Now This Family Belongs to My Mother Chapter 88

“W-What is that? Did a horse just burst out through the opera stage?”

 

“But look at that horn on its head… Don’t tell me that’s the Unicorn?”

 

“T-The Unicorn?”

 

The Unicorn looked around as if searching for someone.

 

Is it looking for the emperor?

 

Its breathing was rough and labored. Its hooves stomped anxiously on the ground. There was only one being that the Unicorn would be this frantic to search for. The one it cherished above all else: its master, Emperor Ignasio.

 

But why would it suddenly be looking for the emperor?

 

The Unicorn, which always stayed in the Divine Beast Garden, had come charging over in such agitation. That wasn’t the only strange thing. The emperor, who had been here just moments ago, had conveniently stepped away.

 

This situation feels way too coincidental.

 

The emperor who disappeared for some reason. And the Unicorn arrived in search of him.

 

Because of the emperor’s lingering scent or traces left here, the Unicorn might get confused while looking for him. And if, in its agitated state, it failed to find the emperor, then the Unicorn would probably…

 

Just as an ominous feeling began to creep over me, the Unicorn let out a shriek I had never heard before and charged into the audience seats.

 

“Uaaaah!”

 

“Kyaa!”

 

People screamed and scattered in all directions, bumping into each other as they tried to flee. The outer palace garden turned into complete chaos.

 

Thud! The unicorn landed in the middle of the now-ruined garden. Amid the growing screams, someone grabbed my shoulder as if to shield me.

 

“Get out of here, quickly!”

 

It was Ludwig.

 

“With the Unicorn in that state, it’s dangerous. You need to run right now.”

 

“Your Highness, you should get to safety as well.”

 

“As the crown prince, I have to stay here. Someone has to calm the Unicorn.” Ludwig spoke firmly. The serious expression on his face was so different from his usual laid-back demeanor, where he would smile leisurely like a carefree noble. It was as if he was filled with a sense of responsibility, determined to protect his people.

 

He looked like a proper crown prince.

 

“Go, Lady.” Ludwig urged me, snapping me out of my daze.

 

At that moment, Hubert suddenly grabbed my hand. Your Highness, I will take care of my granddaughter. Please, you must get to safety as well. Come on, Epirosa, let’s go,” he said.

 

I pulled my hand out of his grasp. “I’ll stay too.”

 

“What?”

 

“What are you saying, Lady?”

 

Hubert and Ludwig were both shocked at the same time.

 

“Ppinix might be able to help calm the Unicorn.”

 

At my words, Ludwig’s gaze changed. The worry that had filled his eyes was now mixed with curiosity. But the situation was too urgent for him to ask me anything as he usually would.

 

Hubert stepped in. “If it’s about calming the Unicorn, it should be me, the master of Phoenix, who handles it. You need to get to safety.”

 

“But…”

 

“You might just get in the way. Go, now!” Hubert shouted sternly. It was a force I couldn’t possibly oppose.

 

Right, if it’s the master of a divine beast, he should be able to handle this situation. As Hubert said, I might only end up being a hindrance.

 

“Alright, be careful. Promise me.” I said that and turned away. But I couldn’t run off immediately. It was because Marchioness Gent was sitting nearby, collapsed on the ground. “Marchioness!”

 

I ran over and helped her up. But Marchioness Gent pushed me away.

 

“Epirosa, go on your own. I think I’ve twisted my ankle.”

 

“No, Marchioness! I’ll support you. Let’s go quickly.” I stubbornly helped Marchioness Gent to her feet. Even as I moved with her, I kept glancing back.

 

Hubert and Ludwig were already rushing toward the rampaging unicorn. It was when they reached the Unicorn.

 

 

“Ppippit?” A faint chirping sound came from within my arms. It was so soft that only I could hear it amidst the chaos around us.

 

“Hiiiing!” It seemed the Unicorn heard it. It raised its front legs high and suddenly leapt forward. In an instant, it stopped right in front of me.

 

“Kyaa!”

 

“Uaah!”

 

People screamed and scattered to the sides. The Unicorn, unfazed, began walking straight toward me. It was as if its eyes were asking something.

 

If the Unicorn is curious about something, it must be the emperor’s whereabouts. I was just about to say that the emperor was safe.

 

“How could this happen! The Unicorn is attacking Epirosa!”

 

Stella’s ear-piercing scream rang out.

 

Attacking me? Anyone can see that’s not true.

 

But the people were already in a state of panic. Everyone was stirred up, falling for Stella’s exaggerated theatrics.

 

“Aah! The divine beast is going after our Epirosa…!” Stella kept spouting nonsense.

 

I was used to Stella’s provocations, but the problem was the Unicorn. The already unstable unicorn was agitated by Stella’s screams and the crowd’s reaction. Its breathing grew rough, and its steps became hurried as it approached.

 

“Epirosa, get out of the way!” Hubert’s voice came from behind me. When I turned around, I saw him running toward me with Ludwig. But they couldn’t move quickly, struggling to push through the chaotic crowd.

 

I can’t count on their help. With a determined expression, I turned my head back. Running away now would only provoke the Unicorn further.

 

I whispered to Marchioness Gent. “Marchioness, the Unicorn is here because it has business with me. Even you should step aside.”

 

“What? Then there’s even more reason I can’t leave you alone. You risked yourself to support me, and now you’re telling me to run away by myself?”

 

I had no choice but to use the method Hubert had employed. “If you stay here, you’ll only be in the way.”

 

At my unusually cold words, the expression on Marchioness Gent’s face changed.

 

“Ha, I suppose, right now… I’m useless.” With a bitter look, she stood up, limping.

 

“Hurry. Go now.” I urged her.

 

The Unicorn watched the departing Marchioness Gent but didn’t seem to care much, continuing to approach me without stopping.

 

Amid the noise, I spoke to the Unicorn. “Unicorn, His Majesty is safe.”

 

The Unicorn flinched and stopped at my words.

 

“His Majesty has only stepped away for a moment. Nothing has happened to him.”

 

“Ppippit!” Just then, Ppinix let out a small chirp from my arms. It felt like it was affirming my words.

 

The sharp look in the Unicorn’s eyes softened. But it wasn’t time to relax yet. I needed to find out who, why, for what reason, and how the Unicorn had been brought here.

 

“Unicorn, but how did you—” But I couldn’t finish my question.

 

“Lady, I’ll handle the Unicorn!” Claude suddenly appeared out of nowhere, blocking my path.

 

As soon as Claude showed up, the Unicorn began sniffing the air. Then, its previously calm eyes sharpened once more.

 

“Unicorn, calm down!” Even Claude, who had shouted so confidently, seemed to realize something was wrong. “Unicorn…?” His voice trembled as he met the unicorn’s murderous gaze.

 

“Your Grace, what is going on? What on earth did you do to make the Unicorn agitated again?”

 

“I didn’t do anything…” Claude’s eyes wavered as he answered.

 

I pressed him coldly. “You know something, don’t you?”

 

Claude flinched. And then, in the next moment. His gaze, which had been fixed on me, shifted to somewhere behind me.

 

“Your Grace…?”

 

Unconsciously, I followed Claude’s line of sight. And I was horrified.

 

The opera stage structure was collapsing. It was because the stage had already been weakened when the Unicorn charged in and caused damage. But what shocked me wasn’t the collapsing stage structure. It was because Marchioness Gent was underneath it.

 

While everyone else was running away, Marchioness Gent, who had injured her ankle, couldn’t move. The shadow of the collapsing structure loomed over her.

 

“Marchioness!” I lost all sense of reason. By the time I came to my senses, I was pushing Marchioness Gent out from under the collapsing stage.

 

“Epirosa!” Marchioness Gent screamed as she was shoved out of the shadow of the structure. The shadow was now falling on me instead of her.

 

* * *

Crash! Amid the screams, a deafening crash echoed vividly. Ludwig stared in disbelief at the spot where Epirosa had just been standing. That place was now buried under the debris of the collapsed stage.

 

“Lady Epirosa!” Ludwig’s body moved before his mind could catch up. His face turned pale as he roughly shoved aside the people blocking his way.

 

“What do we do! The divine beast attacked Epirosa… Epirosa…!” From behind him, Stella’s shrill voice pierced through the air.

 

“My goodness, the divine beast attacked the Blanche bloodline! How could this happen!” Gale’s voice, filled with despair, followed.

 

But Ludwig didn’t care. The only thing on his mind was the safety of Epirosa. And—

 

Whoosh! The Unicorn leaped over Ludwig’s head.

 

Uni…corn?

 

The Unicorn soared through the air and disappeared as if sucked into the wreckage of the collapsed stage.