“Casey… Telma…”
“Uuu… sob…”
Sue gently embraced the two girls as their tears continued to flow.
In many ways, Casey-san and Telma-san were victims themselves, caught up in the schemes of a criminal organization. Yet at the same time, they were also members of the perpetrators’ families. It was a painfully complicated position to be in.
“Margrave-sama, will Casey and Telma still be allowed to participate in the Harvest Festival?”
The two had worked tirelessly alongside Sue, pouring their hearts into the preparations for the wedding ceremony that would be held during the festival. But now there was the possibility that their own brothers had been involved in the explosion in the town square—the very incident that had forced everyone to start the preparations over from scratch.
“I will permit them to take part in the Harvest Festival. It will serve as proof that the sisters have done everything in their power to make amends for the misconduct of their brothers. It may also be taken into consideration as a mitigating circumstance.”
I see. So that was his approach.
By allowing Casey-san and Telma-san to continue helping with the Harvest Festival, their efforts could become a factor when leniency was considered later. The Margrave might seem absent-minded at times, but moments like this were a reminder of just how sharp and calculating he truly was.
“Margrave-sama, thank you for your consideration.”
“Thank you very much.”
“Mm.”
As Sue, Casey-san, and Telma-san bowed their heads in gratitude, the immediate matters were finally settled. Now, the most important task was ensuring that the Harvest Festival over the next two days passed without incident.
There was nothing more for us to do here, so we returned to the manor.
“We’re back.”
“Welcome back. You two have been through so much.”
As soon as we arrived, Emilia-san greeted us and pulled Casey-san and Telma-san into a tight embrace. She likely already knew about their brothers and the judgment the Margrave had handed down, but she said nothing. Instead, she simply held them close.
Touched by Emilia-san’s kindness, Casey and Telma began to cry once more.
“Sue, stay with them tonight, will you? Sleep in the same room and keep them company. I’ve already spoken with Shiro and the others.”
“Yes. I’ll stay by their side and look after them.”
The concern in Sue’s voice was unmistakable. Seeing her friends suffering like this, there was no way she could simply leave them alone. And with Emilia-san’s quiet warmth embracing them, the burden the two girls had been carrying seemed, if only slightly, lighter than before.
I doubt the worst-case scenario will come to pass, but preventing it is precisely why Sue, Shiro, and the others are so important. At this point, all we can do is entrust the two girls to Sue.
Even Ao has decided to spend the night with them.
“Shun, we need to discuss what comes next.”
“Sorry, but could you come to the study?”
With that, I found myself sitting down once again with the members of the Margrave’s family.
No matter what, we had to find a way to deal with this situation. If we failed, there was every chance that the shadowy organization lurking behind the scenes would continue to spiral out of control. And that was something we absolutely could not allow.
This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeneijiworks.com
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