Return to the Royal Capital

Due to my being bedridden, I ended up missing much more academy time than planned.

The attack incident itself was of course reported to both the palace and the academy, and the one who rushed to the Duke’s territory as soon as she received the news was Professor Leonora.

“My goodness! How did this happen?!”

Upon arriving at the Duke’s mansion, Professor Leonora saw me lying in bed wrapped in bandages all over and shouted, turning pale.

Judging by her clearly shocked face, the details of my condition hadn’t been disclosed.

In my place, as I was bedridden, Riel guided Professor Leonora to another room.

It was impossible to return to the academy until I was stable.

According to the doctor’s opinion, I needed about 5 more days?

Given that this was my condition after pouring in expensive elixirs and Priestess Alicia’s holy power, one could imagine how serious my condition had been.

…Well, the elves who attacked us were in equally serious condition.

The elf who had struggled to the end was so severely injured that she was still unconscious.

There were opinions about accelerating the healing process using medicine or holy power, but Eve opposed it and said to just keep her alive, so she was just barely alive.

It seemed that the act of trying to harm Riel while prepared to die had provoked Eve’s anger.

The other two were also imprisoned, simply responding to interrogation without any resistance.

Eve wanted to kill them, but the problem was that Princess Aine was here.

Due to the special nature of the elf race, they were essentially being kept alive.

The Marcos Empire, one of the continent’s hegemonic states.

The Empire openly champions the protection of elves.

The elf race, which the Empire protects, had attempted to harm nobles of the Kingdom.

Regarding this issue, Princess Aine, as a member of the royal family, had to formally protest to the Marcos Empire and determine the elves’ punishment.

If Eve had been the person in charge, she might have secretly killed them and claimed they died during the confrontation.

Eve was outraged, saying that the elves knew this and that was why they were submitting to interrogation without resistance.

“Oh.”

Bored because there was no one in the room, I looked out the window and noticed a group of people.

In this mansion, there were only two maids and some knights, but recently there had been an increase in people who didn’t belong to either group.

Riel was the one who satisfied my curiosity about them.

“They’re my brother’s schoolmates from his academy days.”

They were none other than friends that Young Master Andrew had made during his academy days.

In the current situation, with not only the servants but even the retainers who supported the Duke’s family in a comatose state, the Duke’s family was not functioning properly.

To overcome this situation, Young Master Andrew gathered third sons and below from among the friends he had taken note of during his school days—those who would have to leave their families.

Well, individuals noticed by the heir to a Duke’s family must be quite capable.

In fact, I had met one of them.

“Oh, are you alone?”

And just then, one of them entered the room.

“Mr. Gilbert. You should knock before entering.”

“Ah… sorry, I forgot again.”

Gilbert Reime.

Though I had just met him yesterday, he was the third son of the Reime Count family.

Speaking of the Reime Count family, there was a girl named Sherry Reime among my academy classmates.

Now that I thought about it, they did seem to resemble each other.

When I mentioned her name, he spoke as if very pleased.

“You know Sherry?”

“No, we’re just in the same class.”

Sherry Reime was a girl who always stuck with her friend Laiza Bruin.

Both of them usually followed another Duke’s daughter in our class, Carlena Grace, and since Carlena intensely disliked Allen, they also extremely disliked him.

Perhaps because of that, Carlena Grace once spoke to me, whom Allen was highly antagonistic toward.

‘It must be difficult for you too.’

Just that much of a statement, though.

As for Sherry Reime, I had only seen her once, so I couldn’t really say I knew her.

“Where did Lady Riel go?”

“A professor from the academy came looking for her, so they went out together.”

“Ah~ that’s normal. When a student is injured, the homeroom professor has to check the student’s condition and process the sick leave.”

“You know a lot about this?”

“I’ve experienced it many times.”

This person, while at the academy, was a student who boasted top martial arts grades.

The problem was, he caused so much trouble at the academy that he had a hard time graduating.

After graduating, he apparently had no intention of using his martial arts skills to serve somewhere and just played around at home.

Then, at his friend Young Master Andrew’s call, he rushed over.

In reality, he was a person with a very deep understanding of martial arts.

I thought I knew a lot about martial arts, but this person was quite impressive.

…I wonder if he would get along really well with Senior Iris?

“So, how are your injuries?”

“Yes. They say the major wounds seem to have calmed down significantly. Thanks to Young Master Andrew who procured medicine and Priestess Alicia who used holy power.”

“Haha, well, you were injured protecting Lady Riel, right? Andrew has no reason to spare any expense.”

Indeed, though the Duke’s family would have many expenses in the future, Young Master Andrew spared no cost in procuring medicine and focusing on my treatment.

Additionally, with the addition of healing through holy power, which is rarely used due to its poor efficiency compared to the holy power input, my wounds were recovering very quickly.

“Oh my, they’re back just as we mentioned them.”

I turned my head at Gilbert’s words and saw Riel and Professor Leonora entering the room.

Gilbert stood up to leave the room, but when his eyes met Professor Leonora’s, they widened.

“Oh? You… Leonora?”

“Gilbert? Why are you here?”

Professor Leonora also looked at Gilbert with surprised eyes.

Riel, who was caught between them, also showed signs of surprise.

“Professor Leonora, do you know each other?”

At Riel’s question, Professor Leonora gathered herself with a start and said:

“Ah… yes, we were classmates when I was attending the academy.”

“Huh? Then Professor, were you also a classmate of my brother?”

“That’s right. Though I wasn’t that close with your brother.”

‘Since he was the son of a Duke’s family, I felt a bit uncomfortable…’ Professor Leonora trailed off, and Gilbert said:

“Wow, you actually became a professor? You sang about becoming a professor since our academy days.”

“And I heard you’re still unemployed, Gilbert, what are you doing here?”

“Hey, don’t look down on me? I’m now employed by the Duke’s family.”

Watching the two conversing, Riel was momentarily blank before approaching me with small steps.

“I finished talking with the professor. She says you can come back after resting for 5 more days as the doctor advised.”

“Yes, are you okay, Riel?”

“Yes. She said I can stay with you as a caregiver.”

As we were talking, Professor Leonora, who had been briefly talking with Gilbert, addressed us.

“I heard the story from Lady Riel, Wentos.”

Professor Leonora was smiling.

“You were injured while protecting Lady Riel, right? As a nobleman of the kingdom, your actions deserve praise, but please also take care of yourself.”

“Yes. Thank you for your concern.”

“Not at all. Then, I’ll see you at the academy in 5 days.”

With that farewell, Professor Leonora left the room.

Gilbert, who suggested they have tea before she left, followed her.

Riel, who saw them off, turned back to me and said:

“Since that’s settled, let’s focus on your treatment for the next 5 days.”

“5 days… it sounds like it will be very boring.”

When I frowned saying that, Riel smiled.

“It’s okay! I’ll stick right by you and nurse you for 5 days!”

Riel’s face as she said that was flushed, but somehow looked happy.

The days of recovering from my injuries passed in the blink of an eye.

Still, I wasn’t bored because Riel stuck right beside me, nursing me and keeping me company.

Additionally, many people came to visit me as I lay in bed.

Most of them were Young Master Andrew’s former schoolmates.

Talented individuals who had responded to Young Master Andrew’s call and would take on various tasks in the Duke’s family.

Among them, those who showed interest in me—well, more accurately, in the Wentos Count family—but still.

Even so, most of them were children of nobles, and since building relationships with them wouldn’t hurt, I built up some friendships.

Among them, there was someone who wanted to introduce me to his cute and pretty younger sister, but.

“……”

“…Uh… sorry, let’s forget I said anything.”

He quietly left the spot after receiving Riel’s cold smile and sharp glare from beside me.

…You’ve grown strong enough to drive away opponents with just a look, Riel.

Anyway, with Riel’s nursing and meetings with other noble children, I spent a rather busy time quickly, and 5 days passed.

Having recovered enough to move without discomfort, I was now on a train heading to Gransen, the royal capital where the academy was located.

With Phyllis supporting me, Riel following behind, and Luca moving luggage behind her.

Although I felt a bit sorry for Luca, who was struggling to move luggage for four people, Phyllis dismissed it as part of her training.

Meanwhile, the people who came to see us off were quite an impressive lineup.

Duchess Rachel, who had recovered enough to move, Young Master Andrew, and Eve.

Princess Aine and Priestess Alicia, both royalty.

They had come to see off the five of us who were boarding the train.

Yes, five people.

When I glanced at the fifth person, she looked at me as if wondering why.

“What’s wrong?”

“No, are you really okay with coming to the royal capital?”

“There’s no problem.”

It was none other than the elf, Lilu, who intended to go to the royal capital with us.

“I’ve lived as a guardian of the World Tree. It will be the same for the World Tree that will be born in the future.”

“I… I see.”

That was right.

Her objective was none other than the World Tree seed entrusted to Riel.

Her goal was to protect that seed, and that’s why she was planning to follow us to the royal capital.

However, I didn’t know how she would live in the royal capital, but Princess Aine said she had taken care of that.

And as for Princess Aine.

“Leave it to me.”

“Pardon?”

“I’ll somehow ensure that those damned things that attacked you receive a severe punishment.”

She was burning with enthusiasm about negotiations with the Empire.

Eve, who was the Princess’s subordinate, also seemed to have thoughts about the elves’ punishment, and it seemed best to leave this matter to them.

“Mr. Kyo.”

“Ah… yes! Duchess!”

Duchess Rachel looked at me.

Her gaze was very warm.

“Thank you for protecting my daughter. Please continue to take care of our Riel.”

“….Yes! Of course!”

“The next time you visit, you can call me ‘Mother’?”

“Mother?!”

At the Duchess’s words, Young Master Andrew, who was standing nearby, cried out as if shocked, but Duchess Rachel merely smiled.

Young Master Andrew looked at me with a complicated expression, but soon withdrew it.

“…Well, please take care of my sister.”

“Of course.”

After exchanging farewells with Eve and Priestess Alicia as well, we headed to the royal capital Gransen.

To finish the academy classes with only a short time left before the summer vacation.