episode_0106

Only after Nia’s eyes turned red did Elin release the chains.

“Sorry, sis.”

“You… … !”

Nia covered her much-molested armpit and grumbled.

If I had hung on just a little longer, I would have cried tears of shame.

If that happens, from the next day onwards, Nia will be remembered as ‘Bucklin who was hung upside down and tickled and cried’.

“I’m really sorry… .”

“… Huh.”

Nia rubbed her eyes with the back of her hand.

I turned my head sharply.

So does this mean that it’s useless to try to do well?

I’ve loved Elin so much since I was little…

The corners of my eyes became moist again as I felt a rising sense of betrayal.

“Ahem… I guess I should catch up on my homework.”

“Come to think of it, I should go see the professor… .”

At that point, the students sitting in the audience also started to stand up little by little.

No, I’ve already had a good time…

I’m afraid I might get backlash for just looking at Bucklin’s numbers.

Of course, Bucklin is not a narrow-minded family that would punish witnesses for such a simple reason.

“… … ”

Ellen rolled her eyes quietly.

What should I do?

A look like that came to Luke.

Why did you do that?

He answered with his eyes.

Honestly, this was 100% Ellen’s fault, to the point where it was hard to wrap my head around it.

If it were just us, wouldn’t it be different?

Because he was touching his armpits in a place where all the academy students could see.

“Umm… but I won… .”

“… … ”

“… But it’s true that I was harsh.”

Nia’s eyes looked like lightning.

Ellen quietly rolled up her sleeves.

It was the first time in a long time that Elin had noticed someone’s expression.

“… Help me, teacher.”

Elin approached slowly and whispered to Luke.

Asking for help would only result in embarrassment.

What can I say to Nia here?

Can I touch my younger brother’s armpit in front of everyone?

If I spit it out, I’m sure Luke would get mad at me too.

“What can I do, it’s your fault, Princess. Apologize until you feel better.”

Elin let down her foolish hair with an expression that said, ‘Is that the only way…?’

“Sister.”

Elin ran quickly.

He called Nia, stretching out the ending of his words.

“… Why.”

“I said I’m sorry. It was too much.”

“… … Huh.”

It looks like it’s been twisted tightly.

Nia turned her head to the other side again.

“Don’t be like that and calm down. Huh?”

A nasal sound is added naturally to the voice.

It would have been quite a surprise if Luke had seen it in the past.

A little child who ran out with his feet bruised as soon as there was a knock on the door.

Elin, who was eating cold potatoes while watching the servants’ faces.

Now you’re acting cute towards your close friend.

Since ancient times, it has been said that aegyo is cuter when it comes naturally rather than when it is forced.

It was even more fatal when a child who never showed any emotion showed it occasionally.

Elin became twice as cute… no, three times as cute, including her naturally cute appearance.

“Huh… .”

Look at Nia’s expression.

I was just farting a moment ago.

Aren’t the corners of your mouth slowly rising?

“I will never do that again.”

“… Really?”

“Really. I’ll grant your wish.”

“Hmm… Really?”

Only then does Nia turn her head to Elin.

His eyes lit up as if he had caught it.

“Hmm… Now that I think about it, wishing for something is a bit too much―”

“It’s already too late. You sleep with me today.”

Nia tightly grabbed Elin’s wrist, who was trying to get away.

“That’s good timing. Victor Uncle asked me to bring you today.”

“Me?”

“To be exact, I asked you to bring Luke Oppa… But he’s going to come anyway, right?”

“That’s right.”

It wasn’t a sudden decision to go to Bucklin…

Actually, we had planned to go to Berkeley together after the Academy tour.

-Isn’t it time for a family gathering? Mom wants to see her son’s face for the first time in a long time.

It’s because it’s the date of a family reunion that Vivian created a few years ago.

Of course, Elin was a regular at work, following Luke around even though they weren’t family.

“But why do you want to sleep together…?”

Ellen asked, her hair fluttering.

“Are you asking because you don’t know?”

Nia’s amber eyes glowed with vengeance.

“I know my armpits are going to burn today.”

“… … ! Teacher. Can I sleep with you again today?”

“No way. And ‘today too’? It wasn’t supposed to happen, but the princess came in on her own.”

Luke thought it was fine.

There was no way to stop Elin from sneaking into the bedroom through the portal every night.

If Nia takes me to sleep, I’ll be sleeping alone for the first time in a long time.

Elin’s soft armpits… Well, it can’t be helped since it’s all karma.

“That’s… .”

A withered fool’s hair, as if he had heard something extremely shocking.

“Then let’s get things organized and go to Berkeley… .”

I was about to open the portal as it seemed to be roughly organized.

Ellen ran up to him and buried her forehead in Luke’s chest.

“Praise me before you go.”

“Yes?”

“You won in the sparring.”

Then, all of a sudden, she hugged Luke’s waist.

Elin clung to him tightly and buried her face in his chest.

The fur on his head rustled as if he was telling me to hurry up and stroke him.

“Uh… Your Majesty?”

“… Are you still like that, oppa?”

Bena and Nia were embarrassed.

It’s fortunate that all the students are now in.

If someone saw it, it would have been completely published in the newspaper.

There would have been headlines like, ‘Academy legend Luke Bucklin is rumored to be dating Bertain’s next patriarch.’

Now Luke’s marriage was no longer just a story within the family.

Luke is already twenty-five years old.

For the nobles, marriageable age was long past.

Moreover, his whereabouts became unknown after graduating from the academy.

They say that the next head of the family was raised in Bertain.

Letters of proposals would arrive from across the empire and even from neighboring countries.

That means Luke is getting more attention.

If someone saw Ellen hugging him, they wouldn’t have a good reaction.

“Princess. Could you please step away a little?”

“… … ”

Elin, the unwavering one.

Kuk.

Instead, it adds strength to the arms.

It was a silent protest that he would stick around until he was praised.

Is it really that shocking that you can’t sleep together?

“… Sigh.”

Yeah, what’s so hard about giving compliments?

Let’s do it quickly before anyone sees.

“You’ve worked really hard, Princess. Now you don’t need me anymore… … Cough, it hurts when you apply so much force.”

Elin hugs him tightly as if to say that it’s not true.

I almost vomited blood because of it.

“… Now it’s time for me to learn. You are truly outstanding, Your Highness.”

Only then did his arm loosen as if he had found the answer.

Of course, the fluttering hair of the fool.

He even had a bright smile on his face.

“Really?”

“I don’t think so. But I’m still a teacher.”

“Um… .”

Ellen looked noticeably disappointed.

…Do you really think you’ve surpassed Luke?

“I’m surprised you think you can match me just because you created a unique horse.”

“… Even the teacher said he only made portals when he was eighteen.”

“But I didn’t leave it unfinished.”

“I’ll finish it soon too.”

“… Wait, unfinished?”

Nia, who had been listening quietly, doubted her ears.

“That was unfinished?”

“Yeah. I haven’t finished it yet.”

“… … ”

Nia closed her gaping mouth.

If that’s the case, then doesn’t that mean that he was miserably defeated by the unique magic that wasn’t even completed?

“… I guess I need to increase my training.”

“There’s no need for that.”

“That’s not it.”

Luke and Anne said at the same time.

“It may be a bit odd to say this, but if you’re going to push the princess to the limit, ten princes would have to come and barely rub shoulders with you.”

“That’s right. There wasn’t a single battle mage like Nia among our riders. I just realized for the first time that Bucklin magic is so great.”

Of course, Luke is also a character who was in the same class as Anne during the duel.

When the two spoke with confidence, Nia tilted her head and asked, “Is that so?”

“Rest seems to be the most important thing right now.”

“That’s right. If you try to follow a genius who learned from a genius, you’ll end up exhausted.”

Anne pointed at herself with her thumb.

“I did that and was bedridden for a week.”

“Hmm.”

Thanks to that, Nia gave up cleanly.

For the time being, I’ll just do some warm-up exercises so I don’t lose my touch.

“Okay. Let’s go to Bucklin before it’s too late. It’s almost dinner time.”

I came all the way to the academy for sightseeing.

The day passed by as we continued to practice magic.

* * * * *

“See you next time, princess… .”

Bena waved her hand with a regretful expression until the end.

If it were normal, I would have followed you right away.

It seems like it’s not a lie that my schedule is full until next month.

Shu-

The main gate of Berkeley, reached via the portal.

We entered and were greeted by the familiar faces of the gatekeepers.

“Oh! My daughter is here.”

“Long time no see, Father.”

Nia’s father.

So Luke’s uncle, Leon Bucklin, was waiting.

“Hey. If it were like the old days, I would have run over and hugged you.”

“… That was a story from 4 years ago.”

“To Daddy, he always said, “Baby, baby.” How he loved rubbing his beard.”

“I’ve never done that before.”

“I’m embarrassed in front of you, haha!”

Leon laughs heartily.

On the outside, he looks like a neighborhood uncle with a rough beard.

This man was a great man who served as the commander of the Berkeley Army.

“It’s been a while, Uncle.”

“Yeah. But why does your complexion seem to be getting worse? Are you under a curse or something?”

As expected, he’s not the leader for nothing.

I was so close to getting the correct answer that I was trembling.

Soon, I pretended like nothing happened.

“Why would you be cursed if you’re only in Bertain?”

I wasn’t lying.

The price of the contract was something like a curse.

Because it wasn’t a curse.

“I hope your highness is doing well. Every time I look at you, you seem to be growing so much.”

“Hello.”

Ellen nodded.

Leon returns to his family after three years without any major battles.

Thanks to that, I got to see Ellin often whenever I came to Berkeley, so we became familiar with each other.

Now, Leon treats her like a new daughter.

“Come on, let’s go in instead of standing around. Everyone is waiting.”

I followed in, with Leon leading the way.

We arrived just in time for dinner.

Everyone was already gathered in the restaurant.

Luke’s parents.

Of course, Benedict Bucklin and Vivian Bucklin.

The next head of the household, Victor… … .

“How have you been? … … Sister-in-law.”

“If you’re always going to be so awkward, just call me senior… … .”

Even Dien, who sat next to Victor.

It’s already been three years since we got married.

Now, Diendo was a full-fledged member of Berkeley.

In other words, it means that I tried for three years to adapt to the changed title.

Of course, the title ‘sister-in-law’ still didn’t stick in my mouth.

But there was something much, much, much more awkward than the current title.

“… Excuse me, how many months have you been here?”

“5, 5 months ago… ?”

It was Dien’s belly that was convex.

Yes, that’s right.

3rd year of marriage.

Victor and Diane finally had a child.