Chapter: 781
The second daughter of Marquis Ravirje and her children made their appearance.
If only the Marquis himself had come, I could have had a proper conversation with him. Even if it had just been the heir, it would have been a decent enough exchange. But alas, it was the second daughter.
As far as I remember, the second daughter of Marquis Ravirje is a fairly ordinary lady who doesn’t show much interest in politics. It seems she mingles with a few acquaintances in social circles, so she wouldn’t make for a great conversation partner or trading ally. It’s not right to drag politics into the life of someone who enjoys the light.
‘One of us can’t back down.’
Actually, having either of us step back would be best, but we both came to the zoo with our children. It’s impossible to just ignore the excitement and thrills of the kids and head back.
Therefore, it seems we’ll both have to enter the zoo…
‘Should I just try to avoid them as much as possible?’
That’s a viable plan, except that we have uncontrollable little kids in our group.
Even if I try to evade the daughter’s family, if the Crown Princess says, “I wanna go over there,” it’s game over. Even if the Marquis’s second daughter’s mother were standing over there, I’d have to bolt in that direction.
As a parent, it’s absurd to think I can control my child completely. Parents can’t control their children; instead, they’re the ones pleading for their kids to listen to them.
‘What to do about this?’
It’s troublesome. I can’t postpone the zoo visit, tell the daughter the truth, or avoid bumping into them. If I had known this would happen, I would have delayed bringing up the zoo.
‘…Ah.’
Suddenly, I noticed Pedi’s fake silver hair.
The real issue isn’t merely meeting with the second daughter’s family. The problem is the Crown Princess bowing to the Marquis’s bloodline.
In that case, can’t I just avoid bowing altogether?
“Hey, kiddos, why don’t we take a quick break before heading to the zoo? Maybe grab a drink at that café over there?”
“No way! I wanna go now!”
“Let’s go directly!”
“Actually, Daddy’s a bit tired.”
“Just a little bit, okay?”
Thankfully, the Crown Princess and Pedi allowed this break since I said I was tired.
It’s a kind gesture, but kids’ patience wears thin quickly. Ten to twenty minutes at best—that’s about their limit.
But that’s enough. I only need about two minutes to figure a way out of this trial.
“Father-in-law.”
Having swiftly entered a nearby café, I let the kids pick out what they wanted and discreetly stepped back.
– Son-in-law? No wait, what’s up with that hair?
I was hoping to meet the hero who would help me resolve this plight.
– Are we color-coordinating with our Erich?
To seek help from the fifth father-in-law, who wouldn’t be lacking in prestige compared to Marquis Ravirje. Honestly, I could ask a duke for help, but it would be too harsh to mobilize the Duke’s family just to avoid the Marquis’s second daughter.
“I’ve been wandering around with the kids.”
– Oh dear, even the son-in-law is having a tough time.
It seemed my father-in-law grasped the situation immediately, chuckling and nodding his head.
– Well, since it’s the silver hair, my reputation might work in your favor.
Finally, he spoke up about what I wanted to ask first.
I had faith; after all, the knack for sensing problems is different for someone vying for the top spots among Marquis in the Empire.
– Son-in-law, you’ll be staying as a branch of our family today. I’ll send you the details through the communication hub, so check that.
“Thank you, Father-in-law.”
– Pfft, there’s no need for thanks. I’m always grateful to you, son-in-law.
I smiled faintly at my father-in-law’s heartfelt words. Thanks to Erich, I remain his eternal benefactor.
‘Got it.’
Anyway, my father-in-law has provided significant help in resolving this trial as expected.
If the other party comes from the Marquis’s family, I can just insist I’m part of that family too. While it bothers me that I’m branching off rather than being direct, it’s better than facing the Marquis openly.
After all, it’s better if the Crown Princess doesn’t have to bow to a mere second daughter of a Marquis. Who bows among the same family, anyway?
“Whoa.”
As soon as I saw the message from my father-in-law, I couldn’t help but gasp.
[ For today, you can go by the title of Baron Alan Viruna of Salrin. ]
Not only did he give me a secondary title, but he also gifted me the title of nobleman.
A Salrin baron, it seems like one among the many titles my father-in-law possesses.
My visit to the zoo now became lighthearted.
Right now, I’m not the commoner Hans or James, but the indisputable Baron of Salrin. As long as Marquis Ravirje doesn’t drop by, neither I, nor the Crown Princess, nor Pedi have to bow.
‘Then again, the chances of meeting are slim anyway.’
With so many animals in this expansive capital zoo. Before receiving the title, I would have had to think of the worst-case scenarios, but now that the issue is resolved, my sanity returned.
With a zoo of this size, what are the chances of running into the second daughter’s family? To put it mildly, it would be like tossing a needle into the sand and then throwing a ball of thread in—it’s practically impossible for that thread to get through that needle’s eye.
“Wow! It’s so huge!”
“It’s amazing! Is it a geese or a swan?”
So, I happily showed the giraffe to the Crown Princess and Pedi.
Perhaps feeling hungry, the giraffe was stretching its long neck even higher than usual to munch on some leaves. As this giant creature, nearing five meters in height, leisurely grazed, the children’s eyes sparkled with excitement.
“Giraffe, over here!”
Pedi waved her arms enthusiastically, but the indifferent giraffe continued to focus on its meal rather than notice her.
An expected but unfortunate outcome. Had it just glanced our way even once, it could have created a nice memory for the kids.
“I guess it’s super hungry.”
“Yeah! Eat a lot!”
Now, whether this is happy or not, despite the giraffe’s steadfast dining, the Crown Princess and Pedi showed no signs of disappointment. They just gazed at the scene of its meal, filled with wonder.
“Daddy, how does a giraffe cry?”
At her words, my mind froze for a moment.
How does a giraffe cry? Well, they’re animals, so I guess they do cry, but I’ve never heard one.
‘Do they make a sound like a horse?’
Could it be that giraffes have a “hihing”-type cry? Nah, who has ever heard of a giraffe crying that way?
Could it be more like a “giri-ling”? No way, that can’t be it. Giraffes aren’t Pokémon—they wouldn’t cry out their own name.
“What is it…”
“Oh! Look over there!”
Barely getting my mouth open, the giraffe’s gaze turned toward us at that moment. At the same time, Pedi’s interest shifted from me to the giraffe.
Thank you. You just saved me.
*
I kept an eye on Minister Lather and Pedi, along with Crown Princess, from a distance.
Truthfully, once the Minister arrives, there’s no need for guards; however, when it comes to protective duties, sometimes it’s better to have several ordinary folks rather than a lone strong one. That’s why I, the Senior Manager, ended up personally overseeing the guarding personnel on site.
‘This is the first operation with little tension I’ve had in a while.’
But regardless of the need, it’s hard to deny that its effectiveness is lacking.
The Minister’s power and paternal instinct. With those two combined, how could anything possibly go wrong? The snappiest clown tried to sniff out the Minister’s identity but was stopped in his tracks. Other than that, there hadn’t been a single incident.
The fact that the second daughter of Marquis Ravirje was visiting the zoo introduced an element of unpredictability, but the Minister probably handled the Ravirje issue through communication.
‘Inadvertently, I ended up just enjoying the animals.’
And so, thanks to trailing after the Minister without any chaos, I also got to see all kinds of animals.
The impressive long-necked giraffe, the striking elephant with its trunk and tusks, the endangered tiger, the polar bear found only in colder regions, and the snake the size capable of swallowing a person. I think I’ve seen more animals today than I have in my entire life.
‘I bet Rana would love this too.’
With many visitors strolling around with their families, it reminded me of Rana back at our mansion.
Since my escort mission ends soon, I’ll be getting two days off. Such opportunities for couples to enjoy leisure time are rare. So it would be great to take Rana to the zoo during those days off.
I’ve figured out the most efficient routes within the zoo, good resting spots, along with the souvenirs and food available. I’m currently conducting a local survey to give her the best experience.
‘Hmm?’
While imagining how excited Rana would be, I suddenly spotted a little girl rushing toward the Minister.
She wasn’t rushing toward him specifically. She just happened to be running in that direction.
‘Could she be the granddaughter of the Marquis?’
Looking closely, she clearly stood out with her extravagant attire and pristine skin.
It’s likely that the second daughter has been distracted for a moment, allowing her granddaughter to act independently.
‘Leaving her alone here could be dangerous.’
However, the tear-streaked little girl—Marquis Ravirje’s granddaughter—seemed to be expressing genuine emotions rather than mischievously acting out.
If I leave her be, she’ll inevitably run into the Minister, and the second daughter must be worrying about her lost child at this very moment. I have to manage this and send the girl back to her family.
That’s certainly the right approach.
“Hey there, little one. Why are you crying?”
‘Oh.’
Before I could step in, the Minister dashed forward first.
Speaking to the little granddaughter of the Marquis, he looked startled, realizing he acted before thinking things through.
‘A paternal instinct.’
The Minister is also a father of many children. Therefore, he likely can’t ignore a child in tears, even if they belong to someone else.
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