“I took the maid to the Primrose Inn.”
There was no need for leading questions.
When I asked Theon what he did on an errand for my dad yesterday, he immediately told me what happened.
He said Anne cried her eyes out after seeing Jeffrey in a better condition. The innkeeper mentioned that “Young Master Reytan saved your younger brother,” making my dad a benefactor to Anne from that moment.
‘So, Dad intended to help Anne from the start?’
It’s clear that Jeffrey was the reason. My dad has a soft spot for kids around my age who are unwell.
‘My dad is too soft-hearted~’
Anyway, Theon confessed so easily that I started to worry about him.
Dad had surely made it clear that it was a secret mission. Theon even told others that he was out for training yesterday as an excuse.
“Are you sure it’s okay to tell me all this so freely?”
“It’s not okay.”
“Then why did you?”
Theon fell silent for a moment at my words. We were walking hand-in-hand to the training center, where he was going to drop me off before returning for his training.
Waking up for training, eating breakfast, more training, lunch, and yet more training. Sometimes training even after dinner.
Theon’s day, as Dad’s disciple, was mostly filled with training.
Becoming a Grand Master is no simple task.
‘Theon, the crown prince, achieved the title of Sword Master at the age of twenty-two, didn’t he?’
The holy sword without a master is kept at the main temple.
Sword Masters of the Hayshal Empire are required to wield the unclaimed holy sword at least once, and Theon was no exception.
Wyndis chose Theon as the next master.
It happened three years after my dad’s death.
‘Sorry, Theon. You might have to wait until Dad retires again in this life.’
It might even be impossible. Once he ascends the throne, he’s free from the obligation of the holy sword.
…Am I possibly crushing Theon’s dreams?
Just as I was apologizing silently to Theon ten times over, he opened his mouth.
“I don’t know.”
“Hmm? I didn’t hear you well.”
When I turned my head, my eyes met with Theon’s.
Although it might sound strange to compare him to an animal, his jet-black eyes sometimes reminded me of a puppy.
“Even though I’m not supposed to say anything, why did I?”
“……I don’t know either…”
Is this a riddle?
“The answer might be something you already know, Theon. Let me know if you ever figure it out.”
“Okay.”
At my words, Theon fell silent again, looking thoughtful.
So, Dad was involved in Anne’s escape?
Anne’s name was cleared, and she was dismissed from her position because Grandmother Priscilla assisted in Dad’s plan.
It wouldn’t have been out of goodwill that Grandmother sided with my dad; a deal must have been struck.
‘How much did Dad give Grandmother Priscilla that even Aunt Marian couldn’t say a word?’
I had learned enough about the adults’ affairs.
I couldn’t completely trust Anne, but she didn’t seem hostile towards Dad.
‘Rather than that…’
There were also things going on with the kids.
The words of the twins, who signed the subordinate contract last night, still lingered clearly in my mind.
“…I finished writing it all.”
“Ugh. Do I really have to write this?”
“I’m so happy to have you, sister and brother, as my subordinates. I look forward to it!”
“Yeah, right. Don’t you dare do something like that again.”
“Like what?”
“It was you who caught frogs and left them outside our house a few days ago, wasn’t it? The sack was jumping all around the front entrance! The servant said there were dozens of bullfrogs inside… making ribbit-ribbit sounds-”
“Eek! Marty, stop talking! It’s disgusting…!”
Marty started to tear up while talking, and Harty covered her ears, shaking her head.
The reason the twins had freaked out at the sight of me in the training hall was because they had witnessed a sack full of dozens of bullfrogs.
A big, jumping sack making a chorus of ribbit sounds…
‘Ugh. Just thinking about it gives me the creeps.’
When I thought about who might have done it, only one person came to mind.
Theon.
Only Theon and I knew that the twins had intended to throw bullfrogs at me.
‘Why did he do that?’
I was curious, but I didn’t ask Theon. It seemed better that I was the only one who knew about the Emerald House’s frog terrorist.
‘Was he trying to stand up for me?’
For some reason, I felt happy. Is this what it feels like to have a big brother?
Hehe. I shook the hand I was holding with Theon.
Theon, looking puzzled, asked,
“Do you have something to say?”
“No, I just feel happy~”
“Why?”
“Because of you, Theon!”
At those words, Theon fell silent again, with a contemplative look on his face.
***
Heum.
I took a deep breath as I looked at the closed classroom door. To uphold my lowest-ranking appearance, I usually arrived five minutes before class started.
So, by now, all my relatives would be inside the classroom. Especially Calypso.
‘Aunt Marian must have made a big fuss. Calypso would know, too.’
Ugh. Today might be the day something falls on my head.
I turned the doorknob, opened the door slightly, then took a step back and gently pushed the door with my foot. I intended to push it softly, but the sole of my shoe slipped, sending my leg forward.
Rip, I almost split my legs…!
“Ugh, ow, ow.”
Thud!
My legs almost extended into a full 180-degree split, but my survival instincts kicked in, bending my knees and landing on the floor.
I looked down to steady my startled heart, and the doorframe was just below me. If something had fallen on my head, it would have hit directly. But nothing fell.
“Ahem.”
I cleared my throat in embarrassment, but the surroundings were silent.
When the door opened, I had glimpsed my relatives seated inside.
‘The atmosphere is heavy?’
When I raised my head, I saw my relatives looking at me.
Each had a stiff expression. Even gentle Ciel was expressionless.
Was it the aftereffect of the previous day? It’s cold, so cold.
Normally, I would quietly take a seat while observing my relatives’ reactions, but-
Hehe.
“Good morning, sisters and brothers!”
This time, I acted differently.
I smiled brightly and waved, especially at the two people seated behind me!
“Uh… good morning.”
“…Hello.”
When my subordinates responded to my greeting, Ciel looked slightly surprised, and Calypso slammed his desk.
“Harty, Marty, what are you doing?”
It seemed they had all agreed to ignore me when I entered.
“We’re just saying hello.”
“Mom told us to always greet others.”
At the twins’ excuse, Calypso ground his teeth.
In any case, Madam Freya would soon arrive.
I went to my seat and looked out the window, seeing the clear blue sky. The weather was nice.
‘I’d love to visit the Main Temple. They say it’s like an entirely different world inside.’
The Aubawth Order’s symbolic color was white, so when they built the Main Temple, all the materials used for the visible structure were white, giving visitors a dreamlike feeling.
But the Main Temple was restricted, only accessible to those with permission and their companions.
My dad had promised to take me there once I got older, but he never managed to fulfill that promise.
Now that I had Theon, the future might turn out differently!
Thud-!
“Whoa.”
I was lost in thought, staring out the window, when a strong wind blew right next to my face. Startled, I blinked and turned to see someone standing with one hand on my desk.
“Hey.”
Sharp brown eyes, like slightly unruly chestnut hair, glared down at me.
It was Calypso.
There was a newspaper under his hand on the desk; the breeze seemed to come from him slamming the paper down.
As I looked at Calypso with my bangs blown back, he twisted his mouth into a sneer.
“What’s got you smiling so much?”
“I wasn’t smiling.”
I really wasn’t. Calypso hadn’t expected me to retort, so he frowned.
“Don’t you even do morning greetings? Do you know what Grandmother said this morning?”
How was I supposed to know what Grandmother said this morning? I wasn’t there.
When I shook my head to show I didn’t know, Calypso continued.
“She told us to be nice to you.”
“Oh.”
Now I was even more curious about the deal between Dad and Grandmother.
Just how much did she receive to say something like that?
“Do you know why Grandmother sided with you? Why she told us not to mess with someone like you?”
“No…?”
“Because she feels sorry for you.”
“Stop it, Calypso.”
Ciel finally had enough and stood up to stop Calypso.
But at Calypso’s next words, Ciel froze mid-step.
“Because you’re an idiot who can’t even read.”
Whoa.
A gasp of disbelief slipped out from the twins seated behind me.
