Lord Baby Runs A Romance Fantasy With Cash [EN]: Chapter 329

Running the Romance Fantasy with Baby’s Cash, Side Story (8)

Side Story 8

* * *

I narrowed my eyes, looking at my family and Sid.

“You have an eye for things.”

“Right. You picked out an outfit that perfectly suits our little cotton ball.”

My family was praising the Southern-style silk dress.

Up to this point, nothing was out of the ordinary.

Except—

‘—that dress is the one Sid and I bought on our date the other day.’

How could my family, knowing that fact, praise the dress like that?!

No, in effect, they were praising Sid for choosing the dress!

“Hmm, how about these shoes with that dress?”

“As expected, your sense is outstanding, Brother. Lulu must take after you.”

Sid grinned and accepted Ares’ words.

Sid never said that I resembled my family.

“She should resemble me more than her family.”

“What are you talking about? There are genetic traits; how can she resemble you more? Sid gets jealous in weird ways.”

“She should resemble me more. Couples resemble each other the most, they say.”

“We’re not a couple yet, though.”

“You already resemble me now. Then you’ll resemble me even more when we get married. To the point where anyone can tell we’re a couple.”

“Tch.”

That was the reason.

‘But he’s voluntarily saying that Ares and I look alike?’

But something even more amazing happened.

Ares, after hearing the bombshell of being called ‘Brother,’ just smiled.

Not a malicious smile with some wicked scheme, but a genuine smile.

“My sister does resemble me more than the rest of the family. I take after our maternal side in looks.”

“Yes, he looks like Inais. But his insides resemble that dark-hearted son-in-law.”

Even Grandpa chuckled and exchanged jokes.

‘They’re really getting along.’

This was the first time I’d seen such a harmonious scene.

‘Sid’s relationship with my family kept getting worse while he was living with us… or rather, living as our prospective son-in-law.’

Sid had been living with us, practically as a son-in-law, to get permission for our marriage.

Of course, the Emperor had frothed at the mouth.

“Which Crown Prince lives with his future in-laws! You, if you keep this up, I’ll strip you of your Crown Prince title!!”

“Do as you please.”

I had a heartwarming memory of the Emperor clutching his neck at Sid’s cool reply.

The Emperor tried to object until the end, but he couldn’t win against the Empress.

Anyway, many things happened while living with Sid.

‘…Really, so many terrible things happened.’

Just thinking about it made me break out in a cold sweat from PTSD [Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder].

I don’t know if it’s right to describe it as merely ‘many things.’

Anyway, because of that, Sid’s relationship with my family was close to the worst.

‘Well, it’s a good thing!’

My family was now praising the Southern-style accessories—also bought during our date.

‘For some reason, they seem to be glaring at Nabi from time to time, though.’

We were currently packing our luggage to return to the Paeraton territory.

It was always the case that my family and Sid would interfere with packing my luggage, so there was nothing strange about it.

But it was a bit unusual to specifically call Nabi over and act like this.

“Um, Ruatisha.”

Just then, Cheria called me.

Her face was slightly tense, unlike her usual cheerful self.

“Can we take a walk together for a bit?”

“Yeah, sure.”

I nodded and left the room with Cheria.

* * *

The sound of the waves was pleasant.

It was a shame to think that today was the last day for this scenery.

How long had we walked, leaving my footprints on the sand?

Unlike how she had asked to walk together, Cheria was silent.

I glanced at Cheria.

She kept her lips tightly shut and fidgeted awkwardly, looking only at the ground.

I shrugged.

“Let’s go back now—”

“I’m sorry.”

Cheria stopped abruptly and said.

She bit her lip tightly and looked up at me.

“I think I was too excited. No, it’s not just excitement. Too many strange things are happening.”

“……”

“I’ve never experienced anything like this dangerous stuff. I grew up receiving so much love, and everyone liked me. I’m not used to scary things like you are.”

“……”

“So, I thought everything that happened was special and wonderful……”

Cheria’s hair fell down as she lowered her head again.

“It’s not that I almost died from a monster, but that I had a movie-like first encounter with my destined partner.”

“……”

“Because, Rihan, who saved me, is cool, handsome, and perfect. I just felt like all of this was prepared for me.”

I quietly looked at Cheria and slowly nodded.

It wasn’t that Cheria felt that way, but that she wanted to feel that way.

A person who had lived an ordinary life suddenly fell into a strange world and almost died.

That was her way of escaping reality.

“Sid does have a face that inspires romantic fantasies.”

Cheria’s face brightened at my words.

“Yeah! He really does! That sparkling blonde hair! And those mysterious purple eyes!! So, I thought Rihan was my destined partner—”

“That’s really not it.”

I said firmly.

Understanding Cheria’s situation was one thing, but this was a separate issue.

Cheria stared at me and said.

“You really like Sid, don’t you?”

“Yeah. I like him.”

“I… honestly thought of you as a love rival.”

“What?”

“It always happens in movies and dramas. The special female lead meets the male lead by fate and falls in love. And then there’s a villain-like nuisance who interferes.”

“……You’re really something.”

It was a repertoire familiar to me, a romance fantasy reader, but I couldn’t think like Cheria.

Even though I was reincarnated through a contract and knew that this world was based on romance fantasy.

How could she, as soon as she fell into this world,

‘I’m the female lead, and all the men will love me~! Other women are just nuisances!!’

—think like that?

Even as an escape from reality, it was truly amazing.

And even more so to honestly tell me, the one being treated as a nuisance, all of this.

“But Ruatisha, you really woke me up.”

“Me?”

I suddenly remembered the sincere advice I had given Cheria.

“This is no time to waste time. Spend the time you’re dealing with me looking at handsome men for even a second longer. Do you know how rare it is to have so many handsome men around you like this?”

It was clear that my heartfelt advice, which was like blood and flesh, had resonated with Cheria.

I nodded with a pleased expression.

“I’m glad you came to your senses thanks to my advice. Well, you have to concentrate when you’re looking at beautiful people.”

“Ah, that too, but—”

Cheria smiled awkwardly.

“More than that, the kissing was too much.”

“……Huh?”

Cheria blushed and twisted her body.

“Ugh, it was no joke. After seeing that right in front of me. Ugh! I’ve never seen anything like that before!”

“……”

“You guys are really hot! How could you do that so much……? Seeing that suddenly snapped me back to reality?!”

“……”

Wait, wasn’t she calling me out to apologize?

But why do I feel like I’m just gaining embarrassment?

* * *

Paeraton Duchy in the northern part of the continent.

Unlike the mild climate of the southern coast, the air here felt clean and crisp on the skin.

Nabi stared out the carriage window with sharp eyes.

‘So, it really is a different world.’

Ruatisha had even shown him the map, but Nabi hadn’t completely dispelled his doubts.

He needed to see it with his own eyes rather than just hearing someone else’s words.

‘You can’t fake this large-scale infrastructure.’

The well-maintained roads showed no signs of attacks.

Above all, mana could be felt everywhere.

It was proof that public facilities were operating with mana.

It was completely different from the world he lived in.

‘An ideal world, far from words like doom or disaster.’

Even look at the numerous people gathered.

It was a world apart from his own, where people killed each other in the midst of chaos.

The orderliness seemed very common sense and normal—

“Kyaaaaaa! Princess!!”

“The Saintess has returned to this land!”

“Our Chicken Church always welcomes the Saintess!!”

People screamed wildly and waved their hands haphazardly.

Among them, flashing placards could also be seen.

“……”

It definitely seemed normal.

Until just now, they seemed like cultured and refined citizens who wouldn’t even throw trash on the ground.

‘Suddenly, they’ve become crazy cult fanatics?’

And what’s with the Chicken Church?

It was the most insignificant and abnormal religion he had ever heard of.

While Nabi was feeling awkward, the carriage passed through the city and headed towards the Duchy castle.

“Welcome back, Your Excellency.”

The lined-up employees bowed to the owner of the castle.

Everyone looked to be in good spirits.

It meant that they weren’t subjugated by fear or dread.

Rather, they even seemed to have pride…….

‘It really is a normal world.’

Nabi quickly came to a conclusion.

‘Maybe the crazy cult fanatics I saw earlier were just weird. Well, when a lot of people gather, there might be strange people…….’

It was a bit of a majority to be called a minority.

It was almost the entire population to be called a bit of a majority.

That was the moment Nabi thought so.

“The Young Lady’s first hound! I, রেডিয়ান ডিয়ের [Redian Dier]!”

Suddenly, a crazy guy appeared, waving his red hair.

The red-haired man, spinning around and striking a cool pose in front of Ruatisha, shouted.

“To this pitiful first hound of the Young Lady, to braid the Young Lady’s hair into twelve sections, twist them around and tie them like flowers, and then, on the remaining hair, to place this jeweled hairpin that I made while thinking of the Young Lady—”

“Yeah, no. Go back.”

“Too mucheeeeeee!”

He wasn’t just a crazy guy, he was a damn crazy guy.

‘……Is this world really a normal world?’

Was this a world where a different kind of apocalypse had arrived?

Nabi seriously pondered.

* * *

That night.

A banquet was held to commemorate the return of the Paeraton direct line.

It seemed that all the retainers and vassals of Paeraton had been waiting for this day.

It was like a party at the Imperial Palace, not a banquet.

“This is really delicious.”

Cheria’s eyes widened as she ate the chocolate fudge.

Ruatisha smiled contentedly and pushed the pudding plate towards her.

“Right? Try this pudding too.”

“Wow, this is the first time I’ve had such delicious and bouncy pudding. I don’t really like pudding.”

“My dad developed the golden recipe because I liked pudding since I was little.”

“Yo, Your Excellency?”

Cheria looked at the Paeraton Duke with surprised eyes.

A charismatic man who seemed to overwhelm his surroundings just by his presence.

It was unimaginable to picture such a man developing a pudding recipe.

“I’m jealous. Why don’t you tell me about this chocolate fudge?”

Just then, Sidrian interjected in their conversation.

“This chocolate fudge is a recipe I developed for my master.”

“Oh, Sid. Ugh, yeah. It’s very, very sweet and really the best.”

Sid smiled at Ruatisha’s words.

“I can give you something even sweeter.”

“Did you make a new recipe?”

“Yeah.”

At the same time as his answer, Sidrian pecked Ruatisha’s lips.

Then, he slightly parted his lips and narrowed his eyes.

“A special recipe limited to my master.”

“Hey.”

Ruatisha pushed Sidrian away with a flushed face.

But the slight upturn of her lips showed that she was happy.

‘Really, that couple…….’

Cheria shook her head.

She had witnessed it several times, but she couldn’t get used to it.

‘But well, it looks good in its own way.’

After coming to her senses with the kissing shock therapy of Ruatisha and Sidrian, everything looked different.

Her relationship with Ruatisha had also improved quite a bit.

Looking at her without prejudice, Ruatisha was a pretty decent girl.

To the point where she wanted to be friends.

‘Hoo, I should leave them alone for the sake of my friend.’

Cheria got up from her seat.

“Where are you going?”

“I’m feeling a little tipsy. I’m going to get some fresh air.”

At Ruatisha’s question, Cheria shook her head and whispered.

“You stay with your boyfriend. I’m deliberately leaving you alone, so feel free to kiss.”

Ruatisha’s face turned red again.

Cheria chuckled and left the banquet hall.

The moonlight dimly illuminated the corridor.

The cool air felt good as the alcohol made her feel pleasantly tipsy.

The wide and beautiful Paeraton Duchy castle was fun to look around.

Something caught Cheria’s eye as she was looking around.

“What is this? A book?”

It looked more like a personally written diary than a book.

When she turned the cover, the name of the person who seemed to be the owner of the diary was written.

“……Tie?”