The Bountiful Western Domain - 2
I was already exhausted before I'd even finished unpacking.
"My little nephewww~ You just got there, didn'tcha? This auntie's comin' right over!"
The communication orb flared without warning—nothing but a one-sided drunken rant and an announcement.
My heart lurched. She sounded ready to charge over that very second. A heads-up was better than a full ambush, sure, but having a duke descend on a place full of Academy students was still too much. We were supposed to be enjoying a carefree school trip, not playing host to someone so far above us on the ladder.
If it had been any other duke, I might have written it off as a social call. Dealing with a lush who never even left her own territory, though… that was another matter.
"Give me that."
"Huhhh? Honey, you wanna see our little nephew too?"
"Of course I do. So hurry up."
"Okay! Here!"
Just as I was about to say we'd come to the ducal castle ourselves, my uncle's voice cut in from beside the Wise Duke.
A miracle. The tightness in my chest—every last scrap of it—vanished the moment I heard him. As expected of the Wise Duke's one and only restraint. Performance guaranteed.
"Looks like you arrived safely. No trouble on the road, I hope?"
"No, sir. None at all."
Having shoved the Wise Duke aside and taken the orb, my uncle offered a gentle smile and a proper greeting.
Yes. This was how you talked to relatives. You started with a hello. The Wise Duke had jumped straight to a one-sided declaration that she was coming to see us. For heaven's sake, learn even a tenth of what your husband does.
"Your aunt is desperate to see her nephews, so I'd like you to come by today."
"Ah—yes, sir. Understood."
"Don't worry. We won't be going to the hotel."
A perfectly reasonable statement. I felt myself relax again.
"Do a little sightseeing with Erich in the meantime. If we're going to meet, we might as well do it somewhere nice."
In other words: slip off somewhere quiet and sparsely populated, and we'll come find you there.
He was right. Whether the Wise Duke showed up at the hotel or I went to the ducal castle, a scene was inevitable. Meeting at a third location would still generate some noise, but it was the least disruptive option available.
"Oh, and you're welcome to bring the rest of your party along."
I couldn't help a short laugh. If my uncle wanted to meet people other than his nephews, who else could he mean but the prospective nieces-in-law?
"Thank you for the consideration."
Of course, I had planned to bring them even without the invitation. With the Demon Duke right there, the Wise Duke would at least dial it down a little.
When I told Erich we were going to meet the Wise Duke, his face contorted into that of a patriot whose country had just fallen. A minor problem—but only a minor one.
"Would you rather go yourself, or have Auntie come here?"
"A nephew can't very well make his aunt come to him."
That single line was all it took to get my little brother moving. Even Erich wouldn't want his cheeks pinched and squished in front of the other students. Honestly, neither would I. If that happened to me in public, I'd want to bite my tongue and die on the spot.
"Sera, you come too."
"Y-yes? Me as well?"
I casually extended the invitation to Sera, who had been watching Erich shuffle along with the look of a man walking to his own execution.
My uncle had specifically asked me to bring the nieces-in-law, so I had a solid pretext for taking her. Erich and Sera weren't officially engaged, and there wasn't even a proper pink-tinged atmosphere between them yet—which was exactly why I needed to bring her.
I have to secure every advantage I can, even in moments like this.
Unfortunately, Sera lagged behind Countess Horfeldt in just about every respect. Congenital frailty and the gap in house standing—disadvantages no amount of effort could reverse.
So I had to put her strengths on full display whenever the chance arose. Unlike Countess Horfeldt, she could stay glued to Erich's side. That was her edge.
"They both already know your name. If we say their nephew's childhood friend came to pay her respects, they'll be delighted."
Sera's eyes went damp. Unlike a certain someone whose intelligence and social instincts had dropped to the level of an amoeba, Sera's instincts were perfectly intact. She understood at once that the suggestion was for her benefit.
"Yes! I'll get ready right away!"
Watching her scramble for her coat, I found myself smiling a little.
I felt a bit sorry for Countess Horfeldt, but what could I do? Sera needed her own competitive edge if she was going to hiss and spit at an Imperial Count's rival. Even if you lose, you have to fight with everything you've got before you can accept the defeat.
"Already looking after your sister-in-law, are you?"
The Demon Duke murmured softly as she watched. So it had looked that blatant to everyone else, too. Not that I'd been trying to hide it.
But for God's sake—why couldn't Erich pick up on any of this?
"I'm going to lose my mind worrying about my brother, so I have to help him out somehow."
I bit back the sigh that nearly escaped and answered casually. It was also the truth.
With Erich's social awareness already in ruins, the last thing we needed was for me to make a mess of things as well. Sera had only just recovered her health. If she started clutching the back of her neck and collapsing again, I would never be able to face Mother or the head lady-in-waiting.
"What a good older brother you are. One day your little brother will understand how you feel."
I sincerely hoped so.
We had managed to get outside, but I had no idea where to go. My uncle had told us to do some sightseeing with Erich, but we couldn't actually head for a tourist spot.
How much attention do you think we'd draw?
We needed a discreet meeting with a ducal couple. Staging a rendezvous at a tourist attraction? People say the best place to hide a tree is in a forest, but this was taking it too far. The forest would be so dense the tree couldn't even get in.
Still, the fact that my uncle had insisted on meeting outdoors meant he had a suitable place in mind. Hoping something would turn up if I looked hard enough, I acquired a map—
"Ah. There shouldn't be many people here."
"Oh."
The moment I looked where Irina was pointing, a sound of pure admiration left me. No further deliberation needed. It was perfect.
Technically it fell within the Elf Sanctuary, but successive expansions had long since reduced it to an old quarter. Calling it an "old quarter" was generous—the place was so deserted there would be few locals or resident non-humans, let alone tourists. It lay outside Santoria's walls, but a carriage would get us there in no time. A moderate distance, and no eyes watching. Ideal.
"Once we've paid our respects to Auntie, shall we head straight into the Sanctuary? It'd be a shame to turn right around after going all that way by carriage."
"That's fair."
I nodded at Erich's sensible suggestion. The Elf Sanctuary was a place the Demon Duke was curious about as well, so getting a look at it sooner rather than later suited me just fine.
With the discussion settled, I took out the communication orb. I needed to leave word of where we were headed so my uncle could find us easily.
At the sound of footsteps beyond the door, I quietly closed the book I had been reading. That particular rhythm could only belong to Mother. If I kept the book open and a drop of liquor fell onto the page, I would be miserable for the rest of the day.
"Liriiii!"
Sure enough, moments later Mother flung the door open and swept in.
Really, Mother. I had told her so many times that a duke had to maintain her dignity. No—even an ordinary noble had the common sense to knock or call from outside before entering someone's room—
"Were you lookin' at books again? Aww, go outside and play once in a while!"
The instant she entered, Mother wrapped me in her arms and began covering my cheeks in kisses.
The smell of liquor…
Every time her lips touched my cheek, every time she opened her mouth, the thick scent of alcohol hit me so hard I felt almost drunk myself. Strange. A person shouldn't get intoxicated from a smell alone.
At any rate, I carefully pushed her away as the constant cheek-kissing escalated into outright smacking and sucking. She did this every day, but today it was a problem. Today we had guests.
I have to say it clearly.
I put strength into my eyes as Mother was forced back. Today we were receiving the young masters of House Crassius—relatives of ours. And among those relatives was the current Audit Department Chief.
Even I, living out here in the territory, knew the Audit Department Chief's reputation well. A man who had become a political giant through countless achievements at a young age. I could not possibly let someone like that see me still nestled in Mother's arms, being smothered with kisses. To a relative who was also a central figure of power, I needed to present my best self—not something so mortifying.
So I would say it firmly. Mother's behavior was sullying the three-hundred-year honor of the Salon Ducal House and mortifying the countless vassals who served us. Even the excessive affection she showed me was chipping away at the dignity of the one who would one day lead the Salon Ducal House.
I can do this.
Yes. This wasn't cruelty toward Mother. It was something that had to be said—for her sake and for the family's.
So don't hesitate, Liliana Salon. Even if Mother resents you for a moment—
"Nooo! Liriiii! You can't leave Mommy's arms!"
Before I could open my mouth, I was pulled back into her embrace.
"M-Mom! I can't breathe!"
This time she held me so tightly I could barely draw air. In my panic, the shameful word "Mom" slipped out instead of "Mother."
And at that shameful word, she only squeezed harder.
Why?!
It made no sense. When the Young Duchess behaved lightly, her mother the Duke was supposed to scold her sharply! I wasn't a little child. I was a proper young lady of ten years this year!
"At this rate Lili is going to faint."
I thrashed with everything I had and still couldn't escape Mother's arms—but Father's voice, arriving from somewhere nearby, set me free at last.
The moment I was released, I hastily hid behind Father's body like a shield. Even Mother wouldn't shove him aside to charge at me.
"Del. I told you to just tell Lili to get ready to go out. What are you doing making her cry already?"
"I-I'm not crying…"
I denied it on instinct, but when I discreetly wiped the corner of my eye, my fingers came away damp.
This is all Mother's fault… A young lady… reduced to shedding tears so shamefully…
"Hic—"
"Oh dear."
As the tears spilled over in a rush of hurt, Father stroked my hair.
That only made it worse.