Sorry for Interrupting

After the Grace Duke family left, a relatively peaceful daily life passed.

Having meals with family, helping my siblings with their study for exams, spending time with Riel—that kind of daily life.

Well, even such a daily life ended again after about a week.

“Huff… huff…”

Men and women alike were running in a line at a steady pace across the snow field.

A jog done in formation, so as not to break away from the line.

It’s just running exercise, but doing it in a snow field where feet sink deeply is uncommonly difficult.

“You there! You’re gradually falling out of line?”

“S-sorry!”

As one female magician who was a bit tired fell behind, Princess Aine’s harsh command came down immediately.

Startled, she hurriedly returned to her line and ran hard while breathing heavily.

“Huff…! Huff…!”

“Riel, don’t overdo it, take a rest for a bit and come back.”

“Huff…! But…!”

I took my eyes off Riel, who was exhaling with a flushed face, and turned my gaze to Princess Aine who was running alongside us, monitoring the line.

Princess Aine was also looking our way and nodded.

“Now, go over there and rest.”

“Uh… okay…!”

Riel slightly deviated from the line while running.

As Riel left, another member who had been running behind filled her place, realigning the formation.

As Riel sat down on a chair prepared at the training ground to rest, a gray-haired girl offered her a cup with warm steam rising from it.

“Riel, drink this. It’ll make you feel a bit better.”

“Yes… thanks…”

I turned my gaze away from Riel drinking what was in the cup offered by Emilia, and focused again on my training.

This year’s training was different somehow.

It was three days ago, when Princess Aine, who had gone to the Empire, arrived at the County.

Princess Aine and her subordinate members who had gone to the Empire with her, as well as Eve Ignis who had gone to the Ignis Duchy, returned together with the princess.

“On behalf of my brother who couldn’t come due to his busy schedule, I, Eve Ignis, express my gratitude.”

“No, I’ve heard about the current situation in the Duchy. There’s no need to worry too much.”

Naturally, the news that Duke Ignis had been found was conveyed to the royal family and the Ignis Duchy, and Young Master Andrew, who was currently acting on behalf of Duke Ignis, wanted to go see the Duke as soon as possible.

However, the Ignis Duchy was in the midst of reorganization, so Young Master Andrew was unable to move easily.

Therefore, Eve Ignis, who had remained in the Duchy to help her brother Andrew, came here instead, also participating in the training she was originally supposed to attend.

“How is my father’s condition?”

“I’ve heard that his seizure symptoms have decreased significantly. According to the doctor, there’s hope.”

“Is that so, that’s truly fortunate.”

Seeing Eve who seemed truly relieved as she stroked her chest, Count Wentos smiled and said:

“Come to think of it, your younger sister is staying here, shall I call her?”

“No, I’ll go find her. Is Riel doing well?”

“Haha, she’s having tea time with my wife in the botanical garden right now.”

As he said this, Count Wentos looked out the window.

The botanical garden building, a pride of the County family where various plants could be grown even in the cold Wentos County, could be seen.

“Would you like to go there too?”

“No, no matter what, I can’t interrupt tea time. I’ll visit around the time it ends.”

“I see, then rest in the meantime. I’ll assign a servant to you.”

As Count Wentos said this, a black-haired woman in a maid uniform appeared, guided Eve, and soon disappeared.

I heard that Princess Aine would return today.

Riel had gone to the botanical garden with mother, and I, having nothing to do, was just about to go outside after loitering around.

As I was about to cross the yard where a slightly chilly wind was blowing, I heard a shout and headed toward it.

“Yaap!!”

Asta was there, holding a wooden sword with both hands, frantically hitting a training dummy that had straw tied to a tree.

Along with the crisp sounds of “Tak!! Tadak!!”, the straw tied to the dummy could be seen falling off.

“Yap!!”

The same movements I had learned directly from father burst forth from Asta.

Even though Asta had been slower than me to pick up the sword, his form was quite good—this kid has talent.

When I unconsciously applauded, Asta stopped training and looked at me.

“Brother.”

“Sorry, did I interrupt?”

“No, it was about time for me to take a break anyway.”

Saying this, I grabbed a towel hanging in a corner of the training ground and threw it to Asta.

Asta received the towel that was appropriately cool thanks to the cold wind and wiped his sweat.

“Your skills have improved a lot.”

“I’m still far behind father and you, brother.”

“Yes, the last movement was a bit sloppy. There, you should lower your waist a bit more…”

Asta listened attentively to my advice.

Come to think of it, before I started attending the academy, these kinds of interactions were quite common.

“As expected of you, brother.”

“I’m still far behind father too. Can’t beat that terminator-like human.”

“What’s a terminator?”

“…Uh… it’s a thing.”

Oh no, I inadvertently misspoke.

Despite having lived in this world for over ten years, I occasionally make such verbal slips, which made me think I lacked caution.

“Anyway, I’ll try once more applying what you taught me, brother.”

“Yes, work hard. I’ll sit here and watch…”

“…Isn’t it boring just to watch?”

Seeing Asta’s face stiffen at the sudden voice from behind me, and thinking that I probably had the same expression, I slowly turned my head.

“…You’ve returned, Your Highness.”

“Yes, I just got back.”

I had heard she was returning, but I wish she wouldn’t suddenly appear behind me like this.

Thinking this, I gave a wry smile at the blonde woman with a playful smile, Princess Aine.

“Let’s stop here then. I’ve warmed up well.”

“Huff… y-yesss…!”

I’m dying.

The remark “Isn’t it boring just to watch?” seemed to have this meaning, given how hard I was driven.

And without any prior warning, she suddenly threw me a wooden sword and immediately thrust at me, making me feel like I glimpsed the other side of the Sanzu River.

“B-brother… are you okay?”

“…Yes, this is how she usually is, right?”

“That’s true, but still.”

Come to think of it, during the spring regular training while I was at the academy, Asta was driven in my place.

Haha, I thought about it then too, but how hard and frightening must it have been for him.

“Still, you’re amazing. To block all those attacks.”

“No, she was going easy on me. If she had been serious, I wouldn’t have lasted a few exchanges and would have been rolling on the ground.”

“Even so, it looked very impressive to my eyes.”

Right, if you say I’m cool, then that’s enough.

What brother would dislike being praised and admired by his younger brother?

As I was wiping the waterfall-like sweat with the towel Asta had handed me, something warm touched my cheek.

“Drink.”

“Ah, thank you.”

I received a cup with a warm drink from Princess Aine.

Asta also received a cup and looked at it.

Yes, at the dark liquid contained in this cup.

“…I heard it’s today’s original creation.”

“Is Commander Gareth still continuing with this?”

Asta looked at us with an expression that seemed to ask what we were talking about.

Right, you didn’t know about this hellish health drink.

“Still, these days it’s becoming more palatable.”

“That’s true. Before, just the smell was enough to make you vomit.”

Commander Gareth’s hobby was collecting all sorts of ingredients said to be good for the body and making health drinks.

Both Her Highness, who had experienced this since her time in his mercenary band where she had concealed her identity, and I, who had experienced it while regularly participating in this training since childhood, had been continuously drinking this.

“What’s in it this time?”

“…Mountain fruit as a base, various medicinal herbs, and Hell Grizzly’s gallbladder… after that I just stopped listening.”

…

I shouldn’t have asked.

Still, one thing about it is outstanding.

Though the taste is terrible.

I drank it all in one go.

The intense bitterness and disgusting smell immediately rose up.

However, it really seemed milder compared to before, like it had improved.

It’s bearable, yes.

Following me and Princess Aine drinking the health drink in one go, Asta also swallowed his saliva before gulping it down.

“Puheeerrgh!!”

Ah, he ended up spitting it out after all.

After finishing training, receiving guidance from Phyllis, and finishing a shower, I was resting in my room.

As I looked out the window while drinking the tea Phyllis had served, it started to snow.

Snow falling even in midsummer—this place is truly crazy.

“I’m back!”

With a knock, Riel entered the room.

Usually, one knocks, waits for a response, and then enters, but it seemed that no longer mattered.

However, her personal maid Luca, who was behind her, had a confused expression as she carefully closed the door.

“Welcome back, how was tea time?”

“Yes! We talked a lot! Your mother seems like a really nice person!”

Yes, I certainly think mother is a good person.

She does have a somewhat excessively passionate aspect when teaching magic, but I think that level of educational enthusiasm is within the acceptable range.

Though seeing Kino with a dead expression every time she learns magic from mother makes me wonder if that’s really the case.

“Yap!”

“Oof.”

I caught Riel as she suddenly jumped into my arms, but fell backward.

Fortunately, there was a bed behind me, so I wasn’t seriously injured.

“Ehehe.”

“That was sudden.”

Riel buried her face in my chest as we lay sprawled on the bed.

Somehow suppressing the heat rising to my face, I placed my hand on her head and stroked it.

“You smell good.”

“…I just washed, so isn’t it soap smell?”

“Mm-mm, it’s Kyo’s smell.”

…She’s saying subtly embarrassing things again.

Still, as she’s been clinging to me like this frequently lately, I feel like I’ve become somewhat used to it.

…Well, thinking about it, it seems like it might be difficult to do this for the next few days.

I should tell her that.

“Riel.”

“Yes? What is it?”

“I’ll probably be away from home for a few days.”

Riel raised her face to look at me upon hearing my words.

Her red eyes stared at me intently.

“Why?”

“Princess Aine has returned, so I’ll probably be going into the mountains for regular training.”

“Is that what Senior Iris was talking about?”

I nodded at Riel’s words.

Since Senior Iris also came here to participate in that training, Riel would know about its existence.

“I think we’ll be holed up in the mountains for about a week, so during that time, with Lilu or Emilia…”

“Um, about that training.”

Riel suddenly interrupted me and opened her mouth midway.

Since this rarely happens, I stopped talking and listened attentively to her words while looking at her.

“Th-that training, I also…”

“Riel? Are you here?”

In the middle of Riel’s sentence, suddenly the door swung open and someone entered.

“Riel, sister’s here! Sister…”

“……”

“……”

My eyes met with the person who entered the room, Eve.

When our eyes met, her mouth immediately closed, and Riel, who had been nestled in my arms, also froze as she looked at Eve.

And so, a slightly uncomfortable time passed…

“…Sorry for interrupting, I forgot to knock.”

“Sister, wait a moment?!”

Eve quickly closed the door and left.