Chapter 73

073.

“This place is full of my memories!”

“It looks like a playroom.”

“Right! My older brother used to play with me here a lot. He’s different from the intimidating older brother figure.”

“An older brother is an older brother, and an intimidating older brother is just that.”

“No, Kal. Kal and Kalen may be the same person, but the playful older brother and the intimidating older brother are two different people. The most frightening was the latter.”

After arriving at the mansion.

Kalen, having recuperated from the fatigue of traveling to Ecclesia,

sure enough found the facilities befitting the Dranunus name.

After the resurrection announcement, the number of people and families seeking connections surged.

Thanks to this, the funds that had momentarily stopped began to flow again,

allowing Dranunus to regain some of the high-ranking noble family’s former dignity, even if not to the same level as before.

Kalen himself was surprised by the softness of the bed, despite having just unpacked and taken a short rest.

Just as Kalen was recuperating, Sina, who had been pretending to sleep, suddenly pulled him out.

It had been a while, after all.

Sina treaded through the mansion as if she had lived here until just yesterday.

Not only spaces like the dining room and various study rooms,

but also areas filled with her precious memories.

Kalen was dragged along by Sina.

Naturally, it felt as if he was being introduced to her cherished memories.

It had the feeling of ‘home’ all over it.

Sina’s cheerful smile was truly delightful to see.

“Sina.”

“Yes?”

“Why don’t you say anything to Lady Seline?”

“…”

Silence.

Sina’s head turned,

then she flinched,

and her gaze returned to Kalen.

The reason being the senior maid, Blamia’s appointee, standing silently with a faint smile.

Originally, the mansion tour was supposed to be guided by Seline, at Blamia’s request,

but Sina had abruptly grabbed Kalen’s hand and pulled him along.

Nonetheless, Seline couldn’t abandon her responsibilities.

She followed Kalen and Sina,

but let Sina do all the introductions while she simply stood alongside them, smiling silently.

Kalen noticed this.

Sina hesitated for a moment and whispered,

“It’s awkward…”

“You get awkward about certain things too.”

“That sister is a face I’ve never seen before… and something about her… feels intimidating.”

“Intimidating?”

Is there something Sina finds difficult?

Given her pure and lively nature, she seemed like someone who could make friends with anyone quickly.

Even when Kalen first met Sina,

she smiled brightly insisting that friends don’t use honorifics with each other.

It wasn’t an exaggeration to say that it was thanks to that girl that the current Kalen exists.

“Because I’m granddaughter to Lady Mirda.”

“Eh… Did you hear that…?”

“I wasn’t hurt. In fact, I actually like how cute you are more than I expected.”

“Eek…”

Mirda’s granddaughter.

Mirda was the woman who, along with Gilron, came early to meet Blamia.

She didn’t look as old as Blamia, so did she marry young?

“Have you worked for the Dranunus family for long?”

“No, I started a long time ago. I learned the job from my grandmother. It’s just that I was young, and you were very young too back then.”

Indeed, Seline appeared to be no more than 20 years old.

She might have already had her coming-of-age ceremony, but she was still very much a peer to refer to as such.

“Still, your craftsmanship is remarkable, and that’s how you became the head maid. It’s safe to leave things to you.”

“Whenever you wish.”

“Thank you very much.”

By now, Sina had walked a good distance ahead.

Kalen couldn’t help but sigh softly at her, and

Seline also smiled while looking at Kalen and Sina.

“You two have a good relationship.”

“We’ve known each other for a long time.”

“It doesn’t quite seem like just that, does it?”

“Many things have happened.”

“Ah.”

As Kalen spoke, his eyes seemed to recall a certain time.

For just an instant, Seline understood his feelings.

The eyes of the boy watching the girl carried

an exceptionally strong bond within them.

“A young lady like you might get lost. Shall we go?”

“Yes.”

“Ho ho.”

Seline started liking the young masters she had recently come to serve more and more.

*

Naturally,

Sina’s memory tour couldn’t last long.

Traveling back and forth to Ecclesia alone is exhausting.

And yet, she still wandered the entire mansion, castle-like in its size, making exhaustion inevitable.

“Kal… carry me…”

“No. You’re the heir now. You have to maintain your dignity.”

“I don’t care about my dignity. I just want to be friends.”

“Friends?”

“…”

Kalen and Sina are friends.

However, at the same time, calling them friends creates many problems.

The amount of time they have spent together, the events they have shared,

are simply too massive to be confined within the framework of ‘friends.’

Moreover, Sina has confessed her feelings.

Responses have been delayed for various reasons,

and both are very aware of this fact.

Because their relationship is so intimate and pleasant,

the truth is often forgotten.

Kalen also realized he had blurted something out unconsciously.

If he hadn’t said it, he might not have been aware,

but now that he had spoken, he couldn’t help but notice.

“…I’m bad…”

“…Sorry.”

“Hmph. I’ll let it slide this time.”

Although Sina smiled as if it was fine,

it seemed like the matter wouldn’t be easily passed over.

Determined to cuddle, she approached Kalen with her arms spread wide.

Annoying as it was to see Sina pouting,

there must also have been guilt on Kalen’s part, however unconscious it might have been.

With a sigh, Kalen picked her up,

and upon feeling content, Sina closed her eyes with a smile.

“…Can I sleep like this?”

“Do as you wish. Did you bathe?”

“Of course. Grandfather told me to bathe right after dinner.”

“Alright then.”

“Yes…”

After the evening meal, they were meeting in the room.

Sina had already changed into her comfortable clothes, the kind she wore in the small cottage,

and she positioned herself comfortably in Kalen’s arms.

In a short time, her breathing became steady.

She must have been tired.

Even after dinner, she followed Blamia around, greeting those who had come to pay their respects.

Starting tomorrow, her official heir classes would begin.

Even with Blamia’s help, he wasn’t familiar with this sort of thing.

She should get as much sleep as possible because she would soon need to make appearances around the fief.

Thinking this, Kalen cradled Sina comfortably,

and after confirming she was asleep,

he quietly made his way to her room.

Softly, the light and delicate body of the girl collapsed onto the bed.

Covering her with warm blankets, her expression relaxed.

Kalen stayed by her side for a while and

carefully left her room without waking her.

“Aya, has the young lady fallen asleep?”

“Ah. Lady Seline.”

“You can call me by my name.”

“Maybe Sina wouldn’t mind, but I am only a guest here.”

“…Understood. Nonetheless, you can call me freely whenever you wish.”

When he stepped outside, Seline and two other maids were there.

It didn’t seem like they had just happened to pass by;

it felt like they had been waiting for him.

Had he caught their gaze on him?

Seline smiled warmly and continued.

“You seem quite tired. Would you like to retire to your room?”

“…”

The tone of her voice was as if she were following him.

Kalen momentarily looked flustered.

“Shall I come with you?”

“Did you not hear from Lady Blamia?”

That fleeting remark by Blamia.

-Get close to Seline. She’ll be the one to take care of you here.

Blamia had said Seline would help with Kalen’s convenience.

The natural follow-up question arose.

“Perhaps by convenience you mean…”

“Yes. While you stay in the mansion, Seline and these two will always be at your service.”

“It’s fine…”

“Shall we head to your room, then?”

Seline smiled as if to imply this was non-negotiable,

and Kalen stopped trying to argue.

Blamia’s words might have been absolute,

but the convenience offered was good—or at the very least, not bad.

He could always bring it up with Blamia if it truly bothered him later.

“…Yes.”

With that, as if she had been waiting for his answer,

Seline smiled warmly and walked ahead.

The two maids, who had been following behind her, bowed once to Kalen and then preceded him.

“May I ask how far you’d like us to enter?”

“Well, as far as inside the room.”

“Ah.”

“Would the young master like to bathe?”

“…I am not a young master.”

Kalen realized something.

The world was vast, filled with a variety of people.

He hadn’t anticipated someone more unpredictable than Sina.

Seline.

She surpassed all his expectations.

“Surely, you don’t mean you’ll enter while I bathe?”

“Do you need assistance with bathing?”

“No. Absolutely not.”

“Then I’ll help you with undressing.”

“…”

Had she gone further in her assistance, it would have been disastrous,

but Seline knew her limits.

The boundaries were drawn at places Kalen could reluctantly accept,

and she carefully navigated them.

Although originally Blamia’s request hadn’t intended for such an extent of care,

it was Seline’s own judgment.

There were also words saying she should do her best to assist with the request.

Most importantly, Seline found the boy, Kalen, intriguing.

The young archmage of the empire was so accommodating,

and why was the girl heiress of the Dranunus family so fond of him?

What about this boy made them react this way?

It aligned with Seline’s character.

While she served the Dranunus family faithfully alongside her grandmother,

and remained endlessly grateful to Blamia for taking care of her grandmother long ago,

she believed she needed to judge her own master-to-be.

Though still young, having yet to undergo her coming-of-age ceremony, such an appearance was not a flaw.

Seline quietly smiled warmly

and gripped the hem of Kalen’s clothing with the two trainee maids in tow.

“Then, I’ll start undressing you.”

“…Yes.”

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