episode_0051

Two years later.

Spring, the season when flowers bloom.

As the snow melted and the weather warmed, a major change occurred in Bertain.

“The Duke is returning.”

The return of Duke Bertain, who had gone to the North to provide support.

The owner of the mansion was returning after two years.

“Prepare for the return ceremony.”

After receiving the butler’s report, Natia gave orders to all of Bertain.

Of course.

The homecoming ceremony wasn’t something that could be prepared by servants alone.

“Long time no see, Mom.”

The eldest daughter who graduated from the academy.

Of course, Clavel Bertain returned to the mansion immediately.

“Your father is coming back?”

Gerald, who had been causing trouble by riding the line at the academy, also hurriedly returned to the mansion.

“All prepare to welcome the master of Bertain.”

That ‘everyone’ included Elin’s personal maid, Anne.

“Ouch, I’m so frustrated.”

Anne, who always dressed badly, was forced to dress neatly.

“Isn’t it okay if you wear it normally?”

“Then, even if you can’t do it, you must have lost 30 buttons?”

It was a difficult statement to refute.

Thump, thump.

Even now, the shirt is screaming as it cannot support the overwhelming size of my chest.

It looked like the button would fire if I moved it even a little bit actively.

“… How did it get so big?”

Elin muttered as she looked at the skimpy shirt.

“Hehe, are you jealous?”

“… … ”

Instead of answering, Ellen glanced down.

The instep is still visible.

Even after two years, there hasn’t been much growth!

“I ate well and worked out hard, so why… .”

“Don’t worry too much, Princess. There’s such a thing as heredity. The Duchess isn’t that tall, is she?”

Luke looked around in surprise.

“What… If you heard it directly, why would you say something like that?”

“What, what else can I do but die?”

Anne shrugged.

After only working for two years, I had already lost my sense of fear.

“That’s okay. The princess is cuter than anyone else. Right, Luke?”

“Yes. That is an undeniable fact.”

Even now, Ellin’s cuteness is overwhelming.

Today is the homecoming party, so Anne has decorated it very elaborately.

That too needs to be supported by a model to be effective.

Height increased by about 5cm compared to before (although I’m still only 138cm).

Now, medium length hair that just goes past the shoulders.

A healthy complexion.

Even the clear eyes that have returned to focus.

The healthy Elin truly deserves the name ‘Princess’.

It was possible to truly be crowned the cutest person in the empire.

Of course, the ranking criteria was Luke’s mind.

“Ugh… .”

But I wonder if she didn’t like the title of “overwhelming cuteness number one.”

He waved his stupid hair around with his short limbs.

“I want to grow tall too.”

“It will definitely be bigger. It’s still growing.”

“I guess so.”

Ellen tapped the ground with her toes.

And then glance at Luke’s face.

He asked casually.

“… Teacher, do you like big girls?”

“Yes?”

“They say men usually like slim women.”

“Not necessarily. Who did that?”

“Benaga.”

Well, since I’m close with novelists, I keep bringing up preconceived notions from somewhere.

“I don’t really care about appearance. It’s what’s on the inside that’s important in a person.”

“Wow… You’re lying without even wiping your mouth.”

Anne immediately tackled him, but he simply ignored her.

“And I don’t think I have a specific external ideal type. I’ve never really thought about dating.”

I’ve been getting letters from my family here and there asking when I’m going to get married.

I usually reply that I’m busy these days and don’t have time to do that… .

This is all just a stopgap measure.

Because marriage is a necessity in an aristocratic society.

“So you’ve never had a girlfriend before?”

“There was none.”

“… ever?”

“Yes, never.”

“That makes sense. He’s a guy who spends all day studying magic.”

Anne chimed in with Luke.

“Even if you talk to women, it’s just me, Senior Lanian, Senior Dien… Anyway, they’re not people I would consider as dating partners.”

“If you’re a woman, shouldn’t you be taking it off?”

“Why. Should I make you a woman today too?”

Anne lifted her knee as if to kick Luke’s buttocks.

“I made a mistake.”

While Luke reflexively covered his lower body with both hands and apologized.

Elin blinked blankly.

“… Never?”

Muttered in disbelief.

“Teacher…Why?”

I tilted my head as if I had encountered a problem that could not be solved even using the correct formula.

Before you ask why I am reacting like that.

“Everyone, please prepare yourselves in your seats. The Duke has arrived.”

A magnificent carriage bearing the seal of Berthain arrived at the main gate.

Anne and Ellen immediately shut their mouths and returned to their assigned seats.

The butler took a quick look around the interior.

I took a deep breath and opened the front door.

“The pillar that holds the center of the empire. Our rightful master, Duke Bertain, has returned!”

Kuguu-

The front door opens with a loud noise.

As if time had stopped.

A silence so thick it hurts your ears falls.

When no one dares even breathe.

Step by step.

The sound of a single boot broke the silence.

The spirit of the Sword Master can be felt from far away.

A majestic aura weighing down on the mansion.

Her dark purple hair, almost blue, was fluttering in the wind.

The blue eyes of a beast flash like a beast that looks like it will bite you just by looking at it.

Scars big and small that clearly show the years of living on the battlefield.

Duke Berthain, Carlchad Berthain, looked at the servants who came out to greet him with indifferent eyes.

“Are you back, master?”

The butler bowed on behalf of the group.

“Are you back, master!”

All of Bertain’s servants bowed at the same time.

“Yeah.”

A short and weighty phrase.

Let’s pass the butler and be greeted with that.

“Thank you for your hard work.”

Natia, walking lightly, greeted the Duke with a gentle smile.

Surprisingly, there was no pretense in Natia’s smile.

She was really happy to see her husband whom she hadn’t seen in a long time.

Even an old fox sometimes shows his true feelings.

The moment I thought that.

“Eldest daughter of Bertain. Meet Clavel Bertain, the pillar in charge of the center of the empire.”

Clavel stepped forward, folding her hands politely.

“I missed you, Father.”

The Duke glanced at Clavel.

“Did you graduate from the academy this year?”

“That’s right. I graduated a month ago.”

“Of course you graduated at the top of your class, right?”

“Of course.”

A loose rider without Rochefort or Bucklin.

Clavel, who had never missed a beat with the chief wizard, smiled brightly.

Only then did the Duke’s expression soften.

“I’m proud. Just keep doing it.”

“Okay~”

Clavel bowed his head and went back to his seat.

Next up was Gerald.

“Gerald Bertain, the second son of Bertain, is the pillar of the empire―”

“Leo is.”

The Duke cut off Gerald’s words.

I looked around.

“Leo still not back?”

“Brother… Yes, I haven’t found it yet.”

“Tsk.”

Gerald’s body flinched as the duke clicked his tongue.

Even Gerald, who had a mischievous temperament, did not have the guts to stand up to the Empire’s Sword Master.

“You said you were attending the academy now.”

“Yes.”

As if he knew what was going to happen next.

Gerald squeezed his eyes shut.

“Is the chief still in charge?”

“… … ”

“Tsk. I didn’t expect much from you. But you’ll still get second place, right?”

“… … ”

This time, there was no answer.

The peacock frowned.

“You ugly bastard.”

That was the end.

The Duke passed by as if Gerald was no longer in sight.

“… Huh?”

Ellen hasn’t said hello yet.

“Your Highness. Please go out quickly.”

Luke gently pushed Elin’s back, who was standing there blankly.

Let’s stand out from the line by about half a step.

Towering.

Only then did the peacock stop.

“What is it?”

“… … That, that.”

Ellen squeaked and turned her head towards Luke.

With a look in his eyes that seemed to ask, “What should we do now?”

You’ve practiced it, right?

He answered with his mouth shape.

“Elin Bertain, the second daughter of Bertain Now, meet the pillar that holds the central position of the empire.”

It was a wonderful greeting, even though I was shaking.

At least it didn’t break off in the middle like Gerald did.

“Looks like you have a good tutor.”

But the duke’s eyes were turned not to Elin, but to Luke.

“You said the Bucklin family?”

“This is Luke Bucklin. He’s in charge of the center―”

“Okay. I don’t know how many times I’ve heard that.”

The Duke waved his hand as if he was tired and continued climbing the stairs.

“Gerald.”

“Yes, Father.”

Gerald quickly jumped out.

“Clavel.”

“Did you call?”

Clavel came out, stretching out her slender legs.

“5 years. If Leo doesn’t return within that time, there will be a competition for the next head of the household.”

“… … Yes?”

Gerald and Clavel opened their mouths at the same time.

“So, if you want to seize the opportunity, be prepared.”

At the same time, the mansion is in an uproar.

“What did the Duke just say… .”

“Competition…? So you’re saying you’re going to have a duel over the seat of the headmaster yourself…?”

“Sup, then Clavel… .”

“What are you talking about? Even so, Gerald inherited the Duke’s swordsmanship… .”

The servants must have been confused.

Because out of the blue, the prince or princess you serve can become the next head of the family.

“Quiet.”

The commotion was calmed by a single word containing the peacock’s magic.

“Now, wait a minute. What do you mean?”

Natia couldn’t even continue speaking properly because of the bomb that suddenly exploded.

The next head of the household cannot change so suddenly.

We’ll have to decide through a meeting with the elders.

“It’s my job to decide on a successor. Are you dissatisfied?”

Carl Chad Bertain.

He is a sword master who has achieved many great feats throughout the empire.

There was a reason why Bertha acted like a tyrant within the company.

“Oh, no.”

“There’s no way, Father.”

Gerald flinched at the sudden situation.

Clavel, who had come to his senses in the meantime, answered confidently.

The next head of household is not necessarily a good one.

The reason Leo couldn’t endure it and left was because of the harsh training of the next generation.

but.

The fifth Duke of the Empire.

Among them, there was no one who did not covet the power of the duke in charge of the center.

Leo has never been found by anyone until now.

In the future, Bertain will be divided into Clavel Parr and Gerald Parr.

The Duke declared it even though he knew it.

“And Elin. You come to the office after dinner.”

With those words, the Duke climbed up the stairs.

In the midst of chaos, the commotion that had stopped continues.

“… … Huh?”

Elin realized what was said too late.

Before you even ask yourself why.

My body starts shaking like an aspen tree.

Nothing came into my head, not even the thought of going next or anything.

Now, the only thing that was etched into my mind was the fact that the ‘peacock’ had called me to his ‘office’.

Although it is said that there has been a lot of growth.

As of now, the past two years have been of no use.

The moment she received the Duke’s call, Elin turned back to being 12 years old.

I couldn’t eat properly.

No one cared for me.

Back to those days when I was always getting beaten up helplessly.

The fear imprinted on our instincts comes back to life.

Are you trying to hit me with a whistle without even telling me why?

Or maybe he’s trying to pinch the part that’s covered by the clothes.

Since the matt is better than before, you may be subjected to worse things… .

Even if you don’t want to imagine it, countless possibilities unfold in your mind.

The only good thing is.

“Princess. Take a deep breath.”

That Luke is by my side now.

Hug.

It meant that if Ellen got anxious, there was someone to hold her hand.

“Whew, Whew… Teacher.”

“I’ll go with you, so don’t worry.”

“… … Yeah.”

Ellen no longer felt embarrassed and pulled her hand away.

Instead, he clenched his fists and put more strength into his hands.

I didn’t know it then.

How much of a change will the Duke’s call bring to Bertain?

15 years old.

Since meeting Luke, Elin’s life has changed the most.