CH 548.2

Weekend outing.

“M, me too! I am glad to be friends with you, Cristea-san! My school life with you around is very fulfilling! Thank you very much!”

“Oh… I am also very grateful to have made acquaintances with Miss Cristea and to have been able to befriend you like this.”

“You two… I, me too! I am so happy that you are my friends!”

“Cristea-san…!”

“Mariel-san…!”

Mariel-chan and I gripped each other’s hands tightly, and Ruby jumped out of the shadows to our feet.

“Oh meooow! Youth. Being young is wonderful.”

“Ruby!”

“Isn’t it just fine? Staying in the shadow is so boring. Even more when this wonderful coming-of-age play is going on outside.”

Oniisama was startled by Ruby, who was laughing ufufufu with both of his hands… I mean to say, with both of his forepwas, on his cheeks.

“You are Miss Mariel’s contracted Sacred Beast…”

“It’s Ruby. I will be in your care as well.”

Oniisama greeted Ruby, who winked at him, with a noble’s curtsy.

“It’s an honor to have you. Please make yourself at home.”

“Oh my, how proper. I love children like you.”

Ruby, feeling better, jumped onto Mariel-chan’s lap, settled into a comfortable position, took out a carrot stick, and started chomping on it.

Ruby, you really go at your own pace, don’t you?

“But this time we’re not here to spend a leisurely time at your place, are we?”

Ruby said as he took out the second carrot stick after finishing the first one.

“Eh, is that so? Tea.”

“Eh? Yeah, well… there is a place I wanted to go.”

“A place you wanted to go? Ahh, shopping?”

“No, umm, I wanted to go back to the fief for a little…”

That is for sure. As Oniisama said, that room was allowed to be set up because of our family’s ties to royalty, and it should normally be used only in times of emergency.

But Otousama used it every day while I was in the fief with Okaasama, right? What happened to the emergency?

“I see… if he doesn’t allow us to use it, I will have to ask Kurogane and others to take us there via their warp magic.”

I can use warp magic too, and although I have never jumped from the Capital back to the fief at once, I have marked my own room with a magic, so I don’t think I can’t do it.

“Wait a moment. I see, there was warp magic… we can’t be sure where you will end up warping to… if that’s the case, it would still be safer to put you into a carriage and let you use the warping room…”

Oniisama mumbled and muttered to himself. No, in my case, the best I can do is to warp to my room.

“Got it. I will convince Father to let you use the warping room.”

“Are you sure!?”

“Yeah. However, I’m going too. I’m worried about letting you guys go back to the fief alone.”

“I don’t mind, but…”

I turned to Mariel-chan and Sei and they both nodded their heads as if it was no problem.

Ruby also winked at me, so I guess he was thinking, “I’m all for good-looking guys around♪”

“Then, in order to persuade Father, will you explain to me where you plan on going and what you are going to do there?”

Oniisama asked me to explain with a smile, so I began to tell him about my plans and objectives for tomorrow.