Let's Go Home - 1
Once the New Year's Audience and my subordinate's wedding—two major events—were finally behind me, I managed to spend a thoroughly peaceful winter break. Over summer vacation I'd nearly lost my mind wrangling those walking piles of baggage, but now there was nothing to keep track of, and the comfort of it was almost intoxicating.
Even the Fifth Empire, which had stood a high chance of being a winter-break event, had lost its head before I could lift a finger. If only the rest of my life could keep being this easy.
"Here."
While I stared blankly at the clock, waiting for quitting time, the 1st Department Head casually slid a sheet of paper across to me.
The instant I confirmed the words Leave Application at the top, I wrote my name in the signature box. I already knew why she was taking leave; there was no need to read the details.
"This is the first time I've ever spent my vacation with my boss."
"It's my first time spending one with a subordinate, too."
The place she was heading on leave was the same place I was going: the County of Tyleglehen, where the family head and my mother held the fort.
I'd promised Mother I'd visit the territory once the New Year's Audience was over. Naturally I couldn't go alone, so I was dragging the prospective daughters-in-law along—which meant the 1st Department Head had to scramble for leave as well.
Fortunately, she didn't seem to mind.
"Oh, I bought a gift for Mother, too."
"How thoughtful."
I nodded vaguely as she rummaged through her pocket. She was at least thinking like a proper daughter-in-law; Marquis Iones would weep tears of joy if he saw this. It wouldn't even be strange if the marquis achieved enlightenment this year.
"This… Mother will like it, right?"
And from the 1st Department Head's arms emerged a bright red ruby necklace.
Hmmmmm.
"…Yeah. She'll like it."
"Right? I picked it out so carefully!"
Looking at her sparkling eyes full of delight, I felt a twinge of conscience, but I didn't take the words back. Sometimes life requires a little white lie.
As far as I could remember, Mother was not the type to favor red clothing—or red jewelry. She preferred soft, warm colors over anything too flashy.
But how could I tell a prospective daughter-in-law the cruel truth after she'd gone to the trouble of preparing a gift? Besides, I believed Mother would be happy simply because it was a gift prepared by her future daughter-in-law.
One of them should be fine.
After all, it wasn't only the 1st Department Head who'd prepared gifts. Every single daughter-in-law, unwilling to visit their parents-in-law empty-handed, had brought something.
In the process I'd been subjected to a barrage of questions about my parents' tastes, and when I mentioned that Mother, whatever else she wore, always had a necklace on, they'd all prepared necklaces. I honestly had no idea about the family head's tastes, so I couldn't say a word about those. They'd figure it out themselves.
So Mother would be receiving six necklaces. In that case, one red one couldn't hurt, right? If anything, a single standout piece among the muted colors would draw the eye even more.
She'll use a different one for each day of the week.
The silly thought made me snort with laughter. Thanks to her son running his mouth, Mother was now in danger of having to wear a different necklace every day. I should've just said she liked any kind of accessory.
"I bought a gift for Father, too, and one for the Director!"
"Hey, why are you saying that right in front of me?"
I experienced a minor cultural shock at the 1st Department Head's bold declaration. This was a new one. Who announces a gift in front of the person who's going to receive it?
"Even if I didn't say anything, you'd know. You get presents on your birthday as a matter of course."
And with that thoroughly convincing argument, I nodded.
She had a point. Anyone knows they'll get presents on their own birthday without anyone announcing it.
Birthday.
The half-forgotten word felt a little strange. I'd been through a birthday every year since the transmigration, and every year I forgot. Honestly, it wasn't even my birthday, was it?
"Would it be all right if you came at the end of January?"
"Yes, that's fine, but… is something happening then?"
"It's your birthday."
"Ah."
But the karma of forgetting my body's birthday came back in spectacular fashion. The moment she heard my dazed answer, Mother's eyes took on a look that said, What kind of life are you living that you forget your own birthday? That faintly trembling gaze moved the triangle in my heart.
If I'd said nothing at that timing, the call would have ended with me receiving nothing but the look one gives a pitiful, pathetic animal. Even someone with no social awareness at all could tell that much.
So I'd hastily blurted that I'd bring the sixth daughter-in-law she hadn't met last time, and only then escaped Mother's moist-eyed gaze. It felt a bit like using the 4th Department Head as a sacrifice to make my getaway, but so what? Results were what mattered.
"But can Penelia come too? I heard the Ministry of Special Affairs is really strict about leave quotas."
As if her thoughts had wandered to the 4th Department Head as well, the 1st Department Head raised a perfectly reasonable question.
It was true I'd heard the Ministry of Special Affairs had more complicated leave procedures than other departments. The number of people who could take leave at once was also said to be smaller.
"The Mukgwangdae kids all returned their leave."
"Wow…"
But if there's a personnel limit, you just need the others not to go. If the entire Mukgwangdae returned their leave, one 4th Department Head could easily get out.
…The fanaticism of subordinates giving up their vacation for their superior was a little terrifying, but I could think of it as a testament to how well-liked the 4th Department Head was.
After a period of coordination—civil servants aligning their leave schedules, the Magic Lord dumping work on the Vice Tower Master—
"It's been a while. A place that's always welcome, even when I return."
Thanks to the continent's greatest mage, we were able to travel comfortably. Teleport dropped us right in front of the castle; it would have been stranger if anything inconvenient had happened.
"Thank you. Thanks to you, we arrived with ease."
In response to my greeting, the Magic Lord gently smiled and shook her head, as if to say this was nothing.
Of course, considering the Magic Lord's abilities, it really was nothing—but taking another's consideration for granted was problematic. Expressing gratitude even for small things was only proper.
"Thank you, Beatrix."
So when I quietly whispered in her ear, I felt the Magic Lord's ear flutter and tremble.
The effect was definite.
My heart is pounding. Today is the first day of my life that I leave the mansion. Not simply leaving my room—leaving the mansion itself.
"Sera, are you sure? You're not pushing yourself? No, let's just stay here. That would be better—"
"I'm fine. The examinations are all done, aren't they?"
Looking at Erich, who seemed even more nervous than I was, I felt uneasy—but this was a step I had to take. To attend the Academy with Erich, I would eventually have to go out into the world.
I had to prove it. That attending the Academy, that going outside, was no problem for me. Only then could I be with Erich.
"Everyone said there was nothing wrong. Don't worry so much."
I pressed a finger to the lips of the still-anxious Erich and smiled.
The mage who'd handled my treatment and the priest had both said I was fine. They'd said Academy life would be no problem, so in theory it was perfect. Now I was simply building practical experience on top of that theory.
"…All right. I understand."
In the end Erich gave up and sighed.
"But if anything feels even a little off, we rest immediately, okay?"
He still attached conditions, but knowing how much he worried about me only made me happier.
"Hehe. If something's wrong, I'll rely on my knight."
"Looks like I'll have to stick right by your side the whole time."
At those words my face grew a little warm. I'd said it to tease him, but the effortless counterattack made my heart flutter for no reason.
The whole time…
Still, that flutter was a flutter of joy. The moment I heard Erich's words, my instincts had spun out happy fantasies.
Erich glued to my side and never leaving. Erich escorting me like a splendid knight. Just imagining it made me happy. It truly felt like a dream.
But it wasn't a dream. It was reality.
"Yes. Please do."
I beamed and linked arms with Erich. I felt his body go stiff as a board.
Cute. His face turned red, too. Getting shy over something this small—how pure can you be?
"Come on, let's go. We shouldn't be late."
"Uh, y-yeah. R-right."
Watching Erich even stammer, I strode out of the room with confident steps.
…And that my own face was just as red, I only discovered when I caught sight of the mirror on the way out.
When we arrived at the castle, Mother and Madam greeted us. All sorts of questions poured out—had the journey been uncomfortable, was I feeling all right, was I cold—but knowing those questions were filled with affection and concern, I didn't find them annoying at all.
"Yes, I'm fine. You don't need to worry."
"How cold of you. How could I not worry?"
Looking at Madam as she stroked my cheek and spoke with concern, a smile rose unbidden. Mother's childhood friend, and Erich's mother. Because of that connection, she doted on me so much that she told me to call her Aunt in private.
"I'm truly fine. Auntie sent such good healers, after all."
At those words, Madam smiled faintly and turned her gaze toward Mother.
"You look exactly like you did as a child, and yet how can your personalities be so different?"
At the sudden attack, Mother's eyebrows twitched, but I could see her holding back out of consideration for me on my first outing.
Instead she shot Madam a look that made me understand what "cursing with your eyes" meant.
"Come to think of it, it'll be a while since you've seen Karl."
"Yes. It must have been several years."
Ignoring Mother's gaze, Madam spoke again. It was true I hadn't seen Big Brother Karl in a long time.
If Big Brother weren't returning to the territory with his lovers, and if my body hadn't recovered, there was a high chance I still wouldn't have seen him. He was always so busy he couldn't come visit me while I was ill.
Six…
And when I thought of the number of lovers Big Brother would be bringing, a slightly dizzy feeling washed over me.
Good heavens—six. And all at once. The Count and Madam were happily living monogamously, so why was their son Karl…
…I heard the previous Count had multiple wives.
Could the bloodline have manifested across generations? Then—then was there a chance Erich would take multiple wives like Big Brother Karl?
I hate that.
With trembling hands I took Erich's hand. I hate it. I don't want to share my knight with other women.
Erich is my knight alone. The knight who's protected only me since we were little, the knight only I have watched over.
"Sera?"
When I suddenly took his hand, Erich asked what was wrong.
"I'm a little cold… Can we stay like this for a moment?"
I answered with a slight smile.
It was a lie, of course. Not for a moment—I wanted to stay like this forever.
I hoped the hand I was holding now would be a hand only I could hold.