Your Majesty, Dinner Is Ready. – Chapter 217 – You’re Twice as Cute, You Know

Author: Cireng

Chapter 217: You’re Twice as Cute, You Know

This was confusing.

As a cultist of Catastrophic Upheaval, I had always been the one throwing other people’s minds into chaos.

Yet now, for the first time, I was the one embracing confusion.

[The way you feel right now is exactly how everyone else feels whenever you act cute and throw little tantrums!]

No way. Being cute alone wasn’t enough?

“Godfather…?”

“Ask.”

Blackbeak absentmindedly inhaled a puff of smoke.

“Ask everything.”

His gaze remained fixed on the fox beastman striking one adorable pose after another.

Since I’d been permitted before I even asked, I immediately began questioning him.

“When did they appear?”

“Last night. They suddenly showed up in my bedroom.”

“You must have been startled.”

“I was so shocked I only managed to sleep for ten hours….”

[How many hours does it take before you consider yourself well-rested??]

“A labyrinth ghost reviving in reality through a resurrection Mystery… that can’t be a common occurrence, can it?”

“How should I know?”

“Has a historical figure ever emerged from a labyrinth before?”

“No.”

“It doesn’t seem like you’ve personally examined every historical record in existence, Godfather.”

“True.”

Blackbeak admitted it without hesitation.

“Actually… I don’t really know that either.”

“Sigh.”

So this was why Marlin and Astrimia always sighed whenever I spoke.

As expected, putting yourself in someone else’s shoes was an outstanding mental therapy for improving interpersonal relationships.

“You told me to ask anything, yet you don’t seem to know much of anything.”

“Shh.”

Blackbeak lightly tapped his lips with the stem of his pipe.

Being an obedient disciple, I quietly closed my mouth and looked toward Neuamshi.

“What exactly happened?”

Unable to suppress my curiosity any longer… just like Marlin… I asked the person involved directly.

This was new content for me as well.

“Is there really any need to explain every little detail?”

Flap. Flap.

Half-reclining, Neuamshi gently fanned himself with his folding fan while smiling.

“As someone who worships Okail and pursues the ultimate form of chaos, do you really need to concern yourself with logical, reasonable explanations?”

“!!”

It seemed I still hadn’t completely abandoned rational thought.

If I truly wished to embrace chaos, I had to do as I always did… entrust both body and soul solely to emotion and spontaneity.

“Ah, wait.”

Neuamshi suddenly frowned.

“This pose isn’t very adorable.”

The fox beastman with violet eyes rolled over onto his stomach and began idly kicking both feet.

Although his changed appearance was admittedly surprising, a labyrinth ghost escaping into reality wasn’t actually all that shocking.

After all, the Nameless Demon King himself had escaped from the [Library of Sin] into the real world.

“So?”

Neuamshi tilted his head.

“What do you think of how I look now?”

“Aaaaah! You’re unbelievably, incredibly adorable!”

Having regained my composure, I gladly threw myself into chaos as a cultist of Catastrophic Upheaval.

“Swaaash♪”

Making my own sound effect, I activated [Transformation].

Aside from the eye color, I became completely identical to the beastman before me.

“How about now?”

I proudly spread my arms.

“Now there’s twice the cuteness!”

“It’s like looking at an adorable pair of twins!”

“Shall we strike poses together?”

Even while transformed, the aftereffects of the self-sacrifice ritual still remained, so I crawled over on all fours and sat beside Neuamshi.

Then, pressing our faces together, I made fox ears with my hands.

“Godfather, what do you think? Aren’t we cute?”

“…Ugh.”

Blinking slowly, Blackbeak looked up toward the ceiling and devoted himself to smoking.

[Could you please ask in detail exactly how all of this happened???]

“Would you at least be willing to tell me a fragment of the truth?”

“No.”

Neuamshi shrugged.

“To be honest, I don’t know the details myself.”

[:( The Wise One beats his chest in frustration!]

“And I have absolutely no intention of digging out the truth.”

His smile widened.

“Why?”

“Because a situation where no one can possibly know the correct answer…”

He spread his arms dramatically.

“…is the very pinnacle of chaos!”

“!”

My ears perked straight up, and I clenched both fists.

It felt as though an entirely new… a seventh sense… had awakened within me.

Perhaps it was more accurate to say that I’d awakened a sense for embracing chaos.

“I’m still far from reaching that level.”

I lowered my head.

“I’ll have to work much harder. If I’m to serve the Confusing One more deeply.”

I wasn’t the only cultist of Okail. There were nearly a thousand believers.

If I wished to become the cultist most beloved by the Guide of Catastrophic Upheaval, I’d have to embrace an even purer form of chaos than I did now.

“That’s a good mindset.”

Neuamshi nodded.

“But never become impatient.”

“Would you be willing to guide me?”

I needed a guide. Someone who could lead me toward even greater confusion and disorder.

“What a meaningless request.”

Neuamshi briefly revealed his fangs with a chuckle.

His violet eyes shimmered mysteriously.

“Half-elf.”

He smiled.

“That’s precisely why I came to meet you.”

“…Thank you!”

“There’s no need to thank me.”

He lightly tapped my shoulder with his closed folding fan.

“I’m merely repaying the one who guided me onto a different path of fate.”

The great shaman smiled faintly.

“From now on, I intend to serve as an advisor to the Interracial Association. Should you ever require overwhelming chaos, contact me through the Chairman.”

His eyes narrowed.

“I’ll create the kind of confusion that would earn Okail’s applause.”

[Fear—You’re already the incarnation of chaos! Just how much more chaotic are you planning to become?!]

I bowed deeply.

“Thank you very much.”

Clank. Clank. Clank!

Both Lord Okail and I had gained a chaos advisor whom we couldn’t help but welcome.

***

Over the past several days, our expedition spent its time sightseeing throughout District Five.

Before we knew it, the five days Miruel had promised had passed.

“Miruel!”

“…No way–Pendrick?”

The white-haired elf, who had come to our inn, stared in surprise upon seeing his old friend, the genius swordsman.

“How are you here? I’d heard there was a swordsman named Pendrick making a name for himself, but this is District Five.”

“I used the disguise tool Captain got for me! I’m actually the gray orc from the Moonlight Expedition!”

“I see!”

Miruel happily celebrated their reunion for quite some time, then suddenly remembered why he’d come and approached me.

“Lord Karr.”

He smiled.

“It’s finished. Would you please offer me your wonderfully fragrant foot?”

“Here you are.”

Sitting on the wooden floor, I stretched out my right foot.

“Excuse me for a moment….”

The instant Miruel grasped it, he instinctively buried his nose against it and inhaled deeply.

Tap!

Pendrick smacked his friend’s shoulder.

“You still haven’t broken that habit?”

“Habit?”

Miruel looked offended.

“Fragrance is art for the nose. It’s a blessing.”

Holding the sole of my foot close to his face, the white-haired elf slowly took out what he’d prepared.

A paper-thin shoe carved from wood.

[Artifact — Ever-Growing Tree]

[Once worn, it assimilates with the leg and naturally replaces any missing portions. It is also capable of simple communication.]

“Its fatal flaw is that wearing it will hide the delightful fragrance of your feet.”

Miruel lovingly stroked my foot as he continued,

“However, you’ll be able to walk steadily. And just as you requested, if you offer another portion of your right leg to the Evil God in the future…”

He smiled.

“It will continue growing on its own to replace whatever has been lost.”

“…Then there aren’t any disadvantages at all. It’s nothing but benefits.”

At Marlin’s muttering, Miruel’s expression instantly stiffened.

His eyes widened.

“How dare you!”

He glared.

“A beastman who reeks of nothing but foul odors dares to speak?!”

“…Eek!”

Startled, Marlin hurried behind my back.

Pendrick shook his head helplessly before grabbing his friend’s shoulders.

“You’re still like this….”

He sighed.

“Marlin, I’m sorry. Let me apologize on his behalf.”

“…It’s alright.”

“Don’t say it’s alright.”

Miruel snorted.

“If you’re a beastman, bathe four times a day!”

Watching him grumble, I put on the Ever-Growing Tree.

Shrrk.

The wooden shoe merged into my foot.

Then, one after another, my missing toes sprouted back.

Pop. Pop. Pop.

I carefully took a few steps. There was no pain whatsoever, and I could walk naturally again.

“How is it, Lord Karr?”

“It’s wonderful.”

“That’s a relief.”

Smiling gently, Miruel bowed gracefully.

Pendrick, who had been physically blocking his friend from looking toward Marlin, turned to me.

“Captain, are you heading back now?”

“I’d like to stay behind and have a few drinks with Miruel.”

“I-I’d like to talk with Slyphren for a while too….”

“Then all of you are free until tonight.”

I smiled.

“Marlin and I have somewhere we need to go as well.”

“Me?”

Still hiding behind me, Marlin’s ears perked up.

“Yes.”

I nodded.

“Come with me.”

Taking Marlin along, I left the Interracial Association headquarters.

The place we arrived at… was the bustling district deep underground. Specifically, a facility located at its center.

“Waaaaah!!”

“Knock him down!”

The moment we entered, deafening cheers erupted.

Heat washed over us.

“Where are we?”

“An underground arena.”

I looked around.

“It’s a perfectly legal facility with comprehensive safety measures.”

“…Why did you bring me here?”

“Just wait a little.”

We took our seats and watched the matches together.

Perhaps because she was a tiger beastman full of fighting spirit, Marlin… who hadn’t seemed especially interested at first… began wagging her tail harder and harder as each match progressed.

I bought her a skewer of cultured meat. She happily devoured it while keeping her eyes glued to the fighters.

“Karr! This place is amazing!!”

“I’m glad you’re enjoying it.”

Eventually, only the final match remained.

“Today’s main event!”

The announcer’s voice boomed.

“The championship title defense!”

The crowd erupted into even louder cheers.

Marlin’s tail wagged furiously as she stared into the arena.

“Contestants, enter!”

The champion and challenger stepped into the ring.

The challenger… a fearsome swamp troll, and the champion was Melsion, the Thirsting Axe.

The powerful tiger beastman knight who had participated in the Interracial Grand Harmony Tournament as a member of Jerix’s Invincible Expedition.

“Marlin.”

“……”

Before I could continue, Marlin was already silently staring at the tiger beastman champion.

“Begin!”

The battle between Melsion and the swamp troll commenced.

It quickly became the most exciting match of the day… an incredibly close duel that had everyone gripping their seats.

Yet instead of enjoying it, Marlin’s expression gradually stiffened.

“…Karr.”

Just as Melsion began gaining the upper hand, Marlin quietly spoke.

“I understand now.”

A bitter smile appeared on her face.

“I understand why you brought me here.”

She continued watching Melsion.

“He really resembles Abel and me.”

“Marlin.”

“…Yes.”

“Do you want to know why you and Abel were left behind in District Six?”

Silence lingered between us once again.

Only after Melsion defeated the swamp troll and triumphantly raised both arms… did she answer.

“I don’t need to know.”

Smiling, Marlin gently tugged at my sleeve.

“Because you, Karr…”

Her voice was soft.

“…are the only guardian Abel, and I have in this world.”

“…I see.”

If that was what she wished, then I had no intention of telling her the reason.

“Let’s go.”

“Alright.”

I smiled.

“Let’s head back and eat Lady Charlotte’s cooking.”

“Seriously, I missed Lady Charlotte’s food so much starting yesterday!”

Thus, the Moon Expedition’s stay in District Five came to an end.

“We’re home!”

Back at Odilon’s mansion.

While Bartimir… who had returned alongside the others from the tournament… shouted excitedly and dashed upstairs toward the guest rooms, Pendrick tilted his head.

“That’s strange.”

“Normally the butler would’ve been waiting outside to greet us.”

“You’re right.”

Even aboard the Pletica circular train back to District Six, I’d tried reporting our return using [Connecting Fragment]… yet the Young Master never responded.

“……”

I was about to head upstairs to his room when Rosalia raised an arm to stop me.

“Big Sis?”

“Why?”

The taciturn assassin silently pointed toward the dining hall.

“Ah. Is he over there?”

“……”

For some reason, Rosalia hesitated… then suddenly slipped back into my shadow.

Seeing how urgent she seemed, Marlin frowned.

“Something definitely happened…!”

“It certainly seems that way.”

We headed toward the dining room Rosalia had indicated.

Before long, we found Odilon. Rather than entering, he was crouching outside near the entrance.

“Young Master.”

I smiled brightly.

“You missed me very much, didn’t you? I’m back.”

“…Cultist Karr.”

Odilon slowly raised his head from where he’d been staring at the floor.

Dark circles stained the skin beneath his eyes. His complexion was unusually pale.

His face was never particularly healthy because of his many chronic illnesses, but today he looked even worse.

“Are you feeling unwell? Ah, right. You’re always unwell.”

“…I have one favor to ask.”

“You can ask five thousand if you’d like.”

“Phew….”

Odilon let out a deep sigh.

Then he glanced into the dining room.

I cautiously peeked inside as well.

“Charlotteeeee!!”

In the middle of the completely devastated dining hall… someone lay sprawled across the floor, shouting at the top of their lungs.

[Michelle Brites, the Hopeless Brat (Human, 43 years old). Odilon’s mother and the second wife of the head of House Brites. A deeply problematic woman who never matured no matter how old she became.]

Michelle Brites. Ranked 11th among the Twelve Heroes… a thief.

It seemed the living proof that skill and character did not necessarily go hand in hand… had finally returned home.

“Bring me more alcohol right nooow!!”

“Please wait a little.”

Charlotte replied calmly, completely sober.

“…Did you just talk back to me?”

Crash!

A dish flew toward Charlotte and shattered.

Without showing the slightest reaction, the maid simply began cleaning up the broken pieces scattered across the floor.

“Cultist Karr.”

For the first time, Odilon looked at me with desperate eyes.

“Please…”