Swordsmanship First-Class but Pussy Third-Class!? (6)
“Riaaaaaan!!! You’re here! Come on! Let me hug you! Let me touch you! Let me lick you some more!”
“....”
“....”
“Ahaang! Our baby brother! You’ve grown so much taller since I last saw you! Your shoulders are broader too! Wow!! You were already handsome, but now you’re even more so!”
He could have dodged if he wanted to... but he knew it would only make things more annoying if he did, so Rian just stood there.
She hasn’t changed a bit.
Of course, that was Corelline sister for you.
She was the type who had to do whatever she set her mind to.
She seemed a bit like Rebecca at first glance... but Corelline at least knew her limits. Her personality was far more cheerful and upbeat than Rebecca’s, as evidenced by all this.
“...Sister. People are watching.”
“So what if they are!! I want to shout it to the entire empire that my Rian is here!! Sniff—! Haa! I really missed you, Rian!”
“....”
He couldn’t say a word in response to his sister’s voice, brimming with genuine emotion.
“Haa... Me too, Sister.”
“Ahaang! I knew it! It must be tough living away from home, right?”
Sniff sniff—! Sniff sniff—!
Corelline buried her nose in the nape of his neck and started smelling him.
“Ah, Sister! Come on, really...!!”
“Just a little more! Just a bit longer!! Wow~ Rian smells so good!! Wait, what’s this?! You’ve been living down south, and now there’s a hint of floral scent mixed in? Haaa! Look, everyone! Check this out! Our Rian’s become a man who even smells like flowers!!”
“....”
Probably because he’d been pressed right up against Topaz in the carriage—had her scent rubbed off on him?
Squeeze—!
“No! More importantly, Sister! I can’t breathe!! I’m gonna die!”
“Ahaang! You’ve gotten so dramatic, Rian! Can’t breathe from this much? Don’t worry! If you happen to suffocate in Sister’s breasts, I’ll die with you!!”
Crack—!
As Corelline’s arms tightened around his waist even more, he swore he heard a sound from his ribs that shouldn’t be there. This wasn’t a joke—he had to escape before they actually broke!
“Ah! Corelline Sister!! I brought a gift!! A gift!!”
“Ooooh! A gift?!”
Seizing the moment her grip loosened, he barely wriggled free.
“Haa... haa...”
He’d been at the Ludwig main estate for less than a minute, and half his stamina was already gone.
“What is it, what?! What’d you bring?! I’m already a little touched? You even thought of that, Rian! Show me!!”
Corelline’s eyes sparkled.
“It’s the latest perfume trending in the capital. I went for something sweet since you seem to like that...”
“Aaaah!! Rian remembered Sister’s tastes too?! Haa, Sister’s so~ touched!! You’re on Sister’s side after all, right?! Right?!”
Squeeze—!
“Wait, Sister! I just said—really, if you hug me like that, I can’t—”
“C-Co-Corelline ma’am! Rian sir can’t breathe!!”
Topaz, who’d been holding back with all her might, finally couldn’t stand by any longer and jumped in hurriedly.
“Ahaang! Oh my, Topaz! You’re here too! Of course! You have to come when Rian does.”
Only then did she notice Topaz. Releasing Rian, Corelline grabbed Topaz’s hand.
“Y-Yes... I came with Young Master Rian.”
“Good, good! Thanks for taking such good care of our Rian! If I’d sent him alone, he wouldn’t have slept properly... You’re a real lifesaver, Topaz. So, you’re making sure he eats well? Changing his clothes on time? Sleep?”
“Y-Yes! All taken care of, ma’am!”
Topaz’s speech was stiff, her expression rigid.
Naturally so.
She might act this way around him... but Corelline was the eldest daughter of the Ludwig count family and a clear candidate for the next family head.
Topaz had every reason to be tense.
“Ahaang!! Lies!! Our Rian would never behave that well! Well, whatever—any big incidents?”
“Ah... Th-That is...”
Glance—
Topaz’s eyes flicked toward him.
Should I mention becoming ‘secret friends’ with the Asbestos heir? Or taking the Necroport heir as my banquet partner?
Her gaze asked just that...
Neither! Absolutely not!
He answered with his eyes.
“None! Nothing at all! Young Master Rian has been a model citizen!”
“Hm~ Really?”
Squint—
Corelline eyed him suspiciously. It was definitely a Something’s being hidden, but I can’t quite pinpoint it look.
“It’s true, Sister. I’ve just been quietly running the publishing house.”
“Oh, right, the publishing house... Speaking of which, Rian, you punk! I sent you a letter. Why no reply?”
“That’s...”
Crackle—!
The letter from Corelline flashed in his mind.
[(Omitted)... Lately, this author “Nakadashi” has been super popular! And they’re with your publishing house? Keep it secret, but spill to your sister. I’m dying to know!]
It wasn’t that he hadn’t replied—he couldn’t.
How was he supposed to respond to her asking for ‘Nakadashi’s’ true identity?
“Sorry. The publishing house has been so busy...”
“Pfft~ You’re never too busy for one letter! Do you know how long I waited!! Ahaang! Naughty boys get punished~!”
Corelline playfully flicked his forehead.
Thwack—!
What was that, a gunshot?
Throb—! Throb—!
As expected of Corelline sister. Despite the playful attitude, that flick stung like hell.
“That hurts, Sister...”
“Ahaang! Our Rian’s gotten way too whiny! Ah, hungry? Come inside first! I decorated your room!! And I had them prepare food—just your favorites!”
“...Huh? How’d you know the arrival time?”
“Pfft~ I guessed roughly! But just in case, I’ve had meals ready since three days ago!”
“...Three days ago?”
That meant nine meals prepped in advance, counting three a day...
“Ahaah!! The leftovers were deliciously eaten by the staff, so no worries! Today’s are piping hot, fresh out!”
“No, Sister. I still have luggage...”
“The staff can handle the luggage!”
Snap! Snap!
Corelline snapped her fingers twice, and the waiting servants moved in perfect unison to carry the bags.
Click! Click! Click!
...Is this the army?
It wasn’t entirely wrong.
There were many reasons the Glacia family was called the ‘Northern Grand Duke’... but the biggest was their ability to maintain private soldiers.
Sure, other families gathered ‘security personnel’ under vague pretenses too.
—That’s not an army in your territory, right?
—No, sir, not an army.
—Good. Keep it that way.
Something like that. They had to keep the scale discreet, naturally.
But Glacia had official imperial permission for private soldiers.
The reason was simple.
Sweep—
To guard the empire’s northernmost barrier, the Wailing Wall.
Of course, since he’d come to this world, there hadn’t been any invasions from beyond the Wailing Wall... but records showed it was bad enough for the imperial family to allow nobles private armies.
Thud— Thud—
That’s why the Ludwig family holds some real power in the north.
A direct vassal house of Glacia.
In other words, they could maintain private soldiers within Glacia’s approved limits.
That was why the estate staff moved with such military precision.
With numbers restricted, they’d ‘retire’ them on paper and rehire as butlers or maids.
“Ahaang!! Come on, Rian! Let’s go in~!”
“....”
Drag drag drag—!
Topaz had said the meeting with Corelline sister was ‘on arrival day’... but he hadn’t expected to get kidnapped the second he arrived.
Creeeak—!
The floor was covered in red carpet, and portraits of past Ludwig family heads lined the walls. The main estate looked much the same as he remembered... but
“...Did you do all this too, Sister?”
He pointed to the decorations lining the hallway.
“Nope! Not me—Mother did! She picked them out herself since you were coming! This way! You haven’t forgotten the way, right? Mom and Dad are waiting!”
“....”
Not giving him a chance to reply, Corelline grabbed his arm and dragged him toward the dining hall.
“W-Wait a moment! Young Master Rian! Corelline ma’am!”
Topaz’s hurried footsteps echoed from behind.
Creeeak—!
The dining hall doors opened, revealing a long table laden with food.
And at the head of the table...
“...Father.”
“....”
The head of the Ludwig count family.
Straydum Ludwig sat in his chair.
Red hair streaked with white.
Deep wrinkles and piercing eyes.
His peak strength might have faded with age... but the intimidating presence of the man once called the Red Tiger remained.
“Have you been well?”
“Hm.”
Father nodded once in lieu of a reply.
He’d always been a man of few words.
Good? ‘Hm.’ Bad? ‘Hm.’ Angry? ‘Hm.’
Everything ended in ‘hm,’ making his emotions nearly impossible to read... but
—Okay, analysis complete.
From long experience, this ‘hm’ was close to ‘satisfied.’
“Our Rian’s here.”
A soft voice came from beside him.
Edelweiss Ludwig.
His mother’s voice.
She looked quite like Corelline aside from her hair color... but her aura and personality were polar opposites.
“Hee hee hee... You’ve grown so much.”
“...Mother.”
Mother rose and placed a hand on his cheek.
“Must have been tough in the capital? Did you eat on time? You’ve lost some weight.”
Squint—
Mother’s eyes narrowed slightly.
“Topaz... You’re not skipping meals for our Rian, are you?”
“N-No, ma’am! He eats well! Really! Y-Young Master Rian!! Say something!! I never starved you...”
Mother smiled gently at the flustered Topaz.
“Hee hee, no need to panic. I was just teasing. Of course you take good care of him, Topaz. You’d make sure Rian eats even if you went hungry yourself.”
“Y-Yes... Th-Thank you...”
“Now, both of you sit. We’ll talk over the meal.”
“E-Edelweiss ma’am! H-How could I presume! I-I’ll... eat outside separately!”
“You two probably ate together anyway, right? It’s fine—just sit. Dear, that’s okay with you?”
“...Hm.”
“See? Dear says it’s fine too. Topaz, sit.”
“Ah... Uh... Y-Yes... Thank you...”
Topaz blushed and cautiously took a seat... and
Plop—
Rian sat beside her.
“Where are the other brothers and sisters?”
“Ahaang! Ishtvan that ba—ahem! Brother Ishtvan’s coming tomorrow. The others are busy with their own stuff!”
“And you, Sister?”
“I had stuff too? But greeting our Rian~! Now, eat up! Eat lots, Rian!”
“...Yes. Itadakimasu.”
Scoop—
The moment he reached for his first bite.
“...When are you getting married, Rian.”
Father dropped the bomb without warning.