left without saying anything and had also lost her self-confidence, she had closed herself off like Gray in the beginning and it took some time for them to recover their old relationship and heal her mental state. Gray added that this was probably the reason why Lord Clo had no opportunity to tell this to Lord Gen and Lady Sumi.

And the current Canary had apparently been working at the mansion with Gray for a while, but she started cultivating mushrooms because she loved them, and after many things (mushrooms) happened, she left the mansion and opened a store. She’s now even able to cultivate rare mushrooms on her own and is making a living as the up-and-coming mushroom grower (according to Canary).

Her passion for mushrooms is incredible and she gets so absorbed in creating new species that she gets scolded by Lord Clo, who worries that she might be high on something when she starts hysterically laughing. Canary often grows mushrooms on her body.

And when she finds safe and delicious mushrooms, she actively shares them with us, but then she trips and drops more than half of them.

Sometimes she sets out on a journey to look for mushrooms, but she usually comes across some kind of a problem and comes back in a few days. According to Canary, ‘the forest is whispering to me to go back home.’ It’s probably an auditory hallucination though.

 

“— That’s the current Canary.”

“Miss Violet, which part am I supposed to accept as the truth?”

“Everything I said is true, Lady Sumi.”

 

She’s also friends with the black magician (Orchid) who also cultivates mushrooms, and is apparently also rivals.

She also got permission to grow poisonous mushrooms, so she’s on good terms with the poison enthusiast (Emerald), but if she lets her guard down even a little, Emerald tries to get a taste of poisonous mushrooms, which can be a hassle.

 

“However, I see. So Clo was able to meet Canary.”

“Would you like to meet her after this?”

“… Yes. I’m a little hesitant, but it could be nice to meet her.”

 

Hesitant? I wonder if it’s because Canary was dismissed due to them reporting her relationship with Lord Clo to their Father. I don’t think Canary is the kind of a person to care about that, but this is an issue between the involved parties. I’m sure Lord Gen and Lady Sumi, who are on good terms now, have their own thoughts about it

 

“We’ve gotten off topic. Canary’s matter is good, but we were talking about Clo’s incident.”

 

Oh, I completely forgot that we were in the middle of that conversation.

Let’s leave Canary’s matter for later. While I’m at it, I’ll also bring snacks she likes and ask her more about Lord Clo’s childhood.

 

“Miss Violet, Clo tends to be unstable.”

 

In terms of emotional state, Lord Clo is unstable and tossed around every day.

 

“Excuse me for being rude again, but please, could you please tell me what do you think of Clo, who caused the incident?”

 

This question was like the extension of the observing looks from earlier, and it was probably what Lord Gen and Lady Sumi wanted to know the most. Not what I think right now, but rather what I thought. How I as Violet thought of the incident

 

“— As a result of acting impulsively in the past, I came to Shiki after being practically disowned, and ended up marrying Lord Clo as a natural consequence.”

“Yes.”

 

I stopped speaking politely and answered with my usual tone. My in-laws listened to me without any particular confusion about it.

 

“I don’t intend to deny the incident. I love the current Lord Clo and no matter what he did in the past, this feeling will not change.”

 

This isn’t because we both have a bad past and are codependently licking each other’s wounds.

 

“But that doesn’t mean I can just ignore the past. Even if Lord Clo had a reason deserving of empathy, he probably wouldn’t want us to just accept that he acted without thinking about the consequences.”

 

Just like how he said that I’d ‘done something stupid’ regarding my duel with His Highness’ group and didn’t only look at the good parts, ignoring everything bad.

 

“There might have been a better way to do it. But I can’t judge whether it was right or wrong. After all, I’m not the involved party. However…”

Just like how instead of denying everything, he told me that who I am right now is because of who I was in the past, and that he loved the current me. He cherished the present and the future.

 

“If Lord Clo is troubled by that fact, I would like to support him. That’s all I think.”

 

So, what I think when I hear about the incident that Lord Clo caused, is that I want to support him, if he’s troubled by it like I was once.

If he’s feeling mentally weak, I want to be kind to him; if he’s feeling down, I want to make him feel better; if he thinks he was wrong, I want to scold him and correct him.

Just as I swore on the golden ring on my ring finger, I want to stay by his side as a family and I want us to support each other. That feeling has remained unchanged.

 

“… I’m a little jealous.”

 

When I finished speaking, the serious expression of Lady Sumi, who had been staying silent, changed into a gentle smile.

Lord Gen also smiled the same way. Looking at them side by side, smiling the same way, their expressions somehow made me feel like they are really Lord Clo’s Siblings.

 

“You might not be blood related, but you two seem to be bound by a stronger trusting relationship. You’ve known each other for less time than us, but I understand that you cherish Clo.”

 

Lord Gen and Lady Sumi turned towards me once again and…

 

“This is not our place to say anything, but please take care of Clo… take care of our Younger Brother.”

“I hope you build a happy Family with Clo. We will leave him in your hands “

 

They made a heartfelt request to me.

 

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Author’s note:

Canary Heartfield (she’s only using the name for the sake of protection)

Canary colored hair and canary colored eyes.

Former slave, former maid and current Shiki resident.

A pure elf who likes cultivating mushrooms. She looks to be in her 20s. She doesn’t remember her age.

She doesn’t get excited by the mushrooms like the other pervert, but occasionally she gets into laughing bouts. She’s not getting high on anything suspicious.

Since she also grows poisonous mushrooms (with permission), she also gets along with Emerald.

She’s Orchid’s mushroom-growing friend.

She has mutually affectionate feelings for Clo, but nothing romantic.