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Chapter 78 Part 6 – The fortune teller ‘Mother’ appears. The 「True History」 is starting to be revealed little by little. Our love story is beginning to move. Carrying various emotions, the curtain rises on the night of the dance ball.

「…… Let go of me!! I have a beloved husband named Wendell!! My position as his wife is not so cheap that I can be suddenly pushed down by a random stranger!! I will not permit anyone to defile that pride!! Move aside or I’ll shoot you to death, even if you’re a high-ranking nobleman!!」

The vivid green dress swayed in the opposite seat.
The grown-up Arnold was leaning over my young mother.

「Haaah!? What are you doing!? Arnold!!」

Mother’s eyes are completely in murderous mode.

I don’t know why, but she seems to have lost all memory of Arnold, who had become her apprentice. Well, even if she had her memories, she probably wouldn’t forgive him for committing such an insolent act.

Now’s not the time to punch Bradd.

You stupid Arnold!! I’m disappointed in you. The Arnold in the previous 「108 times」 was a fighting maniac, but he would never hurt women or the weak. He even turned a blind eye to the maids I let escape from the castle before the final battle. He was a guy who was proud to be a real warrior. To think that the current you would actually push down a woman!!

「…… Take this!! And fly away!! ‘Young Lady Kick’ ……!!」

I declared to Arnorld.

But Bradd stopped me as I was about to spin my body and kick Arnold.

「That’s dangerous …… After your arms and legs become longer, the power of your kick really can’t be underestimated. You’re even more powerful than the women of the〈Lawless Crew〉. As one would expect from the biological child of that Crimson Duke and Cornelia-san. That frightened me for a bit. Anyway, calm down a bit. Look at Arnold’s condition.」

That’s a bit disconcerting. How can you compare the weak me with the women of the〈Lawless Crew〉. Huh, what do you mean by ‘look at Arnold’s condition’?

「…… It’s a misunderstanding. Master ……!! Damn it …… My limbs won’t do what I say …… What the hell is going on?」

Arnold was struggling with cold sweat on his forehead.

I was surprised. It turns out that he didn’t push my mother down on purpose, he just fell there by accident.

So this is what Bradd was talking about earlier. Because Arnold suddenly became an adult, his body’s senses haven’t adapted yet.

But the young mother didn’t notice that.

「You’ve been talking nonsense since a while ago. It seems you really want to be killed.」

Oh no!! If mother notices the bow hidden under her skirt, she would really shoot Arnold to death.

「…… Bradd!!」

「Got it.」

Bradd jumped out and struck Arnold on the back.

「I’ve adjusted the blood flow. You should be able to move now.」

「……!!」

Arnold’s golden eyes widened. He instantly jumped backward like a shrimp. He jumped so far that he hit the back of his head against the wall, but he didn’t pay any attention to it and instead used the recoil to come back and groveled in front of mother’s feet. He forcibly bent his tall body, which made him look like a folded garment. As he got down on his knees in this state, his forehead hit his knees and the floor, causing the impact to shake the floor of the carriage.

「I’m sorry!! I, Arnold, have committed a grave mistake!! I swear I didn’t do it on purpose!! Even if I have to die, I will never push down my master whom I respect and revere!! Please forgive me!!」

Blood stained the floor under Arnold’s face. Could it be that he broke the bridge of his nose …… And yet, as if to punish himself, he continued to slam his forehead against the floor.

But his actions successfully conveyed his sincerity to mother.

「It’s okay if you understand that …… Please raise your head. Although I don’t know what you mean by calling me ‘master’ ……」

Without mother’s permission, Arnold would not have stopped apologizing even if the skin on his forehead was torn.

「Thank you!!」

Arnold quickly looked up with his nose covered in blood and his forehead completely red.

He was still the same impulsive and straightforward fool he was in the previous 「108 times」. I felt a little happy about that.

「…… You’re such a fool. Come on, look up. I’ll wipe your nosebleed.」

With a wry smile, I bent over and wiped Arnold’s face with a handkerchief. What a relief. His nose is not broken.

Arnold looked up at me with a blank expression. His face was so funny that it made me chuckle. It reminded me of a falcon chick I picked up when I was a little girl in the previous 「108 times」. Arnold’s expression looked just like the falcon chick’s expression after it got emotionally attached to me.

At first, the falcon chick tried to attack me whenever I tried to approach it. But I continued to care for it, and by the time two seasons had passed, our relationship improved to the extent that it would ride on my shoulder. Even after the falcon considerably reduced the strength of its grip, its sharp claws still ripped several dresses to shreds, but even so, I was very pleased. We were together everywhere we went. No matter how far apart we were, it would come back to me as soon as I called it. I was so proud of that falcon.

「Hey, don’t move. Pisuke.」

I scolded Arnold.

「M-My name is not Pisuke ……」

Oops, that was careless of me. Unlike that smart falcon, this one is a hopeless child. Stay still while this sister is treating you. If you’re not obedient, I’ll give you a poke in the forehead.

…… Haahh, I was in the middle of reminiscing about the past.

Anyway, this is the continuation of that memory.

However, Pisuke did not remain as a baby bird forever. One day under a clear blue sky, it chirped one spoiled, high-pitched cry, soared high into the sky, and never came back. I did not call its name. Because I immediately understood that it was a farewell cry. I watched it depart with a smile so that it would not feel worried as it circled overhead. I must not cry. I was its mother figure. It deserved the endless sky more than the ground.
After returning to my room by myself, I closed the curtains, plopped down on the bed, muffled my voice and clenched my teeth, and cried.

「Come on, you can’t stay depressed forever. You’re a boy. A dispirited face doesn’t suit the brazen and impudent you. This is what happens when you suddenly ask someone to get married. For a woman, it is a very important event that comes only once in a lifetime. If you use that word lightly, their feelings might get hurt. So, you should save them for the person you really think is the one. Understand?」

I admonished Arnold with the same feelings I had when I was taking care of Pisuke.

「What’s your answer?」

「U-Understood ……!!」

Arnold jumped up and answered with a stiff response. It felt like I was training him, not taking care of him.

「Good job.」

I smiled, stroked Arnold on the head, and praised him.
The use of the whip and the candy is the basis of discipline.

Arnold acted as if it was ticklish and shrugged his shoulders, but then he looked at me with upturned eyes. He was a big guy, but he really reminded me of that baby bird. Are you the reincarnation of that child? Well, I guess that’s not possible in terms of timeline.

「…… Sorry …… for causing trouble. …… You see, my brother taught me that saying『Let’s get married』is the highest compliment you can give a woman …… I never thought that those words could hurt a woman’s heart ……」

I was stunned by Arnold’s timid apology.

Come to think of it, Arnold also said 「Let’s get married」 to me.
I see, he said that as a compliment to me, not that he was aiming for my mother.

「From now on …… I’ll only say the word ‘marriage’ to someone I really like.」

Arnold asserted with blushing cheeks as he glanced at me. He seemed to be ashamed of his own actions. Feeling satisfied, I smiled and nodded. Arnold quickly averted his eyes, as if embarrassed. He held his chest and tilted his head with a puzzled expression. He must be talking to his heart and doing a self-introspection. Even though he’s a pompous character, he is a good boy who reflects on his deeds and corrects his mistakes.