Heading to Hespania
The day the Robeheim family party, including Edgar, set off for Hespania arrived in the blink of an eye. From early morning, carriages and servants sent by the Robeheim family had arrived at the Bilhark family estate. They were busily moving about, helping with the short-handed tasks.
“I’m sorry for causing so much trouble because of me, Shephy.”
The category of servants included Shephy, Helene’s exclusive maid. Her light green hair swayed as she moved briskly. She gratefully accepted the water Edgar offered her. Even though there was no need to be so formal, the way she turned her head slightly while drinking it down in one gulp only deepened Edgar’s guilt.
“Not at all. It is a task my lady requested. Besides, to me, young master is someone I regard like a young lady.”
“Thank you for thinking that way. Oh, by the way, did your daughter come with you today, Shephy?”
“Yes, she is probably loading luggage into the carriage about now.”
Hmm. An unexpected harvest. He wanted to make his move before Ariel could strike first if possible, but he couldn’t slip away while the other servants were working hard. In any case, he had a secret weapon, so there was no need to feel too anxious. All he needed to do was prepare himself to punish that shameless, spoiled duchess.
“Are you planning to carry your sword with you, young master?”
“Yeah. My constitution hasn’t completely changed yet. Even if I can’t hold it perfectly, I still need to keep it at my waist like this.”
Even now, simply wearing the sword at his waist made it impossible to manifest more than a certain amount of mana. At the very least, he needed to hold it properly in his hand to show a decent level in front of others. Especially recently, since he had more opportunities to show Ariel magic, he always carried the sword with him.
“It must be cumbersome. Still, from what I heard from my lady, you have made some progress……”
“It’s all thanks to Lady Helene. I’m always grateful.”
He had once thought his life would never have any connection to magic. To speak without exaggeration, Lady Helene was practically a benefactor who had opened up his new life. And now she had even given him such a precious offer, so he had no idea when he would ever be able to repay all his debts to her. It would be best if he could repay them all before he died, but he wondered if that would even be possible.
Thud. Thud.
After praising Helene like that while carrying the last bundle of luggage, Edgar descended to the first floor. At the bottom of the stairs, Ariel stood waiting with both hands planted firmly on her hips. For some reason, she looked quite upset.
“You’re late, Ed! Everyone’s waiting!”
“Cut me some slack. With this much luggage, how could I finish quickly?”
How was it that not a single day passed without some kind of commotion? Watching the two childhood friends bickering the moment they met, Shephy covered her mouth and let out a small laugh. No matter how many times she saw them, they really were a well-matched pair. No matter how much they claimed to be friends, how many people could speak so cheekily to the successor of a grand ducal family? It was proof that Edgar saw her not as the young lady of the Robeheim family, but purely as the girl named Ariel.
“Tsk, then you should have prepared in advance from yesterday.”
“You’re not wrong.”
Since there was no part he could refute, Edgar shrugged and finished descending the stairs. Just as she said, while there were some things he had prepared in advance, most of the luggage had been hastily packed that morning. He had heard that the Robeheim family would send a carriage, but he had assumed it would arrive quite late and had lazed around, which turned out to be a mistake. The fact that he had slept in, thinking he would skip training today, had also played a big part.
“Shephy, say something too. Everyone’s way too lenient with that guy.”
Edgar found it absurd, but he decided to let it slide for today. Who was she to talk about being too lenient with someone?
Meanwhile, Shephy, who had been quietly carrying luggage, turned her gaze toward Ariel when the arrow suddenly pointed at her. She wore a mysterious smile as she stared at her. It was an expression that seemed to ask, ‘Are you sure it’s okay to say that?’ Ariel’s eyes blinked a couple of times, then her face flushed bright red as if she had realized something.
“Sh-Shephy, you…!”
At the sight of Ariel’s trembling pupils, as if she felt betrayed, Edgar tilted his head. Did something happen?
Regardless, Shephy, whose mischievous side had been triggered, approached with light steps that didn’t match her age and brought her mouth close to Edgar’s ear.
“Young master Edgar, would you like to hear? Even though the young lady says that, this morning she actually……”
“Cii! Why are you doing this too, after Mom?!”
She already had Edgar as her greatest enemy, and now after her mother and Silvia, even the once-reliable Shephy had joined the ranks of her main adversaries. Lamenting this terrible reality, Ariel rushed forward. The distance between the two naturally widened, and the secret went untold.
“You, if you ask Shephy about it later, I won’t let you off easy.”
“I got it, so can you put out that fire first before you talk?”
As the flames blooming in Ariel’s hand grew larger and larger, Edgar, whose spine had gone cold, hurriedly calmed her down. Fortunately, Ariel snorted and left the mansion first. Edgar let out a deep sigh at the fact that a magical duel had nearly broken out in broad daylight and quietly followed after her. If she kept lashing out with her hands like that, who would ever take her in the future?
“Ah, young master. That child is my daughter.”
“The friend standing beside that carriage looking lost?”
“Yes, she’s still a bit clumsy.”
Indeed, even from a distance, her impression didn’t resemble Shephy’s at all. Of course, it could be because she was still young, but if Shephy embodied the image of a graceful woman, her daughter gave off the feeling of a small woodland creature.
When they reached the front gate along the path through the garden, the gazes of those gathered turned toward them all at once.
“Ed, is that the last of the luggage?”
“Yes. There was more than I expected, so it took longer. I’m sorry.”
“It’s fine. That’s why I called for the servants. Ah, and this is someone you’re seeing for the first time. Why don’t you greet each other?”
Helene called over the light brown-haired girl who had been standing politely with her hands clasped behind her. The girl approached hesitantly, then bowed her head. There wasn’t even a trace of an older-sister aura about her.
“M-My name is Shuri. I’ve heard a lot about you from the young lady.”
“I’m Edgar Bilhark. Nice to meet you, Shuri. I’ll be in your care.”
Although Edgar used casual speech with Shephy as well, he deliberately chose polite speech because it felt inappropriate to speak casually to someone he was meeting for the first time. In response, Shuri shook her head vigorously with a startled expression and replied in a flustered manner.
“P-Please speak comfortably. I cannot accept polite speech from the young lady’s friend.”
“I see, Shuri. Oh, now that I think about it, I heard you’re one year older than Ariel and me. Is that right?”
Putting aside her personality and appearance, her height was quite small, so no matter how he looked at her, she didn’t seem a year older. Perhaps aware of this, Shuri gave a dejected nod, looking like a gloomy squirrel.
“Y-Yes, that’s right… Do I not look older?”
“Hmm.”
What should he say to hurt her feelings as little as possible? After pondering for a moment, Edgar answered in the most nonchalant tone he could manage.
“Your impression is too friendly to call you older. It was meant as a compliment.”
“Hehe, if that’s the case… thank you.”
After the brief greeting with Shuri, Edgar turned toward his parents who stood beside him. His father smiled calmly as if no words were needed, while his mother looked at him with a face full of mixed emotions. Just seeing the two of them made his chest tighten.
“Have you packed everything?”
“Yes, Father.”
“Have a safe trip. Write often.”
“Don’t worry, Mother. I’ll come back as often as I can when I have the time.”
After all, it wasn’t as if he would never see them again. He was simply leaving the well to see a wider world for a while. Even a mere fish that leaves its hometown for the vast ocean eventually returns. Since he had been born as a human, he ought to show his face often.
“Now, let’s get in, Ed.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
After that exchange, Edgar shared one last hug with each of his parents before boarding the carriage. It seemed Ariel had already gotten in first; she had quickly claimed a seat inside.
“I want to spread out, so Shuri, sit next to Ed.”
“Yes, my lady.”
Was this wicked owner really telling her personal maid to sit next to a man she had just met today? Edgar clicked his tongue inwardly and shook his head. At that moment, Ariel, who had met his eyes, stuck her tongue out at him.
Ah!
And as if that had been the trigger, something intense flashed through Edgar’s mind.
Now’s the time.
The moment had finally come to pull out the plan he had meticulously prepared over the past two days. Edgar’s eyes gleamed sharply.
“Hey, Shuri. There’s something I want to ask… Is that okay?”
Then, Edgar suddenly spoke to Shuri, who sat beside him, in a gentle tone. Although it was a sudden request that might have flustered her, she responded with surprising composure and nodded.
“Ask me anything.”
“Alright. It might be a difficult question… but I’d appreciate it if you could tell me the truth as much as possible.”
“…? Yes.”
A difficult question? What could it be? For a moment, all sorts of inappropriate questions a man might ask a woman flashed through Shuri’s mind. She was anxiously wondering if she had answered too hastily when Edgar finally spoke again.
“Does your master ever harass you or anything?”
“Pardon?”
At the completely unexpected question, Shuri blinked and looked at Edgar’s face, then glanced at Ariel sitting across from her. Ariel sat with her arms crossed, pretending to have no interest, but beyond her narrowed eyes, a deep abyss could be seen.
Why? Why would he ask such a question when her master was right in front of them? Could it be that he and the young lady had conspired to tease her? She had heard that this person also greatly enjoyed playing pranks.
“Ah, if you’re worried that I’m asking this because Ariel requested me to gauge your feelings, don’t worry about that.”
“……!?”
Just as she was thinking that, he added something as if he had read her mind. Shuri felt a chill run down her spine. Did he really think she could answer this question truthfully? What maid in the world could say ‘My master torments me too much’ right in front of her master? Moreover, the person in question was not some idle nobody, but the girl who would become the master of a grand ducal family.
“U-Um… The young lady always cherishes me……”
“Shuri.”
Tap.
The moment she tried to spout those empty words, Edgar’s hands settled on both of her shoulders. Without giving her time to mind the contact with a man, he continued in a calm tone. Across from them, Ariel bit her lip as she watched.
“I’ll make you one promise. Even if you completely reveal the true face of that spoiled duchess right here, you will suffer absolutely no disadvantage.”
“H-How can you be so sure……?”
It was a question of certainty. A perfectly natural doubt. No matter how close a childhood friend Edgar was to Ariel, he had no authority over Shuri’s employment. After all, Shuri’s master was Ariel, and the Robeheim family. Nevertheless, Edgar’s smile was full of confidence. As if he had something to rely on.
What is it?
From Ariel’s perspective, since she held Shuri’s life and death in her hands, she had been able to hide her anxiety until just now. But seeing him act so boldly made her feel even more uneasy. Just what trick had this man pulled to be able to behave this way?
And that question did not last long.
“Actually, Lady Helene said that since I did well, she would grant me one small wish. If you tell the truth here, I’ll use that wish to make sure Ariel can’t pull any tricks on you.”
“……!”
It wasn’t just Shuri who was shocked by the unexpected answer. Ariel shot up from her seat in the moving carriage and looked ready to grab Edgar by the collar, demanding if it was true. He simply gave her a deep, mocking smile in return.
“Sh-Shuri! You’re not going to believe him, are you!?”
“Come now, Shuri. All you have to do is tell the truth. What that duchess did after getting teased by her friend, how she usually torments you.”
Caught between her master’s roar and the gentle voice of her master’s friend, Shuri’s eyes darted back and forth as her lips trembled. Should she take the gamble and speak the truth here? Or should she safely hide the truth and return to her original position? She still couldn’t be certain whether this boy had the ability to protect her. What she needed was firm resolve. Only that.
“Hic.”
Barely holding back the tears that threatened to spill, Shuri steeled her heart. She had thought there was no one who would take her side, yet here was a rope descending from the heavens. Her chest swelled with emotion and she could barely speak, but even if she had to hold back her tears, she had to tell this boy the truth right now. The true nature of that wicked master.
“Ugh… Actually, on days when the young lady plays with Lady Silvia and comes back… hic! She gets angry every day and takes it out on me… hiccup!”
“It’s okay, take your time. You can ignore that girl.”
“Sh-Shuri! You’re really going to say it!? I’m your master!”
The inside of the carriage had become complete chaos. Even though it was already too late the moment she began speaking, Ariel desperately tried to stop her while Edgar blocked her efforts. And in between them, Shuri continued to speak with great effort.
“And… hic. On days when she’s particularly depressed, she complains that the tea I brought isn’t at the right temperature… sob!”
“Shuri, that’s enough. Stop crying……”
Edgar took out the handkerchief he often used from his pocket and handed it to her. Then he lifted his head and met Ariel’s eyes.
“I-It’s not true! W-Well, I may have done a few things wrong, but it wasn’t to that extent……”
Ariel stammered through her hasty excuses, clearly feeling guilty, but Edgar simply smiled as if none of it mattered and ended the matter with one sentence.
“This is your karma, Ariel.”
Thanks to Shuri’s active participation, the journey to Hespania was never boring. The only thing that echoed throughout was Ariel’s sorrowful screams as she received her punishment from Edgar.