A Warm Reception
I took Amelia's hand and led her formally toward the office.
When you come home, you should greet the adults first.
“Have you arrived?”
The master of the Meyer Count family.
Rell Meyer approached us with a show of delight.
There was no trace of fear on his face.
It had been worth the effort—moving him with stories about the value of honor, the pain of betrayal, and other tales that would stir a noble’s sensibilities.
At the very least, he wasn’t letting it show.
“Yes. I’ve brought our distinguished guest as well.”
“Oh, of course!”
Rell turned to Amelia with a startled expression. He looked deeply apologetic.
“I’m sorry. I was so pleased to see my son that I failed to notice our honored guest had arrived.”
“I’m quite all right. More importantly, please take back your words. You’re elevating the child of a mere viscount far too highly.”
“What are you saying?”
Rell shook his head firmly. His burning eyes were filled with an unshakable resolve that he would never do such a thing.
Had someone pumped him full of courage?
“I cannot possibly judge by status a person who has rendered such great service to this nation.”
“But it really is too much…”
“It’s perfectly fine. It would be improper to mistreat a hero.”
This was absurd.
He hadn’t even considered making a donation until I brought it up?
Still, I rather liked this shameless attitude. He was the type who carried his responsibilities properly, so there was little to criticize. The sort of person who felt reassuring to have at your side.
“…Yes.”
Amelia yielded as well. It was wiser than both of them stubbornly insisting and ending up with hurt feelings.
“Very well. You must be tired from the journey, so please rest thoroughly today. I’ll have your meals brought to your room.”
“What? But that’s far too—”
“It’s only natural. I’ll assign you a dedicated maid, so please speak freely if you need anything. That includes your meals.”
Rell tied up the conversation neatly and concisely.
It was far better than people who pretended at hospitality while exhausting their guests. Suppressing what you want to say and considering the other person first—that was true consideration.
“Is anyone outside? If so, bring Lise.”
“Yes!”
The maid waiting beyond the door answered energetically and hurried off.
Lise would do nicely. She was ranked second among the maids of our household and had plenty of experience serving nobles, making her the perfect person to attend a noble young lady. She also had considerable tenure.
“Excuse me. I was told you summoned me.”
About three minutes after the maid had left, a brown-haired maid knocked and entered.
She had come quickly.
“Yes. Lise, from now on you will personally attend to our distinguished guest. If you require additional staff, request them.”
Rell gave the order while looking at the bowing Lise. It was a natural measure; no one could endure working all day and standing night duty alone. Maids were people too. They needed sleep.
“Thank you.”
Maid Lise answered politely and raised her head.
“I will serve to the best of my ability. Please treat me well.”
She bowed once more toward Amelia. Though her wording was stiff, her voice was gentle.
“Thank you.”
Amelia smiled and personally helped Lise straighten up. Her smile was slightly awkward. She probably felt burdened, but she would grow used to it soon.
“I’m grateful for the Count’s kindness. I’ll take my leave now.”
“Please rest comfortably.”
Rell kept a smiling face until the very end as he saw Amelia off.
“Whew…! You sit down as well.”
The moment the guest disappeared, he collapsed onto the sofa.
Was it really that frightening?
“Aren’t you being a bit too scared?”
I sat down near him and asked. Every time, it felt less like speaking to a father and more like dealing with a child.
“The way you speak to your father is truly… Anyway, how could I not be nervous when a hero is coming?”
Rell shook his head. He seemed utterly fed up, yet he had managed not to show it. Quite admirable.
“That’s true.”
“Aren’t you afraid?”
“I’m fine.”
I wasn’t a fearless person. If anything, I had plenty of fears. But I suspected that if I acted afraid, the existence itself would become something to fear—like a self-fulfilling prophecy. A hero shouldn’t be treated that way.
‘For now, I’ve put out the urgent fire…’
I thought about rofan novels for a moment. Calculating backward from the story, I could pinpoint when she had fallen into complete corruption. Roughly half a year remained.
Strictly speaking she was blonde, but Amelia corresponded to yellow. White hair. Black hair as well. They seemed like characters inspired by the three primary colors of light.
‘I need to prepare a place rather than having her sleep here.’
After testing the waters today, it was clear it would be difficult to keep her in the castle. Rell’s burden was simply too great.
The center of any territory was its castle. That fact remained unchanged, yet a territory was not limited to the castle and its immediate surroundings. That was merely the center.
The lands lying beyond the castle walls. Far more people lived out there.
A wide river flowed beside the Meyer territory. That river led to the coast, and all of it belonged to us. It was a classic integrated farming-and-fishing region.
“…You’re reliable.”
Rell muttered in a voice mixed with a sigh. It wasn’t sarcasm.
“Still, for the sake of your father’s dignity, I should host her for a few days.”
“A few days? And after that? You plan to send her back immediately?”
Rell’s eyes sparkled as he looked at me. They were so full of desperate hope that I would take her away quickly that it was almost comical.
Was she really that terrifying?
“That’s not it. Looking at her, I think her depression would only get worse if she returned.”
“Then?”
“I’m thinking of moving her down to the Marseille area. It’s lively and beautiful. I thought it might be a good place to host guests.”
Marseille was a small coastal region belonging to the Meyer family. It wasn’t the French one. Since it was a coastal town, they had probably borrowed a suitably plausible name.
“Will that be all right?”
Rell asked. It made sense for him to feel uneasy about his heir wandering off to the provinces instead of staying at the main castle. Still, it wasn’t as bad as war.
“Having a hero with me actually makes it safer. I have my own abilities as well.”
“Ah…! Right. I forgot about that.”
Rell’s previously gloomy voice brightened instantly. How anxious must he have been to forget something so obvious? It was absurd to someone who knew the full picture, but not entirely incomprehensible. Pressure could make anyone slip.
“Yes. So don’t worry and rest well. I’ll also take it easy, thinking of it as a vacation.”
“Mm. That doesn’t sound bad…”
Rell nodded, then trailed off. His eyes trembled as they looked at me.
What now?
“Is something the matter?”
“It’s not exactly a problem… but what about me? Am I supposed to keep working?”
Ah.
That… well, that couldn’t be helped.
“Ahem. I’m tired too, so I’ll go rest now.”
With nothing left to say, I quickly stood up—before the atmosphere could grow any more awkward.
“No… wait. Wait a moment! You have to give me an answer…!”
“Take care.”
I shook off Rell, who seemed to be clinging to me desperately, and left. My heart ached a little.
‘Still, I have to do what I have to do.’
Father had suffered throughout the Species War, but I had suffered too—especially on the front lines. So wasn’t it all right to enjoy a proper vacation?
‘Please, Father. Work hard in my place. For another forty years or so.’
#
Amelia was enjoying a noble lifestyle for the first time in a long while.
To be precise, it was an even better life than before.
The bath salts were finer than anything she had used before the war. A room with its own bathroom. The gown, undergarments, and dress provided by her dedicated maid were all of the highest quality.
‘To simply give me clothes like these.’
Amelia’s cheeks flushed as she changed. It felt both awkward and embarrassing. It wasn’t merely the exposure—the very sensation of wearing a dress felt far too unfamiliar.
‘I’ve changed so much.’
She couldn’t even remember when she had started wearing only suits. She only knew it had been a very long time. On top of that, it felt burdensome. These weren’t borrowed clothes; they had been given to her outright.
‘It’s too much.’
She was happy, yet burdened. Even though she had worn them because she couldn’t refuse such sincerity, she felt she ought to decline. So she went to find the lady of the house.
“Oh my, refuse? I appreciate the sentiment, but it would be an honor if the young lady wore them. Please do not turn them down.”
However, the Count’s wife—Rose Meyer, the lady of the Meyer household—refused her softly yet firmly. She was so resolute that Amelia had no words left. To refuse after being told this would be like provoking her by saying her kindness was unwanted.
“…Thank you.”
Amelia could only move her lips wordlessly before accepting the favor. Her heart tickled inside her chest. Then emotion surged up. The tickling sensation seemed to have nudged something deep inside her heart.
“I’m truly grateful for your warm welcome. I will cherish these clothes and wear them with care.”
“That is exactly what I hoped for.”
Rose smiled and saw Amelia off. Thanks to her son’s advice, she showed no sign of fear. It was completely genuine.
‘I’m afraid too, but… she seems so pitiful.’
Rather than fear, she felt only compassion. She saw Amelia not as a monster, but as a wounded young lady who had been treated like one. It was a bolder mindset than her husband Rell’s.
“Thank you. I’ll take my leave now.”
Amelia suppressed her surging emotions and returned to her room. Only then did she cry—silently, all alone. She cried until her eyes were bloodshot red like a rabbit’s.
“Sniff… sniffle!”
Only after crying for a long while did she blow her nose like a child. The tightness that had clogged her chest finally cleared.
‘Let’s wash up first.’
She couldn’t go out looking so shameful. She stepped into the bathroom briefly, washed her tear-streaked face, and came back out. The excellent facilities made it convenient.
Then she sat in a chair and gathered her emotions, letting them settle until she felt calm again.
“Excuse me. Are you inside?”
Just as she had regulated her breathing and calmed her feelings, Yohan knocked on the door.
What could have brought him? Was he simply checking whether she was adjusting well? Or was there another reason?
She didn’t know why, but one thing was certain: she was glad he had come.
“Yes, please come in.”
Amelia placed a hand over her heart and slowly rose. Her heart was pounding fiercely.