Showing Your Apology with Your Body
Showing Your Apology with Your Body
It was a winter day, about a month and a half before the academy entrance ceremony.
Nibuer had stopped by the estate as usual to chat, but she suddenly brought up an odd topic.
"Young Master, what is your opinion on a woman's chest?"
"Huh? Why the sudden interest?"
Nibuer asked carefully, pressing a hand to the chest of her own dress.
When I questioned why she'd ask such a thing, her eyes widened as if she'd made a mistake.
"...No, it was a slip of the tongue. I should not have asked you such a thing. Please, forget it."
"What is it? Just tell me, if it's something I can help with. After everything we've been through, Nibuer? You can ask me anything!"
Still, her expression looked genuinely serious, so I puffed out my chest and spoke with bravado. I told her to say anything, no matter what.
Whether she took courage from my words, Nibuer spoke up even as her ears flushed bright red.
"Well... there's a silly rumor that men prefer women with a large chest, and I was wondering if that held true for you, Young Master Yune."
"Chests? What's that got to do with liking someone? Does how you feel about a person change depending on how big or small their chest is? I'd like you just the same even if your chest were flat, Nibuer."
I tilted my head as I answered her question.
Upon hearing my response, Nibuer's face brightened dramatically and her ears began to flutter.
-Flutter, flutter.
"Even if my chest were flat...? Does that mean you don't consider my chest to be on the smaller side, Young Master?"
"Huh? Sure. And besides, chest size has nothing to do with liking someone, right? At least for me, it doesn't."
"...!! I see. Your refusal to judge people by their appearance and your desire to see their true essence is a model for all high nobles who stand above others. Everyone in the empire should emulate a true man like you, Young Master Yune."
"Fufufu. Where's all this praise coming from all of a sudden? Well, you're not wrong about me being a model manly man. Ehehe."
After that, Nibuer puffed out her chest as if she'd found a new lease on life and started showering me with compliments.
Thanks to Nibuer, an expert in flattery, generously praising me, my mood began to soar as well.
I wasn't sure why her mood had improved, but either way, it was a win-win.
With our spirits lifted, we chatted even more amicably.
The main topic was, of course, the upcoming academy admission.
"So you'll be enrolling together with Lady Kirschblüte?"
"Yep. Chloe's coming with me as an attendant, too. You're enrolling as well, right, Nibuer?"
"Yes, though as a commoner, I won't be able to enter alongside you, Young Master."
"Oh, really? We don't enroll together?"
"That's correct. Nobles and commoners have different dates and venues for the entrance ceremony."
"Why would the academy do the same job twice...? They could just gather everyone and do it all at once."
"That would cause an uproar among the nobles. Historically speaking, the nobles at the academy..."
Nibuer then proceeded to give me various explanations about the academy.
I'd heard similar things often from my sisters, but this was the first time hearing them from a non-noble. As such, her take on the same information felt quite distinct.
But as I listened quietly, I frowned at the part where she mentioned that nobles at the academy refer to themselves as 'Übermensch' and to commoners as 'Untermensch.'
'They're trying to sound fancy by using the Ancient Language, but that's basically calling nobles "superior humans" and commoners "inferior humans," isn't it?'
"Calling someone 'Untermensch'... that's an insult. Do nobles really discriminate so openly?"
"Oh. You know the Ancient Language, Young Master?"
"I only know a few words. You run into them now and then when studying magic. Anyway, it's ridiculous. This is why nobles are... ugh."
I shook my head and sighed.
Nibuer awkwardly scratched her cheek.
"I know you feel that way, Young Master, but... you shouldn't voice such thoughts so easily. You are the youngest son of a Grand Ducal House, after all."
"I know that. I'm only speaking plainly because I'm with you."
"...I hardly know what to do with myself, being trusted so deeply. More importantly, are you thinking of joining the Student Council?"
Finding it difficult to continue a conversation where a high noble was disparaging nobles, Nibuer subtly changed the subject.
At the mention of the Student Council, my expression turned cold reflexively.
"No, absolutely not."
'The Crown Princess will take the Student Council President's seat the moment she enrolls, right? And I'm supposed to join? Am I crazy?'
According to the rule that the person of highest standing becomes Student Council President, the Crown Princess would occupy that spot as soon as she enrolled.
If I were to join, I'd naturally end up in the Vice President's position—right by her side.
And since that was a dreadful thought, I stated my opinion with a serious expression.
"I'd rather die than join the Student Council."
'The Crown Princess is the specter of my most embarrassing childhood memories...! If I have to work with her on the council, I'll die of shame every single night.'
Seeing my firm look, Nibuer gave a wry smile.
"Understood. I'll do my meager best to pull some strings behind the scenes, just to ensure there's no chance you end up joining the Student Council, Young Master."
"...Huh? No, you're there to learn too. There's no need to help me, Nibuer. Just focus on your studies. And if you get tired, play with me."
"Heh. You needn't worry, Young Master. It was an order from Her Grace in the first place."
"Huh? An order from Mother?"
"Yes. A command to support your academy life and Lady Margarete's with all available resources. She specifically told me to help you live happily every day, Young Master Yune."
"Ah..."
The conversation eventually turned to my sister Mar.
Before I could lament my mother's overwhelming doting in asking such a thing of Nibuer, a heavy stone settled in my heart.
"...Okay. I'll be fine, so please take good care of Sister Mar. I'm counting on you."
"Yes."
'Come to think of it, my sister's probably in her room right now, isn't she? I should head over and 'apologize' to her as soon as Nibuer leaves. ...With my body.'
* * * * * *
After my conversation with Nibuer ended, I dashed straight to Sister Mar's room.
To show her how sorry I was.
A short while later.
"Huff, huff-hweeek..."
"Brother, that tickles~."
"Sorry, sis... I'm trying to press hard, but I just can't seem to use any strength... Hnngh!"
"Well, you're a boy, so it can't be helped. This kind of thing is women's work anyway. Are you about done? Want to stop now?"
The room was filled with Sister Mar's signature fresh lemon scent. She was lying on the bed, her fair skin like white jade exposed.
Suppressing my rough breathing as I looked at the pale, exposed skin of her back and nape, I gritted my teeth at her question.
"...You're still not the least bit satisfied. I'm not getting up until you are. Nnngh, gnnngh...!"
"Good, good. You're doing well, little brother~. Your sister is very happy~."
"Hnngheek...!"
But no matter how much I squeezed out all my strength, my sister only praised me as if nothing was happening, showing no sign of actual pleasure.
Being complimented as though she were soothing a newborn baby chipped away at my pride in an instant.
I mustered every last ounce of power I had to satisfy her, but...
I soon hit my limit.
"S-sis... I can't anymore..."
"Pfft. You held out pretty well today, though? Well done, my brother, well done~. You can go now."
"O-okay..."
Panting, I readily admitted I couldn't continue.
My sister turned her head to look at me, repeating how well I'd done.
Upon hearing her say I could leave...
"...Then, that's it! Pwah. So tiring."
I took my hands off her shoulders and flopped onto the bed in a starfish sprawl.
Still in the position from receiving the shoulder massage, Sister Mar just turned her head to look at me.
"Getting that tired from kneading my shoulders for five minutes? You're a mess, little brother."
"It was only five minutes...? I thought I'd been doing it for an hour. Ah, my arms ache. My grip aches."
"Heh. That's why I said you didn't need to. Well, you insisted so desperately that I had no choice but to accept. You can head back to your room now. Or do you want me to carry you?"
I shook my head at the offer of being carried if I was too tired to move.
Still, I didn't have the energy to get up right away. So, I decided to just chat with my sister until my stamina recovered.
"Nah. More importantly, sis, are you really okay? Becoming a graduate student because of me."
This talk of my sister becoming a graduate student was the very reason I'd been dutifully giving her massages.
When I brought it up, she gave a bitter smile.
"Are we on that again? I told you it's fine. I was getting a bit tired of the Knight Commander post anyway."
"Even so..."
"Hush. Unlike Sister Charl or Albert, I'll have nothing to do if I retire. So earning a Master's credential for the future isn't a bad thing. I could just become an academy professor someday."
"But it's not like you're going because you wanted to."
"If Mother ordered it, I would've gone even if I hated it. ...No, wait. Mother ordered it, so why are you the one apologizing? You're so kind it's a problem."
One of the solutions our mother had devised, worrying about me entering the academy alone, away from the family: sending another family member to the academy.
Later, just a few words between Mother and the academy chancellor at the Founding Festival were all it took for my sister Mar's graduate studies to be decided.
I still couldn't forget how my sister had stared at Mother with an expression that screamed, 'Graduate school? Me?' when she was told.
So ever since, I'd been providing this special service of massages to keep her from getting angry at me.
She says it's fine now, but who knows what'll happen once she actually starts. This was just me buttering her up in advance.
Whether the massages worked or not, my sister's expression was brighter than I'd expected.
She stared into the distance as if recalling something, then chuckled and looked down at me.
She placed her hand on my head and ruffled it roughly.
-Swoosh. Swoosh.
'Ah, this might actually be pretty nice. I like being petted gently, but having my hair ruffled like this is its own kind of...'
"Also, little brother?"
"...Hwuh? Oh, what?"
A blissfully dazed look had settled on my face from the petting, but my mind snapped back to attention.
When I looked up, I saw a very smug smile on my sister's lips.
It was a proud smile tinged with a sense of superiority.
"This is a secret, but Sister Charl and Albert were incredibly jealous of me. Even Mother seemed quite envious on the inside."
"...Huh? Of becoming a graduate student? Why?"
At that, my sister hugged me tightly as if she couldn't hold back any longer.
"Because I don't have to be separated from my adorable little brother like this, obviously!!"
"S-sis. I can't breathe~."
I flailed for a moment as my breathing was cut off, and she pulled me away only to start rubbing her cheek all over mine.
-Rub, rub.
"I look forward to the future, little brother!"
"F-fine... (I got it...)."