Where Did the Ice Marquis Go?

In the end, Ilunza did not become an epidemic, and Mother safely recovered from her illness and returned home.

"Motheeerrrr!"

"Welcome back, Debanga."

"I'm home, Koleha, Yarkot."

Light violet hair, loosely curled. Sharp eyes befitting a villainess's mother. A beauty whose curves stood out where they should and were drawn in where they should. When you hugged her, a refined lavender fragrance wafted gently.

This beauty was Debanga Nyarlathotep. Koleha Nyarlathotep's mother, who should have died in the original plague event.

"Debanga. Are you feeling alright?"

"Yes, Yarkot. Thanks to Koleha's medicinal herb, I'm perfectly fine now… though it was very bitter. Could nothing be done about that taste?"

"There's nothing that can be done about it, right Koleha?"

"That bitterness is the medicinal efficacy, so there's nothing to be done, desu wa!"

"So it's as they say, good medicine tastes bitter…"

Debanga sighed softly. The gesture was tremendously alluring.

There was no doubt that Koleha would become a beauty in the future. Her mother gave certainty to that belief.

"Well then, Koleha. Mother has important work to do with Father, so it pains me, but I must go."

"Oh my, I can work now too, you know? I'll help!"

"Ufufu, no. Bedroom education is still too soon for you, Koleha. At least wait until you're ten."

Saying so, Debanga took Yarkot's arm and clung close. Yarkot's face was, unusually, red.

Ah. Koleha realized. This was important work only parents could do (heir creation).

"Um, Debanga? You've just recovered, so perhaps don't push yourself. And it's still daytime…"

"Let's go, Yarkot."

"… Yes, let's go."

Like predator and prey.

It seemed wise not to approach her parents' bedroom today.

"… I'll go work in the fields today, then!"

"Very well, Koleha."

At this rate, Kurushu certainly wouldn't become her brother, thought Koleha.

Now then. Mother was alive.

That meant the story had changed significantly.

"In that case, the 'Ice Marquis' won't be born."

"? What is this 'Ice Marquis'?"

Summer tilted her head in puzzlement.

"It's a tale of a possible future for Father. 'Ice' refers to being cold-hearted, you see."

"I see. I thought it meant Ice Attribute."

"That too, perhaps. Our house has many Water Attributes."

It could have been something like awakening to an Ice Attribute after his heart stopped upon losing Mother.

That said, now it was impossible. Mother still lived.

"So then, that Ice Marquis versus our current marquis — which does Ojou-sama think is better?"

"Well… the current one, I suppose."

In the game "Face☆Meet", Koleha was allowed to be willful.

But she couldn't say she was loved as she was now.

"Then it's fine, isn't it? No matter what happens to others, Ojou-sama's happiness matters most!"

"… You're right! Summer, that's well said. I'll praise you."

"Ehehe! Thank you!"

When she patted her head, Summer beamed. Koleha could almost see a wagging tail.

"… There's no script forcing death some other way, right?"

If that were so, she'd want Mother to stay home quietly and not go out for the time being to keep an eye on things…

…

…

"Yes! It'll be fine!! She'll surely not leave the house for a while!!"

Recalling how affectionate her parents were, Koleha reached that conclusion.

If anything, it seemed more likely that Yarkot would die of exhaustion.