Not Adultery, But Romance?
"Is it romance, not adultery?"
"Wipe that spot with a dry towel. If it gets wet, it'll ruin the surface. Once you're done there, move to the area below. The basics of cleaning are always top to bottom."
At the flood of Jenkinson's nagging, Cabinson let out a small sigh and climbed onto the ceiling, wiping away the dust with a dry towel while fighting back tears.
"Clear the cobwebs, but take the spiders outside."
"Yes, yes."
"There's a cockroach too. I'll deal with this one."
"Yes, yes."
Jenkinson continued his lecture while Cabinson half-listened, and the cleaning went on. Then Jenkinson glanced at the blanket spread across the bed and frowned slightly.
"You did wash the blanket, right?"
"W-well, that is..."
When Cabinson fell silent, unable to answer, Jenkinson exhaled a long sigh.
"...I'll handle it with magic for now. From next time on, wash it at least once a week."
As he magically cleaned the completely yellowed blanket, Jenkinson kept lecturing.
"I can't leave you alone like this. If you're going to keep working in the capital, you should get married soon. Do you have a woman you're seeing?"
"...No?"
Jenkinson nearly choked at Cabinson's reply.
"Then is there someone you like?"
Well, it was possible he didn't have anyone he was seeing. If there was at least someone he liked, then maybe there was a way forward...
"...No?"
At the next answer, Jenkinson was at a complete loss for words.
"..."
How am I supposed to deal with my own brother? Jenkinson felt a headache coming on.
"Don't tell me... you've never even been with a woman."
It couldn't be. Whose brother was he? The younger brother he had raised so preciously couldn't possibly have reached that age without any experience with women...
"Th-that... no?"
At that answer, Jenkinson squeezed his eyes shut. A fully grown adult who was already twenty-one... and it wasn't as if his face or status were lacking, yet he had no experience with women? This wasn't just Cabinson's problem anymore. The fact that he himself had neglected it was also a big issue.
"...I must have been too careless with my little brother. Goddess Yuno, please forgive this foolish servant."
As Jenkinson repented to Goddess Yuno, Cabinson cried out, his face flushed with shame.
"D-don't make such a fuss! You're still not married either, Brother."
Jenkinson sighed at those words.
"If you were living properly, I wouldn't have to worry like this. If you don't want to hear this nagging, you should live right."
"Ah! Seriously! All you ever do is nag."
In the end, Cabinson couldn't hold back and shouted, but it was pointless.
"Instead of asking me to stop nagging, how about living in a way that doesn't invite it?"
That relentless, terrifying mouth showed no sign of stopping.
"Phew... I guess the cleaning is about done?"
After the long cleaning session, the now spotless house seemed to satisfy Jenkinson quite a bit. Deciding to deal with his brother's issues one step at a time, Jenkinson spoke with a pleased expression.
"Is it dinnertime? Shall we eat together and talk?"
"...There aren't any ingredients here. We'd have to go out to eat."
When Cabinson hesitated, Jenkinson answered as if he'd expected as much.
"I figured that might be the case, so I already bought some while I was out getting cleaning supplies. What do you want to eat? I picked up ingredients for the pasta you used to like."
"You'll make the pasta?"
Cabinson's face brightened. He'd always loved the pasta his brother made.
"Looks like you're happy. Clean off the table and wait. I'll have it ready soon."
As Jenkinson tied on an apron with practiced ease, Cabinson answered excitedly and began clearing the table.
Watching Jenkinson cook with skilled hands brought back old memories for Cabinson. Their father had little interest in the family, and their mother had been ill. In the castle where even the servants' attention was focused on their ailing mother, the one who had raised him was his brother, seven years older.
He had always felt grateful to his brother. Even back then, Jenkinson had been young himself. While looking after Cabinson, he had also received lessons as the heir, studied theology from that priest, and trained in martial arts under their father.
It must have been hard.
During that time, Jenkinson had balanced heir training, theology lessons, and physical training while also staying by their sick mother's side. It must have been incredibly difficult and busy. Yet Jenkinson had never once shown any sign of hardship. Cabinson had always been thankful for that.
Of course, Jenkinson truly hadn't found it difficult, so he hadn't shown it—but Cabinson didn't know that.
Sizzle.
"You don't mind if I add some seafood?"
"Fine by me."
More than anything, Cabinson was glad Jenkinson had dropped the awkward formal speech. His brother's usual polite demeanor had always felt strange and hard to watch.
"It's been a while since we've done this."
After some time had passed, Jenkinson removed his apron and placed a plate of pasta topped with a clean olive oil sauce on the table. True to his word about using seafood, it was garnished with shrimp whose shells had been neatly removed and squid scored with elegant cuts.
"Thanks for the meal."
Cabinson immediately started eating, while Jenkinson sat across from him, offered a brief prayer, and then began his own meal.
"How's the priest work going? I mean... honestly, it's not exactly a job that gets you a lot of praise. What you're doing."
While still marveling at how delicious his brother's pasta was, Cabinson asked carefully. Even Cabinson knew the notoriety of family-department Inquisitors. Shadowy figures who dug into other people's affairs and chased after evidence of adultery—that was the image of family-department Inquisitors across the continent.
Yet Jenkinson remained perfectly calm at the question.
"Nothing much. It's just work that needs to be done, so I do it."
Well, that figures. Because he was Jenkinson. Cabinson thought the answer was very much like his brother. More than that...
"So, why don't you tell me about that woman already?"
"...Ah, right."
Jenkinson finally remembered his original purpose and fell into thought. How should he explain her?
"That woman, huh..."
There was plenty that came to mind, but in the end, there was only one thing he could say to his brother.
"She's a funny woman."
"?"
She was a strangely amusing woman. For now, that was the only description he had.
--
Scratch, scratch.
Is someone talking about me?
Limia, who was entertaining an honored guest, felt a strange itch in her ears. She lightly scratched them and muttered to herself. More importantly...
"This is quite the interesting combination."
Limia smiled as she looked at Greg and Hermann traveling together. The guardian deity of Rucella and the Holy Kingdom's greatest power traveling side by side—it was truly a rare sight.
"Shouldn't you be in the capital yourself?"
Greg answered indifferently as he drank. He'd thought Gimore would be the one to greet them...
"I took some leave. Honestly, without a war, there's not much for me to do. Father went to the Ruttel Duchy on business."
She had recently taken leave from the royal palace and returned to the Ofrel family castle, where she was now idling about. Rest was nice, but... her body felt restless, perhaps? Being idle like this was comfortable, but terribly boring.
"More than that... aren't you being a bit too casual with your future father-in-law?"
When Greg spoke after quietly listening to her, Limia immediately broke into a cold sweat.
Ah! Only then did Limia remember the marriage talks that had recently been progressing within the family, and she quickly changed her tone.
"C-come on... I wouldn't be that rude, would I?"
At the sight of her fidgeting and glancing around nervously, Hermann's eyes sparkled.
That Giant of Yura...
This was amusing. Hermann couldn't hold back his laughter as he watched her struggle in front of Greg. The sight of the woman who was always so confident now flustered before Greg was quite the entertaining scene.
"If you have nothing to do, let's loosen up that body of yours."
Even at her reaction, Greg spoke calmly while stretching his hands.
"Oh! Does that mean you'll spar with me?"
Limia's eyes lit up. Then and now—she really did love fighting.
"My body's gotten quite dull lately. I think it needs some oiling."
Greg nodded at her words.
He'd felt it ever since fighting Gilbert. He had grown dull from the long peace. Even if Jenkinson mocked him as a relic, it couldn't be helped. It was simply the truth.
So...
"Let's go."
Greg intended to properly loosen up his body this time. The Giant of Yura made for a decent opponent.
--
And so a day passed.
Cabinson slowly got up and immediately looked for his brother.
"Brother, what about breakfast..."
But no answer came.
Ah, he must have left already.
Now that he thought about it, at this hour Jenkinson would have already returned. It was pathetic how naturally he'd come to expect his brother to still be there.
Thinking that, Cabinson came downstairs and was surprised to see breakfast laid out on the table. Thanks to the preservation magic Jenkinson had cast, the meal was still warm.
"...I always end up relying on Brother."
Even as he muttered apologetically, Cabinson ate the stew, bread, and meat dishes his brother had prepared. Then he changed into his uniform and got ready for work.
Somehow, I feel energized.
Maybe it was because he usually just grabbed some bread for breakfast? Having a proper meal made him feel like he had more energy. Thinking that, Cabinson arrived at work and immediately spotted his colleague, greeting him.
"Sir Seamus. You're already here?"
"Ah, Sir Cabinson. Let's work hard today as well."
This man with striking blond hair and his usual friendly smile—Seamus was a reliable colleague.
"Of course. More importantly, that lunchbox... did your wife make it?"
Cabinson's eyes sparkled as he looked at the lunchbox Seamus was carrying, and Seamus scratched his cheek awkwardly before nodding.
"Yes. She said the meals from the palace are fine, but the nutrition seems unbalanced..."
At those words, Cabinson spoke enviously.
"You have a wonderful wife. I'm jealous, Sir Seamus."
If he had a wife who would take care of him like that, he wouldn't have to listen to his brother's nagging...
When Cabinson looked at him with that emotion in his eyes, Seamus seemed burdened.
"Ahaha... right."
What?
Why that reaction? Cabinson felt puzzled by the strangely awkward response, but walked with him for a moment.
"More than that, it seems His Highness is receiving a guest... Do you know anything about it, Sir Cabinson?"
Feeling something odd about Seamus's sudden question, Cabinson answered anyway.
"Pardon? Ah, well... I do know, but..."
He knew, but...
"I can't go around blabbing about mission details."
Of course, he had no intention of gossiping about the guest either.
"R-right, of course."
Watching Seamus look disappointed at the answer, Cabinson felt puzzled.
What?
Sir Seamus seemed strange today...
Even as he thought that, Cabinson quickly brushed off his suspicions. Sir Seamus wasn't the type to cause problems. From what he'd seen, Seamus was a good and upright person.