Ch.285285. As expected, home-cooked meals are the best.

“I don’t have much prepared, but please enjoy your meal.”

At my mother Ellaria’s words, I looked at the table with a faint smile.

The table was filled with soft bread, fresh salad, various meat dishes, and soup.

Using a spoon and chopsticks, I stuffed a mouthful of meat and rice into my mouth before speaking.

“Indeed, home cooking is the best.”

Ellaria nodded slowly at my words.

“I heard you established an academy in Lake Territory?”

At Ellaria’s question, Baron Byron, who was eating, perked up his ears, apparently curious as well.

After swallowing all the food in my mouth, I continued.

“Yes, I was a bit late returning because I attended the opening ceremony.”

“How did you come to establish an academy?”

“If talented individuals come to Lake Academy, it will also elevate our family’s standing.”

Baron Byron took a sip of water and raised his head.

“I also heard you succeeded in transforming the Forest of Death into the Forest of Miracles.”

“Haha!! As I mentioned before, my brother Leonard worked hard to clear out the magical beasts.”

Leonard, sitting beside me, proudly raised his shoulders.

Baron Byron continued, paying no mind.

“I hear there are many tourists now, and it seems Lake Territory is becoming more famous than Alphonse Territory.”

“Lake Territory is still owned by the Alphonse family, isn’t it? It’s good that our reputation rises along with it.”

“Speaking of the academy, have many students enrolled? I heard you implemented a tiered tuition system based on social status?”

“Yes. Commoners want to educate their children, but tuition isn’t affordable.”

“You could have introduced a scholarship system like other academies.”

“If we introduced scholarships, we’d have to select students based on talent, and then we might miss those whose abilities bloom later in life.”

Baron Byron stopped using his chopsticks and raised his head.

“Late-blooming talent… can’t be ignored. You yourself are no different, having blossomed at a late age after being exiled to Lake Territory.”

“Talent? I’m just a bit better at business than others.”

I thought the dinner atmosphere might be heavy because of Evander Alphonse, but it was calmer than expected as Baron Byron continued.

“Where is Padericks?”

“He’s probably dining with the Lake Territory staff who came with us.”

“Hmm, then I’ll arrange a meeting tomorrow.”

“May I ask what kind of woman she is?”

“She’s a new butler named Catherine who has completed all professional training.”

“Ah… if things go well, do you plan to send Catherine to Lake Territory?”

Baron Byron nodded without hesitation.

I thought that if they shared the same profession, they might communicate well to some extent.

Of course, we wouldn’t know until they met.

And so.

After finishing dinner with my family, I headed to the reception room with Baron Byron.

It felt like we would have a more serious conversation now.

I sat on the sofa with a tense expression.

“Do you have more to say?”

Baron Byron, who had been silent for a while.

After a moment, a teacup was placed on the table.

Only after confirming that the maid had left the reception room did he finally open his tightly closed mouth.

“Did you hear about Evander from Leonard?”

“…Yes.”

“I’m curious what you think.”

“I heard Leonard’s opinion, and it seems he intends to embrace Evander even if he becomes the family head.”

Baron Byron’s eyes widened slightly, as if he also found Leonard’s behavior unexpected.

“Hmm, is that so?”

“I also plan to visit Evander after returning to Lake Territory from the Western Continent.”

Baron Byron tilted his head.

“You’re going to the Western Continent?”

“There’s someone I need to meet there. It’s difficult to explain, but it’s for quite personal reasons.”

“Well, I don’t think it’s a waste of time, but I want you to know that the Western Continent is different from the Eastern Continent.”

“How is it different?”

“There are many differences, but the cultural gap is the biggest. Unlike the Eastern Continent, which adheres to tradition, the Western Continent has a more practical and modern culture.”

No matter how modern their culture might be, it would still be less developed than the world I used to live in.

I nodded silently.

“…Is there anything else?”

“When I was young, I visited the Western Continent once and remember struggling with the food. The spices were too strong, how should I put it?”

“Since I won’t be staying long, I think the food will be fine.”

Baron Byron then made a somewhat worried expression.

“By the way, are you really planning to marry one of the princesses?”

“Yes, somehow I got caught by His Majesty the Emperor.”

As I drooped my shoulders, Baron Byron burst into laughter with an incredulous expression.

“Haha! No one but my son could say they got caught by His Majesty the Emperor in the Eastern Continent.”

Literally caught, indeed.

Without even having a relationship, one wrong drinking session led to marriage…

At least Princess Etherian and Princess Sirin weren’t bad in any way; otherwise, I might have fled in the night like Evander Alphonse.

With a short sigh, I continued.

“Fortunately, even if I marry the princess, it seems I won’t have to stay at the imperial palace.”

“Did you get a promise from His Majesty?”

“Yes.”

“Then where do you plan to live with the princess after marriage?”

“I’m not sure yet.”

Baron Byron stroked his chin thoughtfully before speaking.

“His Majesty will probably grant you one of the territories.”

“Well, that’s possible.”

“Then wouldn’t it be a shame to lose what you’ve built in Lake Territory…”

“Not at all. As I mentioned during dinner, I’m satisfied with raising the status of Alphonse Territory.”

Knock knock-!

At that moment, my mother Ellaria and my sister Miria entered the reception room after knocking.

In this now familiar situation, I naturally stood up.

“Then I’ll go wash up.”

“Alright, good work.”

“Would you like to join me, Father?”

“Yes, good work.”

“…Pardon?”

“I said good work.”

“…I understand.”

I headed to the bath, my arms now held by Ellaria and Miria.

The water was already heated, with steam rising gently.

I undressed with practiced familiarity and entered the bath.

“It’s very warm.”

Ellaria Alphonse sat across from me, giving me a warm smile.

And Miria Alphonse, true to expectations, pressed herself close to my side.

“Aren’t you too busy these days?”

I poked Miria Alphonse’s forehead with my finger, gently pushing her away as I spoke.

“Didn’t I tell you earlier? I’ve been very busy lately with the Forest of Miracles and establishing the academy.”

“Tsk…”

“Now that I’ve finished all the busy work, I’ll visit Alphonse Territory more often.”

“If you’re too busy, wouldn’t it be better if I visited you instead?”

“…I’ll just come to Alphonse Territory.”

“What! Are you embarrassed of me?”

“A little bit.”

Miria Alphonse puffed her cheeks with air and stared at me.

I avoided her gaze and looked at Ellaria Alphonse sitting across from me.

“Mother, you’re welcome to visit Lake Territory anytime you feel bored.”

“My, are you giving me special treatment?”

“Of course. For my one and only mother, I would stop whatever I’m doing and welcome you.”

“Then taking our Miria along at that time?”

“…Let’s pretend I never said anything.”

For some reason, Ellaria and Miria burst into laughter, holding their stomachs.

They really thought I was joking.

Ellaria Alphonse wiped tears from her eyes after laughing so much and spoke.

“By the way, when do you plan to return to Lake Territory?”

If I mentioned going to the Western Continent before returning to Lake Territory, it would only cause unnecessary worry.

I adjusted my posture and gave a vague answer.

“I plan to leave in two days.”

“Hmm… will you spend time with your mother until then?”

“Of course. I came to Alphonse Territory because I missed you, Mother.”

Despite the somewhat embarrassing words, Ellaria Alphonse covered her mouth with both hands, her expression filled with emotion.

“…To think my son cares so much about his mother, I’m getting choked up.”

Though she didn’t show it outwardly, Ellaria’s heart must have already melted.

Jason Alphonse had his throat cut by my sword, and now the family’s eldest son, Evander Alphonse, had disappeared as well.

Yet her way of hiding her emotions somehow made me feel sorry for her.

“I will find my brother.”

Ellaria Alphonse’s eyes widened, as if she hadn’t expected me to bring up Evander Alphonse.

“E-Evander?”

“Yes, I’ll meet him and persuade him to return to the family.”

Tears rolled down Ellaria Alphonse’s cheeks.

In the somewhat awkward atmosphere, Miria Alphonse pressed herself against me again and spoke.

“Oh my! By the way, has our youngest been training diligently lately? Your legs feel quite solid.”

As always, Miria Alphonse can’t stand this kind of atmosphere, can she?

With a short sigh, I looked at Miria Alphonse with an expressionless face and slowly spoke.

“…That’s not my leg.”