Like Father, Like Daughter
Studying...
Tap, tap, tap.
Ahh... the papers keep piling up, piling up!
I hate this...!
"Eliana, these documents summarize the nobles with whom we maintain close ties."
"...I don't care about other nobles."
"Eliana."
"...Yes'm."
Reluctant as I was, I reached out and picked up a single page.
Mana stone mines, merchant guilds, trade specialized... This is hard and annoying.
Back home, my big brothers and sisters handled all this complicated stuff anyway. I don't see why I have to memorize it.
It's all about reading the room.
Mother had already returned to her seat at some point and was busy working through paperwork.
Should I make a run for it?
But wait — Dad is genuinely angry right now. If I make him angrier, wouldn't I be banned from leaving the house for the rest of my life?
"Mooom..."
"Not even a minute has passed yet."
"Uuuugh..."
I'm melting. Melting! There's nothing in front of me but letters and paper, I swear.
If I summon the marten, wouldn't Mom be so startled she'd run away?
Come to think of it, where has that marten gotten off to? It's definitely holed up somewhere in the mansion. Maybe I should go find it.
Sliiide...
"Where do you think you're going?"
"T-the bathroom..."
"...Be back within ten minutes."
"Yes ma'am!"
Dash dash dash dash!
Mmm, the moment I'm out of that room, my energy comes flooding back! I knew it — I'm better with physical stuff!
Now then, you marten, you. Where are you off enjoying yourself, abandoning me like this?!
Snap.
Mana Detection, activate!
And that location is... the servants' break room?
Da-da-da-da-dash!
BANG!
"Kyaaa, it's so cuuute~ Want to try some of this too?"
"So that's Lady Eli's summon? What an odd little thing."
"Pwee?"
"Aww... adorable! Have you petted its fur? I've never seen anything this glossy before."
Hmm, well, I suppose our marten is a little cute. But there's no way I'm letting it lounge around in comfort while I'm suffering.
"Marten."
"Pwee?!"
"Oh, my lady? What brings you here..."
"Came to get my marten. Come here."
"Pwee?! Pwee— pwee—!"
Goodness, look at that extreme refusal. But did you really think you could defy mana itself?
"Here, I'll give you this."
"...Pwee—"
It turned its head away! It just refused my mana?!
Pitter-patter-patter.
"Kyah?!"
The marten leapt up, scrambled right up the dress of the maid beside it, and settled onto her shoulder.
Eria, the second-cutest maid in our household after me. From her shoulder, it stared straight at me.
...Oh ho.
It crouched low, watching me like it was on guard. Burning bright in the marten's eyes was a fierce conviction: 'This cute maid beats a mistress like you any day.'
So what, though?
"Eria, bring the marten over here."
"Ah... ah! Yes, my lady."
"Pwee?!"
Silly Eria — you're a maid of our house. Surely obeying the young lady's orders goes without saying?
With an expression of utter betrayal, the marten was held out to me. I took it and settled it onto my shoulder.
Yes, this is how it should be.
"Pweeuuuu..."
"What's with all the sighing?"
The way it went limp and droopy on my shoulder was honestly kind of cute, so I let it be.
Now, how many minutes do I have left? ...No idea. If I'm late, Mom will come drag me back herself anyway.
Sniff, sniff...
Hm? What's that smell?
"Pweet?"
The marten caught the scent too. We followed our noses straight to the kitchen.
Dinner prep was in full swing, everyone bustling about.
"Whoa, fire show!"
Flames roar up from the wok — whoooosh!
So cool. It's like a performance!
"Oh? Lady Eli?"
"Hi there, Chef!"
"What brings you to the kitchen?"
"I smelled something yummy, so I came!"
"Haha, skipping the madam's lessons again, are we?"
Gah! As expected of the chef — sharp eyes, huh?
"Shh! Shh!"
"Hahahaha, understood. Your secret's safe with me, my lady."
Ahem. The chef is firmly on my side, after all. All those times I nodded him along paid off!
"Care for a taste? The soup just finished."
"Yes! I want some."
The chef ladled some soup into a small dish and brought it over.
"Here you are — careful, it's hot."
Steam curls up, and there's a lovely toasty smell. Even the marten knows good food when it smells it — it's watching the bowl with total concentration.
I scooped up a spoonful, blew on it to cool it, and popped it into my mouth. Mmm... warm and thick and nutty and so silky.
"Hehehe, sho good."
"Pwee— pweepwee!"
It started begging at my side, so I ladled out a spoonful and held it up to the marten's mouth.
Chomp, chomp.
"Pweeu~"
The marten looked satisfied too. It licked the rest of the soup clean straight from the dish, then set it down.
"Thank you for the food!"
"I'm only glad you enjoyed it."
"Yep, I'll come again!"
My mood is so much better now.
"Hup-cha."
I slip out of the kitchen and stroll down the corridor. Hmm, by now it should just about be time for Mom to get angry and start hunting for me.
If I keep wandering around like this, she'll turn up sooner or later, right?
"Mm~ mm-hmm~"
Maybe it's the soup, but I'm in such a good mood that humming just bubbles out. The marten's gone boneless on my shoulder, savoring the aftertaste.
"Eheheng."
"Eliana."
Eep, here she comes!
Wait — that's not Mother's voice? I sneak a glance over my shoulder.
"...Dad?"
"How strange. I was certain you were meant to be studying with Seraphina right now."
Uh oh.
I've been caught red-handed skipping class — by Dad.
This was not part of the plan...!
"Ah... ahehehe, I just popped to the bathroom for a moment..."
"Seraphina's room is on the third floor. We are currently on the first."
"..."
Gulp. What do I do? Do... do I run? Or should I grovel and apologize right now?
B-but I hate studying...!
"Whew. Eliana."
"Y-yes sir!"
"Do you truly hate your studies that much?"
"......Yesss."
"Come with me."
What is he going to do?
What now — is he going to strike me from the family register on the spot...
No way! Our dad would never do that.
Then what on earth...
"I'm not scolding you, so rest easy."
"...Ah... ahhh!"
That's our dad! I believed in you!!!
"Fweh?"
What is this wooden sword doing in my hand?
"When I was young and hated studying, I used to swing a sword instead."
"...Dad?"
"And that's how I became a Swordmaster."
What did he just say?! Becoming a Swordmaster was that easy?!
"It seems our little girl takes after me, talents and all."
"Er... um... I don't think so?"
"No, I'll vouch for it. Eli, you are a thorough and complete physical-type."
Well, I mean... I do like using my body more than studying. But swords are a bit...
Huh? No, wait — is Dad in his right mind? A wooden sword?! Me?!
"A...Dad? You're not actually planning to hit your adorable daughter, are you?"
"Fear not. I taught swordsmanship at the imperial court more than a few times, so I'm well practiced at holding back my strength."
"Th-then shouldn't you hold back even more?"
"Do you imagine your opponent will go easy on you in a real fight?"
Grrr... this isn't a conversation, it's a monologue!
"Darling~! Fighting!!"
"...Mom?"
Who knows when she got there, but she'd set a pot of tea on a nearby table and was watching us from a distance.
She is blatantly, partially rooting for Dad! And she's wearing this suspiciously delighted little smile on top of it...!
I'm doomed. There is no one on my side!
"Eyes forward. What are you looking away for?"
"Hk—?!"
Thwack! Swish!
Dad's blade drives in sharp and relentless. Instinct tilts my wooden sword at an angle to deflect it, but my hand is left stinging and numb.
What — what is this? Why is he serious?! Seriously...!
Must. Survive...!
"...Hm?"
"Hm? Oh ho..."
Dad is staring at me like he's seen something curious, but I haven't a sliver of attention to spare for that.
Thwack!
Whoosh, slash!
Swish-swish-swish-slash!
Because a sword so terribly fast and so terribly strong is raining down on me like a storm.
"Eli."
"Hah... hah... wh-what?!"
"I thought you were nothing more than a cute little daughter..."
Dad smiles.
"But it seems you've been hiding quite a few claws, haven't you?"
"HIIIII—?!"
Scary...! He's not angry, but that's scary in a whole different way.
I'm... I'm running!
"Summon Marten!"
"Pwee?!"
Grab it, and then—!
"Friend Shield!"
"PWEEGYEET?!?!"
SMACK!
Yes! Dad's face landed on it perfectly! While he's reeling, I'll whip open a portal and—!
Zap, CRACKLE!
"Going somewhere?"
"Huhek?!"
What was that just now? He erased my spatial magic the instant it formed?!
"Take up the sword, Eli."
"..."
"Learn the sword, and I won't force you to study."
"...!"
Wha—?!
Well, I don't exactly want either, but compared to sitting glued to one spot memorizing the names of nobles... the sword's the better deal, isn't it?
"Or would you rather end this bout and go back to your studies?"
"..."
There was no choice to be made. In the end, I took up the sword, swallowing bitter radish through my tears.
"...I look forward to your instruction."
"Good. Wise choice."
Thwack! Boom! CRASH!!!
In the family training hall, my husband is sparring with a look of pure delight on his face — the first in a long while.
Every swing of his sword leaves a crater in the floor and sends thunder rolling through the hall, but to the people of our house this is simply everyday life. Nobody so much as flinches.
"Madam, I've brought a fresh pot of tea."
"Thank you. Just set it beside me."
Eliana. Our child, both of ours, and yet she inherited our blood in the most extreme ways imaginable. That adorable, endearing face she got from me — but that wild, untamable spirit comes straight from him. And even her gift for the sword.
"Hahahaha! Eli! You truly have the makings of a swordswoman!"
"Huuuek?! I hate iiiit...!"
Even as she whines her protests, she somehow reads his blade, finds the opening, and slips away. That tiny little body of hers somehow parries the sword that even our soldiers struggle to cross blades with for more than a few exchanges.
Truth be told, the sword may suit Eliana far better than study ever did. Though I must say — once she starts training in earnest and rolling around in the dirt, that lovely fair skin of hers will be ruined. What a waste.
"The Lord seems to be enjoying himself."
"With our only son away on campaign, I suppose his body's been feeling heavy and restless for some time."
The head butler, watching alongside me, narrows his eyes and murmurs.
"Although... isn't that divine power?"
"Shh."
"...My apologies."
A white light flickers now and then from Eli's hand as she turns aside his blade. Why a child who has never received baptism can wield healing power is a mystery, but I've decided not to press the question.
Needless to ask — she must have done something during her escapes outside.
She's such a free spirit that even her father told us to let her be, half in resignation. Who knows what she's been getting up to out there.
Case in point: that creature sprawled out on the floor over there...
It insists it's a marten, but that is unmistakably an Azrak.
My husband says to trust the child and let her be. As a mother, though, worrying is simply what I do.
"Honestly — born a girl, and yet why must her temperament resemble him to the letter..."
"Come to think of it, my lord caused quite a few storms in his youth as well."
I breathe in the gentle fragrance of the tea and turn my eyes back to the bout.
BOOM!
This from the man who raises such a fuss whenever his little girl gets so much as a scratch — now swinging his sword down with that much abandon. Whether it's faith in his own control, faith in Eli's talent, or just excitement blinding him entirely, I couldn't say.
...Honestly. He's still a big child, that's all.
I take a soft sip of tea and swallow.
"Madam, dinner is nearly ready. How shall we proceed?"
"Please wait a little longer. I can hardly call a halt when he's enjoying himself so."
"Understood."
Does that child realize it yet? That born into House Erdian, sooner or later, memorizing the names of nobles is non-negotiable?
Her father told her she could learn the sword on the condition that she give up studying. In truth, it's robbing Peter to pay Paul.
No — she'll be adding swordsmanship on top of her studies. Her workload has only grown.
Well... sometimes it's better not to know the truth, isn't it?
Today, too, House Erdian is at peace.