Volume 5 - CH 2.1

Three days later, the carriage carrying us left Rodnea.

It took seven days, retracing the same route we had taken when we came out to the academy.

I returned to Lamprog territory for the first time in exactly two years.

When I got off the carriage in front of the mansion, I was greeted by a familiar face.

“Welcome back, Seika.”

“I’m back, brother Luft. You look different.”

When I told him this with a smile, Luft, who will be nineteen this year, smiled shyly.

“Is that so?　I think I have a little more dignity as the next lord.”

“A little, yes.”

“You……  haven’t changed much. You’ve  gotten taller, though.”

That’s because if you live this long, you won’t change your inner ways easily.

“I wonder if I can meet brother’s fiancée.”

When I casually ask, Luft replies with a wry smile.

“Unfortunately, I don’t think she’ll be here for a while. You see, we have a guest here right now …….”

“That’s too bad. I would have loved to say hello to my future sister-in-law.”

“Maybe some other time.”

I then turn my attention to the tall, middle-aged man standing by Luft’s side.

“Hi, Edith. I know you’re busy, but I’m glad you came all the way out here to meet me.”

“No, sir, not at all, sir. Welcome back, Seika-sama.”

The tall man bows.

Edith is a freed slave in the service of the Lamprog family.

He is a man with chestnut hair, a mustache, and a lack of facial expression, but he is actually quite capable, and is in charge of almost all of the management of the Lamprog estate. It is almost thanks to Edith that Blaise is able to devote himself to his research.

That alone should keep him pretty busy…….

“Is everything okay at work?”

“I’m leaving the matter in the hands of those below me. I know I’ve pushed it a bit, but I’d really wanted to receive you in person.”

He replies in a firm tone.

Edith has always been like this, but he has the same attitude towards everyone, so he was the preferred person in the mansion.

Well, I guess it wasn’t for me that he came today.

“But Seika, are you alone?”

“Hmm, that?　You can all come down.”

I turn around with only my face and call out to the carriage.

As if by a signal, the girls came out of the carriage one by one.

“L, Luft sama, It’s been a long time …”

“Oh, Ifa. It’s been a long time. I’m surprised to see you looking so good.”

“Oh, thank you. ……”

“Ifa. Look.”

“Uh-huh.”

Then Ifa looks up at Edith and smiles.

“Um … I’m home, dad”

“Oh”

Edith nodded with a few words.

“Everything okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fine.”

“Are you giving Seika-sama any trouble?”

“Uh, ……, maybe?”

Ifa looks over here, and I answer instead.

“Ifa is doing very well and getting good grades at school. I’m proud of her as a master.”

“I know it’s too good to be true for my daughter,…… but if that’s the case, it was worth sending her off.”

And then Edith stopped talking.

He’s competent at his job, but he’s a clumsy father. A little like Blaise in some ways.

Well, let’s leave this parent and child topic. I turn to Luft and indicate with my hand the red-haired girl frozen nearby.

“Brother Luft. This is Amiyu…”

“Oh, she is.”

Luft turned to Amiyu and held out his hand with a gentle smile.

“Nice to meet you. I am Luft Lamprog, next head of the Lamprog family. I am pleased to welcome you all the way from Rodnea to my estate.”

“Thank you. I’m honored to have been invited …”

Amiyu awkwardly responds to the handshake. It’s totally different from usual.

Luft continues with a somewhat infectious smile.

“How is it? Compared to Rodnea, is this still a countryside?”

“Uh, a little ……, maybe?”

“I don’t know why Seika doesn’t want to come back. I’ve been to the Imperial Capital several times, but never to Rodnea. I wonder if you could tell me about the school and the city, even over a meal. Seika is all about his grades and achievements, and he doesn’t write much about his everyday life in his letters.”

“I just don’t have anything to write about.”

Then I indicate Mabel, who was also standing there by Amiyu’s side.

“Yes, this is Mabel, daughter of Baroness Crane. Did you see my letter?”

“Of course I saw it. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Miss Mabel.”

And Luft, in turn, gives Mabel the aristocratic salute.

“I have actually greeted your uncle once at an academic conference. If you ever have a chance to meet him, I would appreciate it if you could give him my best regards.”

“…..!..”

Mabel nodded silently, looked around in panic, and then hurriedly returned the same aristocratic bow.

Mabel …….

You said you were okay with the mannerisms, but you’re not used to them at all. …… Well, I knew that would be the case.

And then Amiyu poked me a little bit with her finger around my arm.

She whispers to me.

“Hey, is this handsome guy your older brother?”

“Yes.”

“He doesn’t look much like you.”

“Is that a roundabout way of making fun of me?”

“He feels like an aristocrat. I’m not being sarcastic.”

Amiyu muttered, seemingly without any other intention.

That wasn’t the case two years ago. Young people change in a blink of an eye.

When I exhale, I call out to Luft.

“I need to put my stuff down for now, so could you show everyone to their rooms? Brother.”

“I guess so. This way then.”

Leaving the luggage on the wagon to the attendants and servants, Luft leads the way through the grounds of the mansion.

I stood next to him and talked to him.

“Is the room far away?”

“No, it will be an empty room in the mansion. We already have a guest in the villa. You know, the …….”

“Oh……”

And —- then.

“—-Seikaaaaa!”

A voice I didn’t want to hear jumped into my ears.