Your Majesty, Dinner Is Ready. Chapter 159 - A Lifelong Companion Who Always Stays by Our Side and Looks Only at Us

Chapter 159 – A Lifelong Companion Who Always Stays by Our Side and Looks Only at Us

 

I was sitting at the dining table in our house. Of the four chairs, the remaining three were occupied by Marlin, Abel, and Rachel.

After looking at each member of the household in turn, I spoke solemnly.

“From this moment onward, I hereby commence the First Karr Family Meeting.”

“Yaaay!”

Rachel enthusiastically waved both arms and cheered. As the moderator, I couldn’t have asked for a more exemplary response.

“…”

“…”

On the other hand, the siblings didn’t even clap. They simply sat there with blank expressions.

Even Iquiril merely twitched its nose while quietly resting in Marlin’s arms.

“Aside from Lady Rachel, everyone’s attitude toward this meeting is dreadful. If you don’t pay attention, I’ll give you all a very frightening punishment.”

“…What kind of punishment?”

“Curious?”

Rubbing my hands together, I put on the malicious smile befitting a Cultist.

“I’ll buy pork sold at the market in Cultist Town and make you eat it. Hehehe…”

Just imagining it was enough to send chills down one’s spine. It was a horrifying punishment. Still, small sacrifices were unavoidable to establish a healthy meeting culture. After all, every ideal required a little sacrifice.

Marlin scratched Iquiril’s head while frowning.

“…I’ve been wondering for a while now. What exactly is the pork sold in the Cultist residential district’s market that even you, Karr, refuse to eat?”

“Why are you using my name like it’s the title of some being that dwells at the very bottom of Hell? Marlin, it’s better if you don’t know!”

Rachel suddenly waved both hands frantically, her face stiff.

“Don’t try to find out. Just ignore it as if it were something happening on the faraway Eastern Continent! That’s the right way!”

“…Just what is it?”

“N-No! You mustn’t even imagine it! You shouldn’t even say its name…!”

She had started trembling all over.

I quietly glanced toward Abel. The quick-witted young chef immediately prepared some calming tea.

Gulp, gulp.

After downing the hot tea like water… Rachel calmly spoke as though she’d never caused such a commotion.

“As expected, Abel’s tea is delicious. Shall I bring out some snacks, Mr. Cultist?”

“I’d appreciate that.”

“It’s nothing. Glory to Twisted Truth!”

While Rachel opened the kitchen cupboard… I resumed my role as moderator.

“There may have been a slight disturbance, but thanks to that, everyone now seems to have adopted an attitude befitting meeting participants.”

“I’m more curious about the pork than the meeting…”

“Now then! I’ll announce today’s agenda!”

Using [Illusion], I wrote glowing letters in the air.

[How should we treat AKarr?]

Marlin immediately raised her hand.

“Yes, Marlin?”

“Who is AKarr?”

“This gentleman.”

I pointed toward the monster standing beside the dining table. Snow Karr, wearing the freezing artifact we’d brought back from Odilon’s estate attached to his chest, was kneeling properly on the floor.

“Ice Karr. Shortened to AKarr. Isn’t it a nice name?”

“Not bad.”

AKarr nodded.

“However, I’ve already thought of an even better name.”

“Let’s hear it.”

“Monster Helper Bastard.”

“Shortened to Mon–”

“…No! Don’t shorten it!” (TL.Note: He was about to shorten it into ‘masochist’ in Korean)

Marlin finally shouted.

Rachel, who had just brought the refreshments, swiftly shoved Marlin’s favorite chocolate cookie into her mouth.

Munch, munch.

As Marlin busily chewed… She looked at AKarr.

“Well… he definitely is a strange monster since he copied you. But isn’t he too dangerous? Even now, whenever I remember all those Snow Karrs charging toward us on the snowy mountain… I can’t sleep at night.”

“Isn’t that simply because you stubbornly refused my soft and soothing lullaby?”

“…”

If I teased her any further… She’d undoubtedly perform the dreaded Side-Stabbing Attack again.

So I immediately continued.

“Don’t worry. The Lord AKarr here lost his blind aggression toward intruders the moment he left the snowy mountain.”

“That’s correct.”

Nodding… AKarr raised two fingers and made a V-sign beside his face.

“At present… I’m merely an ordinary monster capable of preserving perhaps half of the original Lord Karr’s cuteness.”

“My apologies. But as this is a sacred family meeting, our pet monster will kindly remain silent from this point onward.”

AKarr let out a quiet chuckle.

Being defeated by one’s enemy… And turned into a pet monster… That truly was one of the highest forms of hardship imaginable.

Had our positions been reversed… I probably would’ve worn a similar smile myself.

“Would you like me to add some insults as well? Please make them particularly severe. I’d appreciate attacks against my very character.”

“That’s a little too adult, considering there are children here.”

“Then please whisper them into my ear.”

“Shall I?”

“…Don’t! Don’t do it!”

Kurururuk!

Marlin and Iquiril both angrily waved their arms.

Beside them… Abel wore an oddly amused smile.

“Having two Patrons… feels like living inside a dream where nothing makes sense.”

“More like a nightmare…”

“Just enjoy it, Sis. Our Patron will probably be considerate of us like always… but he’ll still do whatever he feels like without thinking things through logically.”

“Abel… What exactly am I inside your head?”

[Admiration — Even though he’s still young, Abel possesses remarkable insight!]

Swipe.

I erased the floating text and resumed the meeting.

“Anyway. Let’s each take turns expressing our opinions on how AKarr should be treated. Participant Marlin, you may begin.”

“…Just do whatever you want, Karr.”

A vote of abstention right from the start.

“I share the same opinion.”

“I’m happy with whatever method Mr. Cultist prefers!”

The other two also relinquished their rightful opportunity to choose as members of the family.

Which left… Only me. The organizer and moderator of the family meeting.

“Well then. It seems I have no choice but to decide.”

Standing up from my chair… I bent down until I met AKarr’s gaze.

Eyes of ice quietly looked back at me.

“From today onward… You shall become the Karr Family’s mascot pet monster.”

“I object!”

“I don’t like that either…”

The siblings immediately exercised their right of veto.

Rachel froze for a moment, blinking rapidly. Then she suddenly raised her hand high.

“I-I approve! I’ll be in charge of walking him…!”

“That won’t do. Lord AKarr’s body is made of snow and ice. If he goes outside too often, he’ll melt.”

“…That’s the reason you’re rejecting it?”

“We’ll now proceed with the appointment ceremony.”

I took a document out of my subspace. Application for Registration of a Research Monster. Registering a humanoid monster as a pet required rather complicated procedures.

So, following Lucius’ advice… I’d decided to employ an entirely fair method of circumventing the law.

“Please fill this out yourself.”

“Oh…”

AKarr’s expression brightened considerably.

“…I think I’m finally beginning to understand why he always reacts with ‘Oh.'”

“Not that I wanted to understand…”

Abel chuckled while chewing his cookie.

“Please faithfully fulfill your duties from this day onward.”

“Thank you. As the newest member of the Karr Family… I’ll do my utmost.”

Still kneeling… AKarr waved his hand like a politician during election season.

“From now on… I’ll be solely responsible for all the cuteness and adorable charm in this household.”

“…Couldn’t we just send him to Young Master Odilon’s estate? They’re always short on help there, aren’t they?”

 

At present… The butler, Sergius, and Charlotte, who served as both maid and cook, handled nearly every household chore themselves.

However… There was no longer any need to worry about their overwork.

“Previously, Sir Brownmane, who retained his ego despite being undead, already joined their household. Apparently, the young master wishes to fill the entire estate with undead servants who never tire and never complain, no matter how much work they’re given all year.”

“…I’d like to argue you just made that up… but it really does sound exactly like something the young master would think.”

Marlin clearly wasn’t pleased.

As a Patron who always tried to respect his patronized child’s opinions as much as possible… I couldn’t simply ignore her concerns.

“It seems the terminology itself is what’s bothering you. Lord AKarr can be described as a lifelong companion who will follow us under any circumstances… always remain by our side… and look only at us.”

“Patron… Isn’t that literally the definition of a pet?”

“It’s different. You don’t have to feed him.”

“I still don’t like it…!”

I grabbed Marlin’s head, stopping her from shaking it so violently.

“Calm down and listen. Marlin. This is for your sake.”

“How exactly?”

“Have you forgotten what kind of artifact Gléléré of Frost is?”

“…Ah?”

The masterpiece of the Glacial Battle Emperor race… Gléléré of Frost.

Besides creating weapons in any form, its wearer desired… It also possessed the absurd ability to borrow the powers of soul-bound Frozen Comrades.

A Frozen Comrade could only be a sacred beast or spirit associated with snow or ice. And… AKarr also happened to be a being made of snow and ice.

“Here’s my plan.”

I patted the top of AKarr’s head as he knelt there.

“We’ll help Lord AKarr become a sacred beast. Then we’ll make him your Frozen Comrade through Gléléré of Frost. Just like Iquiril.”

Kuruk!

Iquiril cried proudly.

“…Is that really possible?”

“Iquiril was originally just a monster too. It became a sacred beast after gaining spirituality. Since Lord AKarr is also a monster… there’s no reason he can’t do the same.”

Of course, it was possible. That was precisely why I’d gone through the trouble of bringing him back to reality.

“…Wait.”

Rachel suddenly frowned, having realized something.

“Don’t tell me… if AKarr becomes a Frozen Comrade… Marlin will be able to use your Mysteries, Mr. Cultist?”

“Correct. She’ll freely be able to use the Mysteries that Lord AKarr copied from me. Though she can only borrow one at a time.”

It certainly wasn’t a coincidence… That the Glacial Battle Emperor race had created the Snow Replica, a monster perfectly suited for maximizing Gléléré of Frost’s abilities.

“…My goodness.”

The maid-agent stared with wide eyes before placing a hand on Marlin’s back.

“I never realized quite how much Mr. Cultist treasured you. This is why he went through all the trouble of capturing that Monster Helper Bastard alive and bringing him home.”

“…”

Marlin activated Gléléré of Frost upon her hands. Then she simply stared blankly at it. The gloves looked magnificent. Like a work of art.

“…It’s an even more incredible artifact than I thought.”

“That’s exactly what I told you. It’s the best item in Southern Continent Expedition.”

The Extreme Frost Series was blatantly overpowered equipment. Unlike the Ego Series, which was already excellent on its own… It required troublesome preparation beforehand.

But any proper explorer had to accept that much.

“Still… Becoming a sacred beast doesn’t sound easy.”

“You’re right.”

There were three ways for a monster or animal to obtain spirituality.

“First. It happens purely by chance after getting caught in a strange flow of mana.”

“That method doesn’t seem very practical.”

“Exactly. Lord Talendros never grants good fortune to lazy people who simply sit around hoping luck will come rolling toward them.”

Kururuk!

The snow squirrel nodded as if agreeing wholeheartedly.

“Then what’s the second way?”

“Performing a special shamanic ritual.”

“That’s great! Then we can just ask Lady Veldora!”

“Only shamans of at least Level Nine can perform it.”

“Hmm…”

Only one method remained.

“Third. Receive a Mystery bestowed by a Heavenly Divinity.”

I gently rubbed my chest.

“If only a divinity more noble than anyone else were to graciously extend a helping hand at a time like this…”

Saaaaa!

No sooner had the words left my mouth… Than AKarr’s chest, made of snow and ice, suddenly shone brightly. A gray shield-shaped tattoo appeared upon it.

Modern-day Artein had bestowed a Mystery.

“…”

Keeping my hand over my chest… I offered a heartfelt prayer.

“Thank you for the Mystery’s blessing, Lady Artein!”