The Grand Duke's Return
Adela snuggled into her father's arms, laughing brightly.
"Appa~"
"Oh, it's Adela."
"It's been so long~"
Even though Adela usually smiled quite a bit, she wasn't smiling this brightly.
Well, it was only natural to be happy after not seeing her father for several years.
"Shouldn't the young master stay behind?"
"Yes."
Kyle didn't head toward the Grand Duke and Adela who were embracing each other.
I couldn't understand why a kid who hadn't even become an adult was acting so mature.
"So, how have you been playing for the past few years?"
"Eh......"
"Haha.... I know how many years Dad has been away, right?"
"Tha.. that... is it four years...?"
"Dad."
"....Of course I know. It's seven years, right?"
"Sigh. I'm glad.... If Dad had forgotten even that, I would have been really angry."
"Hahaha..."
While listening to the mother and daughter conversation, I felt something.
It seemed that Adela had a strong say in the Eristirol family than I thought.
The evidence was that the Grand Duke was responding to every word Adela said.
"...."
"Sigh..."
Well, being the youngest daughter, it was only natural to receive a lot of love from the family.
Originally, the youngest has the strongest power in the family.
Of course, I, being both the eldest and youngest, don't know much about that.
"Kyle, come here too. By the way, who is the woman next to you? Your girlfriend?"
"Eh?"
The Grand Duke suddenly looked at me and misunderstood me as Kyle's girlfriend.
No, even if that's the case, with a 6-year age difference, it's too much to misunderstand as a girlfriend.
When I first met Kyle, he was the same age as Kyle is now.
How much age difference is there.
With 6 years, in my previous life, I was graduating elementary school when he was entering it.
It really is a big difference...?
"Father, this is Sophia, who is in charge of my direct attendant and tutor."
"Oh ho..."
"It's an honor to meet you for the first time, Grand Duke. I am Sophia, who is supporting the young master."
I greeted the Grand Duke again.
Actually, this greeting was the first one.
The greeting I did while being hugged by Kyle earlier wasn't a proper one.
After I finished greeting and looked up again, the Grand Duke was looking at me with a somewhat satisfied expression.
It was a strange feeling.
"Hmm.... He seems like a trustworthy person, the one Kyle is using. Well, let's go inside for now."
"Yes."
"Yes~"
And we entered the castle.
When we entered the castle, the servants looked more tense than usual.
Well... it was only natural.
"Kyle, since it's been a while, we should have a conversation."
"Father? We just met after a long time, and you're already playing with your brother-in-law?"
"Man's talk. You, go over there and have tea with Kyle's attendant."
"Sigh......"
Somehow, I ended up having tea time with Adela.
Since serving tea was not a difficult task at all, I poured tea into Adela's cup.
This was basic etiquette for an attendant.
"Miss, how is it?"
"It's not bad. Next time, pour it a bit more carefully."
"Yes."
Although we had tea time, there was nothing special about it.
Originally, there was no time to talk about anything special.
Because I was Kyle's direct attendant and tutor, this young lady in front of me was not that.
There was no feeling of it being like a younger sister, Mk.2 of mine.
Originally, Adela was taller than me, and we weren't close.
If I had been close to her like Kyle, Adela might have felt like a younger sister.
"Hmm.... Sophia, do you think you know what your father and brother-in-law are talking about?"
"Um.... Even if you say that, I don't know. Because today is the first time I've met the Grand Duke..."
"Ah, I see..."
It was a pity for Adela, but I really couldn't predict it.
Because meeting the Grand Duke was really the first time for me.
*
"Kyle."
"Yes, Father."
"Really.... You've grown well."
"Thanks to Sophia."
I felt like my response to the father's praise was too cold, but it wasn't entirely wrong.
I grew up thanks to Sophia.
My height grew like my father, but...
"The reason I came back to this castle after playing in the snow. I think you would know."
"Because of my coming-of-age ceremony?"
I will be 18 this year.
And next year, I will naturally become 19 and an adult.
It must be because you came for the Eristirol coming-of-age ceremony.
"Yes. You know well."
As expected.
The reason the father who likes to roam around outside would return is something like this.
"But what is the coming-of-age ceremony? Father, you never told me."
"Ah. Did I?"
"Yes..."
Even after coming after several years, there was no way you told me...
He is clearly a very high person, and from his appearance, he seems cold....
Well, as a father, he's a good father, so no problem.
I also understand my father's wandering.
It's common sense for a man to like adventure or camping.
"It won't be difficult. In the first month of the year you become an adult, you just need to endure a full moon in the forest alone."
"Eh?"
"After all, I've placed a few knights around, so you don't have to worry about dying."
"...."
Yes, it's a northern custom.
It's a coming-of-age ceremony that can only be done in the north.
"It's been tradition since long ago. And if you can't endure that much to become the leader of the northern group, you don't qualify."
"That's..."
No wrong.
In this harsh land, it's something that must be done to rule the people.
It was an impossible thing for a human who couldn't do even that to sit in the highest position in the north.
"And.... Since I've seen your body, you don't have to worry."
As per father's words, my body was already at an amazing level in my opinion.
Sometimes, just from Sophia touching it, it's an amazing body.
Sparring with Elin is still hard, but it's getting better gradually.
"Well, let's end this talk here and move on to the next topic."
"?"
Next topic?
I didn't expect there to be another topic besides the coming-of-age ceremony.
"That woman."
If it's that woman, there's only one here.
Sophia.
One of the new people the father met after returning after a long time.
So, naturally, he would have some interest.
Moreover, the father lost his mother some time ago....
"..."
I didn't think there would be talk about that side.
No matter how, this was too much of an assumption.
"Yes."
"That woman.... Is this you...?"
"..."
The father raised his pinky finger slightly and said that.
What this meant was only one thing.
It meant lover or girlfriend.
It was quite awkward how to respond to this.
I hope to be in that relationship.
Yes, I hope so.
Sophia still sees me as a 12-year-old kid, so it's very difficult, but...
"Still.... No."
"...Hahaha!!!"
Suddenly, the father laughed heartily.
The father would laugh too.
When I last saw him, it was a little boy who liked girls, so close to saying that.
But I was sincere.
Sincere about Sophia.
"Good mindset! Even if it's not now, you have the ambition to go after her, you are a man of Eristirol!!"
*Thud! Thud! Thud!!*
As the father said that, he started hitting my back strongly.
Wait, bones.... bones...
"Haha.... You've grown so much that you want a woman now, amazing."
"ᄋ…. Yes..."
I almost didn't want a woman just now, but...
"By the way, that.... Sophia, how old is that kid?"
"She is 24 years old this year."
With 6 years difference from me, she is 24.
I think it's not a problem age to fall in love with.
Right now in the north, even little kids date, and uncles and aunts date, so what's the problem with 24 and 18.
"Hmm.... Age is not a problem!"
"Right?"
Look, father also said there's no problem.
Since the highest power in the north right now is saying it, there's definitely no problem.
From the current atmosphere, it doesn't seem like he's thinking badly about Sophia.
Originally, he's so cheerful that he would immediately proceed to marriage if he brings a woman.
He must be asking because he's curious about Sophia and me.
"I understand to some extent since my mother and I are 3 years apart..."
"?"
The age difference between father and mother was that much.
In previous memories, since both called each other by name comfortably, I didn't know.
"Clearly looking at me with a slight younger sister look..."
"How do you..."
"This father lives roughly, but I have lived at least 20 years more than you. I have loved you 20 years, no, 25 years faster."
"...."
"6 years difference, so.... It's obvious that I'm looking at you like a son rather than a younger sister."
"...."
I couldn't refute father's words.
Actually, Sophia sees me as a child.
Even though she hugged me while waiting for father today, it didn't come out with any romantic atmosphere from the start.
As Sophia said, other women would like it if done this way, but.... Sophia was good in a different meaning.
It was good that she grew up well, good that she grew beautifully, in that sense.
It was really hard.
I didn't know how to change that perception.
"The method to solve your current situation is simple."
"What is it...?"
Father is an experienced person.
He has married a person older than himself.
He definitely has good tips.
"First, overwhelm her."
"...."
Father's words are best ignored unless necessary.