I’m the Future Crazy Male Lead’s Mother – Chapter 54

Author: isuzuuy

While I was deeply contemplating the meaning of my existence, Leticia casually spoke up.

“You all know that, just like you, I also have a duty to protect this continent.”

“…Of course.”

“Yes.”

Dazar and Morocanil, who had still been looking at each other with expressions of displeasure, relaxed their faces.

Leticia glanced at me slightly.

She didn’t intend to reveal that she was the Emperor, but since she had brought me here in the first place, she seemed to be explaining why she had arranged this meeting.

Seeing that I showed no particular reaction, she looked relieved and continued.

“And we aren’t the only ones protecting the continent.”

“Well, that’s true.”

Dazar answered with a slight twist of his lips.

He didn’t seem to have particularly good feelings toward the others Leticia was referring to.

Naturally, I remembered how Dazar had spoken rather poorly of the temple that day.

Is she talking about the temple?

As I wondered about that, Leticia slightly lifted the cloth covering her face and took a sip of tea.

The strong jawline of a woman was briefly revealed beneath the cloth before disappearing again. Her lips, which were glimpsed for an instant, were an intense red, giving her an oddly androgynous air.

Come to think of it, I’ve never even seen a portrait of the Emperor…

Thanks to Cilia having lived so far removed from the secular world, I had never known what Leticia’s real face looked like.

I guess there’s not much point in covering herself so thoroughly with that cloth. Sorry, but…

Her face was hidden behind a yellow cloth, but what difference did that make? Even if she showed it openly, I wouldn’t recognize her face anyway.

I scratched my head to myself before quietly lowering my hand as the atmosphere gradually grew more serious.

“I assigned different tasks to each of you. Morocanil is currently pursuing the ‘Followers of Ruben,’ correct?”

“Hmm. Well, I expected as much.”

Dazar traced the rim of the teacup in front of him with his index finger. He didn’t look particularly interested even after hearing about Morocanil’s assignment.

“Considering that guy’s ability, it makes sense.”

“Yes. And recently, we’ve managed to catch their trail.”

“Oh-ho.”

Morocanil’s ability.

I wondered what it could be, but then three pairs of eyes gradually became more focused, and I instinctively held my breath.

“Apparently, incidents of people spreading a strange religion in the slums of the capital have increased recently. We don’t know what they’re planning, but it’s their doing.”

“……”

Dazar frowned.

“The slums of the capital?”

“Yes.”

For some reason, Dazar’s eyes briefly landed on me before moving away.

Just then, Morocanil spoke.

“According to our investigation, they mark their targets and continuously pursue them until they join their religion. Most of the targets have been women, and those women have something in common.”

“Something in common?”

“They all had bright platinum-blonde hair. You know that it’s not a common color, don’t you?”

“…Bright platinum-blonde hair?”

The golden eyes that had briefly moved away suddenly snapped back toward me.

“Lady Evanroar here has a similar hair color. That’s why she was targeted once in the slums.”

“What?”

Dazar’s eyes widened before one eyebrow lifted.

His eyes trembled slightly.

“Why didn’t you tell me that?”

Is he asking me?

I looked back and forth between Morocanil and Dazar before reluctantly opening my mouth.

“Well, because it wasn’t particularly important?”

Actually, I’d also missed the timing to bring it up.

“…You, seriously.”

“Why? What?”

“Hah. Never mind. Never mind.”

Dazar looked like he was revving himself up to lecture me, but then he let out a deep sigh.

Then he asked Morocanil,

“Do you know why they’re targeting platinum-blonde women?”

“We haven’t figured that out yet…”

“They’re very good at cutting off their tails. We couldn’t obtain that information, but we found something else.”

Leticia took some documents from inside her clothing.

The documents had been rolled up, but when she casually pushed them open, they naturally flattened into a straight sheet as if they had never been rolled at all.

As though some kind of magic had been placed on them.

“It seems they’re planning to cause some trouble at the ‘Hall of Rest’ this time.”

“…At the Hall of Rest?”

“Yes. They certainly aren’t afraid of anything.”

The Hall of Rest.

It was the day before the beginning of the ‘Period of Rest,’ when the Emperor gathered the nobles and opened a social gathering.

Rather than simply being a day to enjoy a ball, it was also an occasion for reciting poetry, showing off academic knowledge, and announcing each family’s major news of the year.

In other words, something like a year-end party…?

Though calling it a year-end party was a bit of an understatement considering its enormous scale.

Anyway, it seemed that the ‘Followers of Ruben’ were planning to cause some kind of incident there.

Leticia, Morocanil, and Dazar put their heads together for a while and came up with a plan for that day.

By the time all the tea in the teacups had gone cold, their planning was finished.

“Ah! Goodness. We’ve taken too long. I originally wanted to finish the discussion quickly so I could play with Cilia.”

Leticia took a watch from her clothing and checked the time, then exclaimed in surprise, sounding disappointed.

“Let’s quickly have Dazar share what he’s been working on and then end this discussion. That’s also the reason Cilia came here with us today.”

Leticia cleared her throat apologetically and continued, looking at me, who had been waiting all this time.

A look of curiosity appeared in Morocanil’s eyes.

Apparently, the Transcendents didn’t know that Dazar and I were developing a new food source.

Eishu and Kora, whom I met at the temple that time, didn’t seem to know either. They showed no particular reaction even when I introduced myself.

Then does that mean only Prime Minister Cedric, Emperor Leticia, and Dazar know?

Ah. Elston knows too.

Then the Saintess must know as well.

It seemed that the Transcendents had less interaction with one another than I had thought, and didn’t share information about each other’s work.

Well, considering how badly Morocanil and Dazar got along, I could understand it to some extent.

“Cilia is currently working with Dazar to develop a new food source that the people of the empire can eat.”

“……!”

Morocanil’s eyes widened.

He looked at me once, then at Leticia, before slowly stroking his chin.

“That’s impressive. If the other nobles learned about this, they’d all be surprised.”

They would be surprised, all right.

That lazy young lady is finally putting her abilities to use.

But it wasn’t exactly a reaction I was happy about.

“Of course, I assume it’s confidential.”

“Morocanil, as you know, the phenomenon of Miar’s growth stopping continues to spread. Cilia is working to develop it as quickly as possible.”

Leticia slightly straightened her shoulders as though she were proud that I was her friend.

Thanks to that, I felt a little embarrassed despite having done almost nothing.

“A new food source. I’m curious. May I come and see what it is?”

Morocanil quickly asked, his eyes round with interest.

“Uh, well…”

I had just opened my mouth to give him permission when—

“Why would you come? No.”

“Excuse me…?”

Dazar cut me off and subtly leaned his shoulder between Morocanil and me, as if physically blocking him from getting any closer.

Because his shoulder was pushed forward while he rested his chin on his hand, only half of Morocanil’s face was visible.

What is he trying to do?

“She’s staying at my estate right now. I won’t allow your visit, so don’t even think about coming.”

“…She’s staying at the Siaster ducal estate with you?”

Morocanil asked, narrowing his eyes slightly. Judging by his expression, he seemed to be asking me.

I gave an awkward laugh and nodded.

What? Why does this feel like I’m making excuses?

“It was more effective for developing the food source that way.”

“……”

Morocanil seemed about to say something with a complicated expression, but slowly closed his mouth. Apparently, he had decided that it wasn’t his place to interfere.

At the same time, he wore an expression that seemed to say even he didn’t understand why his face had become so complicated, and he brushed back a strand of hair that had fallen loose.

He looked quite like an angel.

…And the one beside me looks like a demon.

In both appearance and personality.

My second meeting with the two of them, who were such complete opposites, ended like this.

“Then shall we play? Leticia?”

“Gladly!”

Instead, Leticia and I began an endless session of chatting.

As I listened to her tell me how Sir Hael had seen a frog in the garden yesterday and nearly fallen backward in surprise, I suddenly thought of something.

The Followers of Ruben are planning to cause trouble at the upcoming Hall of Rest, right?

If I go there, will I be able to meet them?

***

“Thank you for bringing me here, Morocanil.”

“It was only natural, Your Majesty.”

Scarlett looked at the small opening in front of her and glanced around. Thanks to Morocanil’s ability, no one could perceive her, but she still felt more at ease doing this.

“Please be careful on your way inside.”

“I know. I just hope Sir Hael hasn’t noticed yet.”

“……”

Morocanil looked at the Emperor, who had abandoned her escort knight and was wandering around so freely, with a slightly troubled expression before turning his head away.

There was probably nothing she could do about it.

No matter how much of a guard he was, she couldn’t trust him completely.

“Ah. Come to think of it, by any chance… Did Dazar happen to tell you that Ruben had appeared?”

“Ruben?”

At the sudden change of subject, Morocanil slowly blinked.

Scarlett lowered her eyes slightly and spoke in a quiet voice.

“You know perfectly well, even without me telling you, that one of his abilities is detecting Ruben. The Followers of Ruben have begun to move, yet it’s strange that Ruben himself hasn’t appeared.”

“…The Followers of Ruben may simply be preparing in advance. Preparing the world in which Ruben will make his mark before he is even born. Or Ruben may have already been born but simply hasn’t been discovered by Dazar yet. Ruben knows instinctively how to hide himself.”

“Like the Ruben you encountered in your previous life?”

At Scarlett’s question, Morocanil remained silent for a moment before answering.

“…Yes.”

“I see. That could be the case. You said that Ruben was discovered late in the previous world as well. Even if you can sense him, it can’t be perfect. Perhaps I was expecting too much.”

“No. The Siaster family is special, so it’s only natural that you would have such expectations.”

Scarlett slowly nodded as if she understood, then suddenly raised her hand.

“I’ve kept a busy man for too long. Then, farewell, Morocanil.”

“Not at all.”

Morocanil watched silently as she crawled through the small opening before eventually turning around.

After briefly discussing the previous world with the Emperor, he suddenly remembered the order he had placed.

“I wonder if my order has been completed by now.”

It should be around the time the stone he had ordered, infused with his power, was finished again.

Morocanil changed direction from where he had been heading toward his estate and made his way into an alley in the capital.

To retrieve the stone he had ordered.

“Hello.”

And not long after entering the shop, he immediately bolted back out.