Sevens (LN) - Volume 8 - Chapter 90

Chapter 90 – The Fifth
The Fourth’s memory room.

We who were looking for the Fifth’s secret were watching the childhood of Fredericks.

Fredericks who became ten years old faced Brigit-san who was the Fourth’s wife,

『Mo, mother.』

He called her like that as though to act more adult. Then, Brigit-san’s eyes immediately became tearful.

『FREDERICKS BECAME A DELINQUEEENTT!』

She was seriously crying.

She wasn’t pretending to cry, she was crying for real.

The Third seeing that was,

『Uwaaa~』

──He was appalled.

Fredericks returned to calling Brigit-san as “mama” in panic.

『Mama, I’m sorry! Bu, but, saying mama feels strange somehow. I want to call mama using another word.』

『Mother is no good! Haha-ue also sounds like we’re strangers! Any other word than those is also no good! I want Fredericks to call me mama!』

Brigit-san threw a tantrum like a kid. She had a small build and on top of that she had a baby face. She looked like the big sister of the young Fredericks.

The troubled Fredericks dropped his shoulders dejectedly.

『I, I get it.』

Hearing that reply, Brigit-san immediately became all smiles and hugged Fredericks tightly.

She was completely doting on him.

──I’m really jealous.

『The Fifth couldn’t go against her. He didn’t look like the type to call his mother with mama but, if it’s like this there is no way he can go against her.』

The Third was laughing. The Fourth was looking happy──but, he replied with a conflicted expression that also looked sad.

『Fredericks is──the only child after all. Because of that too Brigit loved him a lot.』

The Third’s face turned serious.

『Did something happen after she gave birth?』

『──She was injured. Brigit told me to take a mistress but, I couldn’t accept it.』

『──I see.』

The scenery changed when the Third said that.

When I came to my senses the scene changed to the mansion’s entrance. There Max and the servants were welcoming Brigit-san.

The Fourth bashfully said.

『Ah, this is the memory of our first meeting. It’s nostalgic.』

「Eh?」

When I wondered why he suddenly showed this, it seemed the memory room reacted to the Fourth’s mind that recalled this.

Brigit-san was a daughter of a viscount house, but it seemed that her house had declined greatly.

The servants who came with her were also few in number. She also had very few belongings.

But, she was bold.

On the other hand Max’s smile was twitching.

『E, err──are you Brigit-san?』

It seemed he got uneasy in front of Brigit-san who looked like a child.

Seeing that attitude, Brigit-san was──

『Twenty points. Not knowing it’s me, the woman who’ll become your wife is a minus, but not being able to guess even with me standing in front of you like this is also a minus.』

『Ah, no, that was rude of me. You’re a very lovely young lady so──』

『Minus ten points. With this your score is ten points. I don’t need that kind of cheap flattery. You only saw me as a kid right?』

Max was overwhelmed.

The mansion’s servants were also the same.

Her attitude was amazing right from the start in the house that she would marry into, but she had something that backed such attitude.

『I’ll become your wife, so I’ll carry out my role. You don’t need to worry about that.』

『I, I see.』

The Fourth was laughing seeing Max who was obviously dejected.

『Haha~, I was really worried about the future at that time.』

The Third came to a realization.

『The Fourth sometimes would score, x point! is you imitating your wife huh.』

『I was scored like that for many years that when I noticed that habit also infected me.』

Then the scenery was dyed grey──this time, a young Fredericks was playing in a room.

Max and Brigit-san were talking to Fredericks.

『Fredericks, are you having fun?』

『Yes!』

『H~m, as expected from my son! I can feel his good sense even from him playing with building blocks.』

Brigit-san hugged him while praising.

Fredericks looked pained.

『Mama, can’t breathe.』

Max was also affectionate to him, but Brigit-san was doting on him even more than that.

The Third approached Fredericks and peered on his face.

『This kid will become the Fifth in the future? I can’t imagine it.』

We also watched the conversation after that but, Fredericks was certainly a honest and adorable child.

But, in the next memory──

The time had passed a lot and Fredericks had turned into an adult.

His appearance was close to the current Fifth.

However, his atmosphere felt colder than even the Fifth.

Brigit-san who didn’t look older at all was introducing a girl to Fredericks.

『Fredericks, this girl is Chloe who I told you about before. Remember, I told you that she originated from the eastern region and she ended up being entrusted to us.』

Max who had white hair mixed among his hair now turned a sharp gaze toward Fredericks.

『How about saying something to her? You at least understand that this isn’t just a simple introduction right?』

The girl──Chloe-san was greatly perplexed seeing Fredericks glaring at her.

She had brown hair in bob cut style and a lean figure.

In addition she was taller than Fredericks.

『Tha, that, do you hate a tall woman like me?』

It seemed Chloe-san had a complex with her tallness.

But, Fredericks didn’t look concerned with that.

『──Had you ever contracted any serious disease until now?』

His cold voice even made both Max and Brigit-san to look troubled.

Just what in the world had happened?

Chloe-san moved her gaze while answering Fredericks’s question.

It was as though she was being interrogated.

The atmosphere didn’t feel like a marriage interview or an introduction at all.

『N, no, never.』

『Your body also seems robust. The luster of your skin is also good.』

『I’m training so, this is normal I think.』

『You passed the precepts.』

The Third tilted his head wondering 「Is it normal for a girl to be this trained?」.

Even from my perspective, Chloe-san’s body looked like it was really well-trained.

The Fourth told us.

『Martial arts were popular in the east. Even a lot of the girls were also trained. This girl had full mastership of a certain school you know? Martial arts came to the Walt House for real around this time.』

I understood hearing that.

Her back was really straight even while sitting. And there was no sloppiness in her posture.

Fredericks faced that Chloe-san──

『What about magic?』

『I’m a noble even like this, so I can use the basics.』

Fredericks stood up from his seat after hearing that.

『Wait!』

Max also stood up and tried to stop Fredericks but──

『It’s a marriage interview right? I don’t mind. If you’re fine with someone like me, I’ll marry you anytime.』

──He then left the room.

It was as though he had no interest in marriage.

His behavior said that it didn’t matter who he married as long as they passed the precepts.

Max apologized to Chloe-san after Fredericks left.

『Sorry. Recently many things happened that he is also tired.』

『──It’s fine. Besides, this marriage proposal came from our side.』

The Fourth explained the situation of that time.

『It was a really dangerous period when the skirmish between territories at the eastern region got bigger. Even the Walt House accepted the family of nobles that evacuated. The Walt House at that time was quite developed. Because they wanted to ask for financial backing, there were many houses who tried to offer their daughters for marriage like this.』

The development was apparently due to the Fourth’s skill in domestic affairs in some part, but above everything else it seemed that field was also Brigit–san’s forte. The two of them combined their strength and developed the territory. It was then they caught the eyes of the nobles of the eastern region.

The Fourth told us that some houses wanted to marry their daughter into the Walt House to ask for support from the Walt House.

『For the sake of their husband, father, brother who fought in the east──the families who evacuated to here were also desperate.』

Chloe-san had no option of refusing.

No, as long as Fredericks didn’t refuse, then this talk had been decided.

The Third put his hand on his chin.

『Don’t you know what happened?』

To that question the Fourth was,

『Please ask for the rest from the person himself. But, Fredericks was a kind child. I showed you two this memory because I want you to know about that.』

.

──Laukaan Kingdom’s palace.

The king who listened to the report of the attacked dungeon was unconsciously gripping the armchair of the chair he was sitting on.

He reflexively raised his waist from the chair and leaned forward.

Before long the king opened his eyes wide and asked with a smile.

「There is no mistake that a divine beast was sighted then!?」

The knight who had conspicuous traces of medical treatment on his body continued his report with a bad complexion.

「Ye, yes. My subordinate saw it. It was a beautiful beast with white scales and a golden horn. Thinking of how it spoke with human language, I believe that it was unmistakably a divine beast.」

There were reasons why a qilin was called a divine beast in this world.

One reason was that a qilin fought against monsters.

And then, it was also known that they wouldn’t harm humans indiscriminately.

It was also said that qilins would destroy dungeons that were hard to be subjugated by humans.

It was a beneficial beast for humans.

And the beast was also a sign of good luck.

It was to a degree that there was a legend that someone who was recognized by a divine beast would surely obtain success.

Qilin’s legend was a type of such legend. It was considered as a symbol of success.

However, the chief vassal standing beside the king was flustered by the report.

「Your majesty, at this rate all the dungeons in this country will be discovered by the divine beast. If we’re careless then our plan from here on will be greatly affected.」

For Laukaan that was hiding dungeons, they would be troubled if the dungeons were destroyed.

The king spat 「I know that」 at the chief vassal and began to think while massaging his chin.

After a while,

「Perhaps it’s a good omen that a qilin appeared in this country.」

「Your majesty?」

「We’ll be able to obtain a qilin. ──Don’t you think it’s suitable for me who will become the leader of the alliance?」

The chief vassal who noticed the king’s thinking was making a troubled face.

He was unable to fully agree with the king.

「It’s said that it’s difficult to obtain a qilin. If we offend it, we don’t know what kind of disaster will occur.」

「Don’t be a coward. A qilin came at this important time. Rather we should think of it as a good omen.」

The king set aside the opinion of the careful chief vassal and stood up. He then gave the order.

「Capture the qilin! Mobilize the whole knights and soldiers. Use the adventurers too. Use even the people. Announce that the one who can capture the qilin will be given any reward they want!」

They could obtain a qilin.

For the sake of that, the king decided to exert all his strength──

.

It was noisy the next day.

「It’s really bustling since the morning.」

I who went into the city to gather information took notice of the crowd at the plaza.

Novem who was standing beside me also noticed that the situation of the surroundings was different from yesterday.

「There is commotion at the center of the plaza.」

It seemed there was something at the plaza, but we couldn’t see anything due to the thick crowd in our way.

Then Sophia tapped my shoulder.

「Lyle-dono, please leave it to me!」

「──Eh?」

Today I was going about with Novem and Sophia since the morning.

It was appreciated that these two didn’t have any strained atmosphere between them.

They were a combination that was kind to my stomach.

Sophia turned her back on me and crouched down.

「Here!」

「No, here you say──I’m troubled even if you said that.」

Sophia turned her face to me and,

「It’s a shoulder ride. By doing that, Lyle-dono will be able to see the center of the plaza.」

What to do──I wanted to refrain from doing that a lot.

「I, I’m fine.」

「What are you saying? This is necessary in order to learn what is going on. Come on, please get on quickly. Weight won’t be any problem at all with my Art.」

Sophia had an Art that could change the weight of what she touched.

While she was a girl, she was able to lift up a man like me.

「That’s not what I mean──」

I wanted to say that it was embarrassing but, Sophia forcefully started to shoulder me.

「It’s fine, please quickly get on!」

My resistance ended in vain and I was lifted up. The surrounding gazes gathered on me.

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But, thanks to that my field of vision became high and I could see the center of the plaza.

「I, it’s embarrassing.」

Novem was looking up at me who was being given a shoulder ride.

「Lyle-sama──you look wonderful even while being given a shoulder ride.」

I didn’t feel happy even if she told me that with a considerate smile.

「Novem, don’t make such forced praise. It makes me felt even more embarrassed.」

「My apologies. I too thought that perhaps that posture is a bit agonizing though.」

The Fourth spoke while I was feeling embarrassed from doing a shoulder ride on Sophia.

『Riding on a girl’s shoulders──no, rather than that let’s investigate what is going on right now instead. Lyle, can you see something?』

I returned my gaze to the plaza’s center at that.

「There is a bulletin board.」

The gathered people were looking at the notification with intense concentration.

The people who couldn’t read were listening the detail from people who could.

『Bulletin board? Is it some kind of important news?』

The Sixth showed interest. Even so I couldn’t read because it was too far.

I talked to Sophia.

Because she was giving me a shoulder ride, my calf was touching her big breast.

I also felt that it was a bit of a shame but, it was embarrassing to be watched like this by the surroundings even now.

「It’s enough.」

「Do you learn something?」

「I only learned that there is a bulletin board there.」

If there was a bulletin board then we could check it later.

After I asked her to put me down, Novem noticed Eva approaching here while pushing through the crowd.

「Why are you doing a shoulder ride? Thanks to that I could find you easily though.」

Eva who was running out of breath was looking around for me it seemed.

「Qilin! A qilin appeared they said! And, it looks like they’re gathering even the adventurers in order to capture the qilin.」

I was surprised hearing about a qilin. Then the Fifth spoke out.

『──Qilin huh. I wonder if that fellow is doing well.』

His voice sounded somewhat nostalgic and happy.

.

When we returned to the inn, Eva gathered everyone.

Several beds were lined up inside the room. The gap between beds was narrow. This room felt like it was narrating the situation of Laukaan that was crowded with people.

The number of visitors were too many compared to the number of rooms.

Also, the cost of staying for a night was expensive too.

Even so we used the inn because it was dangerous to sleep outside.

However, Damian was sleeping in Dump Car that was parked outside.

Because Lily-san was taking care of Damian, the two of them weren’t here.

Dump Car was big, but it was filled to the brim with Damian’s belonging that everyone couldn’t stay there.

Shannon was complaining in a bad mood.

「Isn’t this a bit horrible? The performance of a traveling troupe will be starting after this. Even though I was looking forward to it since yesterday.」

She was angry that she suddenly got called back.

「How nice it is that you’re free like this.」

When I said that, Shannon kicked at my knee.

When I took a step back to dodge, Shannon gritted her teeth.

「It should be fine to enjoy myself with my pocket money!」

「I’m not saying that it’s bad. Don’t be grumpy.」

When I made fun of her, Miranda scolded us as though she was rebuking small children.

「Enough the two of you. Eva is making a scary face there.」

Eva objected with a pout.

「I’m not! More importantly I want to confirm about this properly. You all, how much do you know about qilins?」

Aria answered.

「Qilin right? Isn’t it the goddess’s messenger, or a beast of fortune, or something?」

Sophia also nodded.

「I heard that it’s a type that is often seen among the divine beasts. I never see one before but, I once heard that you can become a hero if a qilin follows you.」

Shannon tilted her head and asked.

「Eh? It’s not a monster that doesn’t do anything bad?」

It seemed Shannon didn’t understand so Clara explained to her simply.

「They aren’t monsters but divine beasts. Even among the divine beasts, it is said that qilins are an existence that is the closest to us humans. The number of times they are witnessed is also a lot, and among them there are also people who got liked by a qilin. Many of those people obtain success, so it’s said that a qilin is a divine beast that brings luck.」

Shannon nodded with deep interest.

「That’s nice. If it’s me then surely I will get liked. Though Lyle looks like he’ll get hated.」

「What did you say!」

She provoked me so I was going to retort back, but Miranda stopped me.

「Lyle too, don’t be angry. More importantly, a qilin is also important for nobles. It’s said that it’s a good omen if a qilin is seen before a war, and it’s said that a territory with a qilin will surely become prosperous. A lot of nobles would try to capture one even if they have to sacrifice a lot.」

Novem was listening to those stories silently.

Monica asked in deep interest while,

「So in conclusion, it’s a beast that is like a lump of good fortune? More importantly, divine beast──in this continent there are faiths to multiple goddesses, so the messengers of those goddesses are divine beasts? So that’s why Laukaan Kingdom is searching for a qilin desperately.」

The Fifth who was listening to our talk made an exasperated voice.

『You all only know about rumors at most.』

Did he know something about qilins?

When I was going to ask, Eva raised her voice first.

「All of you don’t know anything!」

She yelled angrily. We shut our mouth. Eva showed a serious face to us.

She put her hand on her waist,

「Qilins or divine beasts are really strong and smart. They can easily defeat even troublesome monsters. They’re also destroying the dungeons that showed up in a place that cannot be entered by humans.」

Miranda understood.

「Certainly there are a lot of stories of nobles having the tables turned on them when they tried to capture one forcefully.」

It seemed it was difficult to capture one.

「Then, there is no problem I guess. I thought that it would be pitiful if it got captured forcefully but, it feels like it will be fine even if we leave this alone from Eva’s story.」

If it was a Qilin then it felt like it would be able to struggle through this difficulty by its own strength.

Then Novem turned toward me with a troubled face.

「Lyle-sama, what Eva-san wants to say is the part where a qilin is “destroying dungeons”. The smart qilin is deliberately taking action so humans discover it, isn’t there a considerable reason behind it?」

Eva agreed with Novem’s opinion.

「Perhaps there are a lot of dungeons here or a dangerous dungeons that are on the verge of running wild? It’ll be nice if it’s finished subjugating dungeons and returns back already but──it’ll be dangerous if that’s not the case.」

Shannon didn’t look interested.

「But it’s a beast right? It wasn’t just accidentally appearing in front of humans?」

「Divine beasts understand human language. I said that they are smart right? They might be smarter than Shannon right now.」

Shannon was angry hearing Eva saying that, but it seemed she got slightly interested hearing that divine beasts could understand human language.

「Hey, could it be, we can understand what animals said if a qilin translates for us? I can sense an animal’s emotion but, as expected I can’t understand their words so I’m interested.」

The surroundings were looking at the excited Shannon with an exasperated look.

I also felt the same.

I felt the same but──

『──Shannon, so you also noticed that. You realized that.』

There was one person inside the Jewel who was in admiration.

It was the animal lover the Fifth.

『He started again.』

The Sixth’s displeased voice came.

『Lyle, the talk won’t progress like this, so ignore it and listen to Eva’s story.』

The Fourth told me. I turned my gaze to Eva.

Eva noticed and resumed her explanation.

「Anyway! ──A qilin is intentionally showing up, so there must be something in this country. Also, the saying that qilin won’t harm humans is a lie.」

「Eh, it’s a lie!?」

Shannon was surprised.

Aria also slightly opened her eyes wide.

「But it’s a divine beast right?」

「Stupid. If its life got threatened or it looks like it’ll get captured then it will resist. It will become a disaster if the powerful qilin rampages even just for a bit. Also, if it gets angry then it will be out of hand.」

In response to Eva’s explanation, Sophia was,

「Have you seen it directly?」

「──I, I once saw a qilin flying.」

When she was traveling, she happened to see several qilin running in the sky.

In other words, she never angered any qilin.

She also never saw a qilin rampaging.

Clara stabbed at where it hurt for Eva.

「The credibility of information from the exaggerating elf is low.」

「I, it’s really dangerous! We can’t provoke a qilin! If a qilin really got captured by accident, its comrades might come and rampage!」

Sophia recalled an information regarding qilin.

「But, this time they said that there was only one qilin that was witnessed wasn’t it?」

「Pe, perhaps it has comrades somewhere around.」

Aria turned a doubtful gaze towards Eva.

「You always exaggerate your story, so it’s really hard to believe no matter what.」

The place’s atmosphere was getting complicated.

This was the information of an elf that liked to exaggerate their stories.

Furthermore, Eva heard this story from another elf too so it was troubling.

The possibility that the story was embellished was higher.

Perhaps the truth was different?

Everyone harbored such doubt.

Then the Fifth’s voice came from inside the Jewel.

『She isn’t wrong but, it seems she doesn’t know about the story in detail. Lyle, qilin aren’t a god’s messengers. At the very least, the qilin themselves aren’t thinking so.』

The way the Fifth spoke, it was as though he heard it from the person themselves──from a qilin.

『It’s dangerous that there is only one qilin. It might have just become independent. Besides, it’s also curious that it showed itself. Investigate about the qilin too while you are gathering information. Find it earlier than anybody else.』

Were we going to capture it? When I was thinking that,

『Stupid idiot! Obviously it’s to let it escape. ──It’s pitiful.』

The Fifth said that it was pitiful.

『This shitty father.』

The Sixth spat out with a click of his tongue.

This must be that. The Fifth’s air of animal lover was coming out.

He wanted to help the qilin regardless of whether it would be profitable or not.

The Third made a suggestion to change the atmosphere.

『It’ll be great if we can ask it for help in defeating Celes though. If it’s so smart it can understand human language, it might be good to try talking to it. It’ll be lucky if we help it out.』

The Fourth got on the idea.

『Good idea. Even in case it’s no good, it will be the best if we can make it indebted to us by saving it.』

The Seventh was also similarly,

『It will be the best if we can make it follow Lyle. I’m also curious what kind of person will be liked by a qilin. Does the Fifth know something?』

The Fifth who was addressed raised his voice into an angry yell which was unusual for him.

『You guys aren’t human!』

Hearing those words, the Sixth who usually could do nothing except getting criticized snapped back.

『THAT’S RICH COMING FROM YOUUUU!!』

It became noisy inside the Jewel, so I told Eva I was going outside before going to the corridor.

I couldn’t even talk in this kind of state.

Even so, qilin──I heard that the Fifth had a tie with one but, what kind of tie could it be?

.

Inside the Jewel.

The Sixth who seemed to be in a quarrel with the Fifth was really looking ragged.

His clothes were messy and there was even a bruise on his face.

He must have gotten punched by the Fifth.

『That bastard, I absolutely won’t forgive him.』

I who was welcomed with an expression that was oozing out anger ran my gaze around the room of the round table.

There was only the Sixth there.

「What was wrong today?」

『Oops, that’s right. I thought that you would be concerned. I’ll show you my memory.』

「The Sixth’s memory?」

『About the qilin──and also, about the Fifth. You’re curious right?』

I would be lying if I said I wasn’t curious.

「Err──yes.」

『Then come with me. I’ll tell you what kind of man that shitty bastard was.』

He put his hand on my shoulder and we entered into the memory room.