VOLUME 2: Side Story
Family
“By the way, why did the two of you think that I wanted to know about Greed-sama’s savings?”
I asked when I visited the Hero’s living room and the Princess, Greed-sama and the others were not around.
Usually, everyone would visit the Princess’s room, but occasionally we come here . . . per the Princess’s request. I’m sure she must have been exploring Rufus-sama’s room right now.
I once told her that Rufu-sama’s room is just a normal room, but for a maiden in love, it might appear special even if it is just a borrowed room.
I planned on spending time with everyone as I waited for the Princess who is with her beloved.
At that moment, Renas-sama and Milly-sama came to the living room.
The elf Rufaga-sama went to the Prime Minister, while Greed-sama and Farah-sama were asked by the elite guards to go to the knight’s training grounds to help them with sword training. To be honest, I’m saved from trouble.Well, you see, Greed-sama, like a loyal dog, just keeps on hanging around me and doesn’t leave me alone.
Then, I suddenly remembered. Before, I was also sitting on the sofa, facing the two of them like this. Yes, when they told me about Greed-sama’s story, and for some reason, they thought that I wanted to know the amount of Greed-sama’s savings!
Aside from knowing about Greed-sama’s upbringing and the invasion of demons, a lot of events have transpired, such as Greed-sama refused to accept my refusal of his marriage proposal, so I completely forgot about it, but I was certainly curious about it that time.
…...When I remembered it, I felt a little discomfited.
Why should I ask such question? I already knew it, but I am not interested in how much Greed-sama’s savings is, okay?
Isn’t it a good opportunity to demand for answers without the Princess nor Greed-sama around? With those thoughts, I started the conversation.
The two of them, who were sitting across the table, both expressed puzzlement. What is exactly with those strange expressions?
“How much of a niggard do you think I am? I do not like that kind of image of me!”
I slammed the table and exclaimed. At that moment, the cup shook with a rattling noise, but I still asked without regarding it.
“Huh? After all . . . right?”
“Well, about that.”
Renas-sama and Milly-sama glanced at each other and said.
“Well, a spirit said that Aria’s ideal man is ‘a financially stable and reliable person. Someone who would not let his wife and children to be out in the cold because of his strange hobbies’.”
“.…..”
I recalled those words. Indeed! Weren’t those lines I used to say while I was still at my parent’s house—!?
“That was a thing in the past……”
I moaned.
Why did you pick out those old remarks, Spirit-san!?
Besides, do I have no privacy, Spirit-san!?
“In the past you said, but exactly when?”
Renas-sama asked so I reluctantly answered.
“.…..When I was twelve years old.”
“Twelve years old!?”
The two cried out in harmony. Yes, I also don’t think it’s something a twelve-year-old child would say. But that was my true feelings at that time.
“You mean, that was your ideal man when you were still small?”
Milly-sama asked in curiosity.
“Usually, children at that age yearn for a prince or a hero, right?”
Renas-sama added.
“If you think about it, nothing is said about Aria’s ideal man’s personality or appearance, and it’s all about money. What’s with that exacting ideal? It’s not a young girl’s way of thinking!”
They looked at each other and asked me in a strange manner.
“Aria, you’re a noble, right……?”
“You’re a daughter of a viscount, aren’t you……?”
“.…..Ugh.”
I was rendered speechless. That’s it, right? You’re trying to say that I don’t act like a noble, right?
“Oh, the spirits told Greed. Aria always haggles every time she shops in town, they said……”
Touching his chin, Renas-sama said as he looked at the ceiling. Yes, yes, he nodded at something he sees, as though he was confirming it with the spirits.
…...Again, my personal information was leaked.
That is a big problem, but the biggest problem right now is that if it keeps on going this way, they’ll imagine me as “someone who only cares about money”!
I hurriedly interjected.
“I-It can’t be helped, okay!? My family is always in dire straits because of my father!”
Yes. It’s all because of my father! I am poor and doesn’t look like a nobleman’s daughter, so I put financial stability as my top priority!
Milly-sama suddenly leaned forward.
“Tell me, what kind of person is your father, Aria?”
“I also want to know. According to the rumors, he seems to be a strange person.”
Another voice echoed after Renas-sama.
“I also want to know.”
Looking over my back, I saw the Princess and Rufus-sama standing in front of the door, nestled close to each other. I was immersed with conversing with Renas-sama and Milly-sama so I wasn’t able to notice them. Apparently, they have returned from Rufus-sama’s room.
“I would also love to hear it. The story of Aria’s father.”
The Princess asked, smiling. Her eyes were shining with curiosity.
“Aria never talks about her family. She would say, ‘It is something the Princess should not hear’.”
“N-No, it is really something that the Princess should not hear……”
I chewed on my words. It’s not like there’s something special about him that I could not tell other people, but it’s just that I don’t want to show off my relatives. Who would want to air their family’s dirty laundry?
But, yes, the Princess looked at me with some kind of expectation.
I stared at the Princess’s face for a while, and after that, I looked around and saw Renas-sama and Milly-sama’s hopeful gazes—and I finally sighed in resignation.
“Really, it is a stupid story, you know?”
Although I opposed at first, I sat down in the opposite chaise lounge and started talking to everyone.
“……Ever since Greed-sama proposed to me, I have been involved in a lot of rumors, so I’m sure everyone has heard where my house is. Maybe all of them are true, but even back in the old days, the head of the Milford family is eccentric.”
Their peculiarity is that they are the type of person who is only absorbed in what they are interested in but are completely indifferent about anything else. If there is something wrong with that habit, it could be solved easily. The generations of the Milford family head are those kinds of people.
And my father had the typical Milford temperament.
Of course, not all of our ancestors and their families had such a temperament. Some of them are very normal. However, those people did not become well-known, and only those family head that were not normal has left anecdotes.
“The most famous of them is Elliot Milford, the seventh head, who made the opportunity to be called ‘that Milford family’ from all over the country.”
It is a famous story even among my clan.
Shortly after he inherited the title, the neighboring country at the south of our country tried to launch an attack.
The Viscountcy of Milford at that time faced the southern border—and I’m sure you know, right? Our territory was about to turn into a battlefield.
Because a steep mountain range rose in our territory, it seems that the central government thought that the enemy country would not attack from that direction. However, they were outsmarted. The troops (T/N: from the enemy country) were assembled with the intention of attacking at the border mountain range that has a little security.
Elliot, who happened to hear from a merchant, thought.
I don’t care if the country at the south will occupy our country, but it will be troublesome if my territory becomes a battlefield should that happen. Even if the inhabitants are killed and the territory is destroyed, I will still be the one to rebuild it and it will be very “troublesome”.
So he made an effort, and secretly crossed the border with a small group of elite corps. He sneaked into the encampment of enemy forces and kidnapped the general, who is the first prince of the neighboring country; in other words, the Crown Prince.
Naturally, the enemies chased after them.
However, when the enemy army approached a certain cut in the mountain road, the soldiers, upon the signal of Elliot, Visount Milford, dropped rocks and sand on the slopes of the mountains to stop the troops. It was to prevent the (T/N: enemies’) allies from catching up with them and to close the border.
Moreover, Elliot seems to have done an underhanded thing by pouring oil into it and left it ablaze.
However, if the enemy troops crossed the border, the territory will be besieged in the war, so he had no concern on what his deeds would look like.
It seems that there were magicians in the enemy army, but when his troops sneaked into the camp, they made sure to defeat them. Magicians basically use magic by casting them, so if one would defeat them physically without giving them a chance to cast, they are not a fearful opponents.
The blockhead Elliot, who finds things troublesome, does something when it needs to be done.
Then Elliot, Viscount Milford, who captured the prince of the enemy country, handed the prince over to the king.
“It was a hassle, so I’ll leave the rest to you,” he said. [T/N: Ack! I’m trying to make this sound somewhat polite.]
Taking the prince as a hostage, the king and his vassals were able to advance the ceasefire negotiations to an advantage. At that time, they were able to wander the southern lands, including the mountains, so our country’s territory expanded. For that reason, the current Milford territory is not on the border anymore. It’s still a remote area, though.
Anyway, it was because Elliot forestalled the enemy that it was possible to solve it without a big battle. So to speak, he is the greatest meritorious person. The King decided to reward Viscount Milford with a higher-ranked Earldom. But . . . Elliot turned it down, you knooowww~
“He refused? To become an Earl?”
Rufus-sama was surprised. It seems it was the first time he heard of it.
I know why he was surprised. If you become an earl, you will receive a vast territory. Normally, no one will decline.
But only the Milford family would do it. Moreover, another reason for it is that it is “troublesome” to change the territory now. Besides, if he becomes an Earl, he would often be invited to the events in the castle, which is “troublesome”. He really refused it.
It wouldn’t be strange if the king was angry at him for declining the earldom for such an annoying reason, but since the Milford family was already perceived to be eccentrics, if he said so, it was accepted. And that was the first time in the history of Schwarze that a conferred title was rejected.
“But I’m sure he got a reward?”
Rufus-sama asked.
“It’s true that he received a reward, but……”
The Princess took over after I gave that vague response. The Princess smiled wryly and explained to Rufus-sama.
“The King at that time asked what he wanted. What do you want for a reward, he asked. The Viscount’s answer was ‘a clock that stopped working’.”
“A clock that does not work?”
Impressively, Rufus-sama, Renas-sama and Milly-sama asked in unison.
……Well, that’s understandable when they heard of this. However, as a descendant, instead of a clock that didn’t move, I think I would be more happy if it was a clock that was functioning, yes!
It’s because his hobby is—
“My ancestor Elliot wanted a watch that was powered by a mainspring.”
“Mainspring?”
“Yes. Aren’t the clocks today powered by magic?”
When I said that, I pointed to the clock at the chest. The clock there is moving because of magic. However, old clocks were driven by a spring rather than magic.
A clock powered by a mainspring is extremely troublesome because it must be wound every day and must be regularly maintained and repaired. Therefore, when a magical clock was invented, it was quickly replaced by it.
“It’s been a long time since the appearance of the magical clocks, but at that time, there were still a few mainspring clocks left. And Elliot’s hobby was to study the structure and produce mainspring clocks.”
He was passionate about collecting mainspring clocks and disassembling them, studying the structure then reassembling them. And he knew that there were still unused clocks within the castle of Schwarze that was no longer needed.
Those clocks were used inside the castle, but whether those were donated by famous craftsmen or made by request, in any case, those were definitely elaborate pieces. For someone who liked making watches, he wanted to get his hands on those and study them. That’s why Elliot wanted them. The “nonfunctioning clocks” which were treasures for him.
“He received some wall clocks and table clocks left in the junkyard of the castle and returned to his fief, beaming happily.”
However, the king and his vassals was surprised at the peculiarity of the Milford family for wanting those things. That story about “that Milford family” was still passed down.
“……He’s really weird.”
Rufus-sama gave me an impression that he was amazed, but his expression was that of someone suppressing his laughter.
“From an outsider’s perspective, he’s a funny weird person who is neither good nor bad……”
But, as a descendant, I would like to say to my ancestor:
“In any case, he should have asked for a bounty or a reduce in tax payments!”
And yet, you only got a useless clock! It is fine for himself, but it is a nuisance to the family!
Ooopss! Renas-sama whispered, “She talking about money again……”, but I heard him clearly!
“Anyway, the generations of the heads of the Milford family are weirdos like Elliot who poured their heart and blood on their hobbies and did not care about their family as if it was a troublesome thing. Because of them, we have been called ‘that’ Milford family ever since. “
“I see. I somehow read about it. It was said, that because of the hobbies of Aria’s father, who inherited the eccentric personality of his predecessor, his family’s coffers were nearly drained. Your father has the typical Milford temperament, right? Although it is a lot of trouble, it was said that he spends extraordinary passion and money on his hobbies.”
“That’s right! Our family is poor because of my father. And although my elder brother is not an extreme hobbyist like my father, our difficulties doubled. Growing up in a house like that, isn’t it natural for me to become a miser? So I also associate my ideal man to money!”
Everyone, including myself, acknowledges that I am mediocre, so I also don’t expect for a high-ranking nobleman who possesses both money and prestige to court me. A suitable husband who have the right amount of money is enough for me.
At the age of twelve, I had that kind of ideal man. I agreed that it was too worldly and not a thinking of a child, but don’t you think that it is not me who is wrong, but the environment where I grew?
“What’s your father’s expensive hobby?”
Renas-sama inquired. Wait, is he ignoring my grievances? Am I really going to tell them about my father?
I gave up, sighing.
“Horses. That person…… is a horse maniac.”
“Oh, I can somehow understand.”
A hint of understanding dawned on Renas-sama, Milly-sama and Rufus-sama. Only the Princess tilted her head in confusion.
“Horses?”
“Since the Princess was born and raised inside the castle, it was natural for you to possess horses, so that’s why for you, it is not strange.”
Rufus-sama explained to the Princess with a lopsided smile.
“Aside from farm horses, the war horses and the race horses in the castle are very expensive. When you buy them, it also takes time and money to raise them. You need to house them in stables, feed them and care for them. According to what Aria has told us, probably her father’s hobby was not the farm horses but the expensive horses.”
“That’s right.”
I nodded in agreement.
“If it were farm horses, it would be fine to leave them at the back of the hills. Unfortunately, my father loves to raise war horses and race horses, so he built a splendid stable. Yes, it was a very splendid stable that was not fit for our household budget.”
“Aria, you’re face is scary……”
“Hush, Renas. You can’t be frank with her about that!”
Even if you’re whispering to each other, I can hear you, you two!
“Anyway, my family can’t afford them because they are low-income generating projects. We weren’t so unfortunate that we could not eat, but it was barely possible for us to maintain our appearance as nobles.”
Within the territory of the Viscountcy of Milford, there is no other industry besides agriculture, nor it is situated near a national road. The town is small and the population is not so large. Therefore, the tax revenue is almost negligible. However, the expenses are increasing yearly.
That is because, my father, Lionel Milford, was passionate about raising horses but was not interested in making money by selling them. Sometimes, his friends would ask him to give it to them at a low price. However, aside from that, he would stubbornly not let the horses go and won’t refrain from buying new horses, so the number of horses kept increasing and so is the expenses.
Argh, when I remember those days, I felt like exploding in anger!
……I hope he gets bald! I hope his shiny head would be bitten by a horse!
Perhaps it was because I thought of that? Renas-sama said, while a little scared of my menacing expression.
“I’m a bit afraid to ask, but what is your brother’s hobby?”
“Oh, my brother?”
I have an older brother who is five years older than me. My older brother, Justin Milford, also finds things troublesome, but he is far better than my father. His hobby is less expensive than our father and it does not bother others.
“My brother’s hobby is reading. He gathers different genres of books.”
His hobby is reading. It may sound very normal, but it is not strange because he has the blood of the Milford family running on his veins. He would buy a large number of books several times a year and he would seclude in the library for many days. He would eat and sleep in the library.
Rather, when he was told that he is practically living in the library, he replied, “That sounds good,” with a convinced expression. There was a serious glint in his eyes.
Aside from those happening a few times a year, my brother would frequently stay inside the library and would find taking meals as “bothersome”, so it was my daily routine to grab his cravat and drag him out.
“Aria, you’re familiar with all kinds of popular novels, so maybe it had an effect on you?”
It was the Princess who said that.
“Yes, it’s because I’ve read my brother’s books. One of those was the twenty volumes of the ‘Hero Tales’ which were also part of my brother’s collection.”
After all, it’s a waste to not read the books even though they are available to me. Since we were at a rural area with little entertainment, reading those books were good for killing time.
Because of that, I wasn’t too worried about my brother’s hobby. My brother bought those books on a budget that he could use freely, so there was no particular damage done.
“That’s why, my brother’s book madness was not bad. I was also frustrated with his listlessness, but it was within the acceptable range. The problem is my father. I am infuriated by my father’s hobby and sloppy personality. And finally, one incident had caused me to snap and leave our house.”
* * *
—It happened when I was twelve years old.
“I bought two foals.”
That was what Father said at the beginning.
“You what……?”
Father cheerfully told Mother and I, who listened to him with suspicion, my brother, who did not even look up from his book, and the butler and the nanny, who were stunned. It seems that the stallion that fathered them was a very good war horse, so they fetched for a high price.
“Wish me luck. I bought them at an auction.”
Staring at Father looking like a child with his triumphant expression despite being in his forties, there’s no wonder why I was frustrated. A farm horse’s foal is cheap, but my father bought foals that were offsprings of a famous war horse. Of course, the price must have been expensive. Everyone’s eyes, including mine, bulged at the price Father revealed.
“Where did you get the money!?”
I shrieked, but that sort of reaction was not novel to all except for my father. Nevertheless, it was expensive. Even a twelve-year-old kid knew that such amount of money cannot be overturned.
But Father only smiled and said.
“It’s okay. Don’t worry about it, Aria. Because there is still hope.”
“Hope?”
“That’s right. You see, I bought a lottery ticket that was being sold on my way back from the horse auction. If I won, we will be able to cover the bills and we’ll still have a change.”
Father, who has the same chestnut-colored hair as I, said in a carefree manner.
The so-called lottery ticket is sold by the temple for the purpose of raising funds for repairs and their operations. The number is written in sacred letters on a special paper so that it cannot be duplicated even with magic. It is a popular form of gambling that anyone can buy and it will make anyone wish to win a lot of money, but of course, the odds of winning the lottery is extremely low. Father is trying to finance the bills of the foals with such a lottery ticket.
“Are you stupiiid!? There’s no way you’re going to win—!”
My screaming retort reverberated in the living room of the Milford house.
“Cancel the purchase now!”
“Oh, I can’t cancel it because I’ve already signed the contract of sale.”
“Grrr…… Th-Then, you can sell the other horses that you have and use it to fund your purchase! That would settle everything, right?”
“What!? I can’t sell my babies! They are all cute babies!”
“Which is important, your family or your horses!?”
“……”
“You should not ponder about it—!”
Father became resigned at my incessant yapping.
“You’re such a worrywart, Aria. Enjoy your life a little.”
It goes without saying that his words and attitude made me even more irritated.
“And whose fault was that……!”
But Father only smiled and replied.
“It’s fine. There’s going to be a way.”
In addition to “troublesome”, that was a line that Father would often say.
“So we have losses, huh?”
Mother and I both looked at the ledger where the economic situation of the Milford family was recorded, and she said with a sigh. It is reasonable for my optimistic and steady Mother to say that.
The timing was precisely bad. Due to the bad weather the previous year, our crops also had an equally bad harvest, and our income sharply declined.
“That horse madness……”
I looked up from the ledger and grumbled. I was still twelve years old at that time, but I knew that we could not afford it. Of course, I know my father very well. But despite that, I could not understand how father felt when he bought those horses.
“Really, Mother, why did you marry that kind of person?”
I asked Mother again the same question I’d ask in the past. After all, my mother looks mediocre, but she is optimistic, hardworking and is reliable. It was not an exaggeration to say that she is the one who supports the Milford family. With Mother’s capabilities, she could have found a better husband. But, she was entangled to my father……
When I said that, Mother only smiled and answered.
“Aria, people are attracted to other people who have something they don’t have. I’m sure you’ll know when you grow up.”
……Indeed, now that I am an adult, I have a little understanding about what my mother said. If one has the same values and perspective as me, it would be nice for us to be together, but since he is very close to me, it would be hard for me to make him a romantic interest.
But when I was still a kid, I didn’t understand what my mother was saying.
“No matter how good they are, I hate men like Father. Buying a horse knowing that we don’t have money…… How will he manage to pay it given our financial difficulties?”
I threw the ledger as I said that. I thought there is no other way anymore. That is, unless it will become a debt.
Actually, my family has no debt even with such a financial dilemma. We always barely managed to pay our bills. But perhaps, this time, we need to borrow money. There is no way we can tide this over.
Seeing me being worried, Mother smiled at me.
“It’s okay, Aria. Whenever your father would say that, it usually becomes resolved. A similar instance had happened before, but we had managed it, hadn’t we?”
Her eyes were shining with trust for her husband. She is a reliable and hardworking mother, but I can only think that her eyes were blinded when it comes to Father. Love is blind, others would say.
But Mother can say “something will happen” without any basis because the truth is, the same things happened, big or small, in the past several times.
Those incidents also happened because Father bought horses without considering, but we were really able to manage those times. One time, we luckily happened to catch a thief during an inspection in the territory and we were awarded with a bounty by an adventure guild.
“So I'm sure we’ll be able to manage this time.”
……Mother is not a descendant of the Milford family, but I feel that Father has gradually rubbed off on her.
“Brother, please stop Father!”
“I don’t want to. It’s troublesome.”
I went to the library and appealed to my older brother. But my brother is also a Milford. It showed when he said the word “troublesome”. I clicked my tongue and said.
“Maybe I should sell the books in this library. If I do that, we can declutter this place and we’ll have a little money to cover the horses’ bills.”
Then, my brother immediately turned pale and retaliated.
“No! If you want to sell my books, then you’ll have to fight me!”
……It seems he is reading a weird book again and it has a strange influence on him.
“When we become covered in debt, we will need to sell your books without having to kill you.”
“If that happens, I will run away with my books.” [T/N: You’re the eldest, you know!? Please become more responsible!]
“You can only bring a little, you know?”
Converting the word “book” in the present line to “she”, I can hear it clearly. But then, he still lacks the awareness that he is going to be the next head of the family. [T/N: Exactly.]
That’s what I thought while I stared at my flabbergasted brother, who has the same flaxen hair and deep brown eyes as Mother.
……Really, why are all the men in my family are like this?
“You’re worrying too much. You’re going to become bald.”
After Brother replied, he turned his attention at the book in his hand, and continued.
“It’s no use worrying about Father. Even if we stop him for now, he won’t stop forever, and in the end, we will still be able to manage it, so it’s better if you just calm down.”
“If I could do that, then I won’t be this anxious!”
Mother and Brother thought that we would be able to manage it again this time. He’d been with Father longer than I, so I’m sure he had experienced many of these things. Both of them were completely unfazed when it comes to Father’s problems.
But I thought differently from them.
We were able to manage up until now. But there is no guarantee that the same thing will happen again. I can’t be calm. The world is not so generous to give out chances.
At that time, I was frightened of my thoughts. If I stayed here with everything as it is, I might become complacent. Watching Father continuing with his recklessness, I might become used to it……
I shuddered. It felt like something has ended when I thought of that. Yes, it’s like, “Goodbye sensible people, hello weirdos!”
……I decided to leave the house.
Until I can marry that “financially stable and reliable person, someone who would not let his wife and children to be out in the cold because of his strange hobbies”, I thought of escaping the curse of my family, but I realized that I needed to leave the house as soon as possible.
I also realized that if I were gone, the issue of funds for my social debut, which had been a long-standing concern, would be resolved. [T/N: A noble’s daughter’s debut = Literally, a coming-of-age ceremony]
So I started to look for a way to leave our house.
—The winning numbers of the lottery was announced three days after the due date of the payment for the horses.
“See, Aria? Didn’t I assure you that we will be able to manage it?”
Flicking the lottery ticket with the winning numbers, Father said with a big smile.
Looking at his triumphant face, I wanted to say that the only feeling that suffused through me was not relief.
“Do whatever you want—!!”
The cry of my soul echoed in the living room of the Milford house as I wailed at Father.
* * *
“……”
Oh, it seems that everyone were dumbstruck.
“……I understand. I understand, okay?”
Eventually, Renas-sama was able to talk, strangely emphatic to me.
“So that’s how it is. The person himself was nonchalant while recklessly doing those things and getting everyone involved in the vortex of confusion. After all, to say that it will be eventually resolved, what a lucky person!”
“……So lucky, right?”
“……Yes.”
Milly-sama and Rufus-sama nodded—and everyone turned around. Actually, what they saw there were Greed-sama and Farah-sama who have just arrived—
“Is there something on me?”
Greed-sama, who looked fresh despite his physical activity, had an unreadable expression even with everyone’s eyes focused on him. Farah-sama wiped off her sweat and it seems that she had been exercising just now.
“……Nothing really.”
Renas-sama suddenly averted his eyes, but I realized everything. Yes, there’s also an annoying person here in a different level than my father.
I thought my life had finally become peaceful after leaving my parents’ house. Once again, I lamented and cursed my misfortune of having a connection with another person……
I sighed inwardly and continued.
“Anyway, I was a little disgusted with the life that my father is leading so I decided to leave our house. I thought that if I stayed home with this kind of situation, my life would become useless. I would become crazy either by having a nervous breakdown or becoming numbed with it. At that time, an uncle came to our house—it was the Prime Minister, who recommended that I work for a young lady for my apprenticeship, so I jumped at it.”
……By the way, back in my parents’ house, I called that handsome Prime Minister “Uncle”. That was inevitable because he is Father’s friend, but when I think about it now, I only called him Uncle. I think it is scary when one is ignorant. I can’t say that it is not that scary right now.
I remembered those days and secretly smiled.
“Actually, I heard later that the Prime Minister came to buy a horse from Father. It seems that Father consulted him…… Despite his nonchalant attitude and reliance on his luck, Father had been working on his own……”
If that was the case, he should have said in the beginning. No, I still wish he hadn’t bought horses with our limited financial capabilities from the start.
“In the end, my family won the lottery and had an income from the horses bought by the Prime Minister—or the kingdom, rather. Well, it was still ‘something will happen’, I guess. As I had hoped, I was able to leave the house and everything was okay. If I were to stay at our house as the circumstances was, I would definitely have strangled or hit my father. After all, it’s easy for Father to decide even if I nag at him.”
—It was best for all our sakes.
When I wrapped my story up, Greed-sama came to approach me. Then, he dropped a kiss on the top of my head and said this with a smile.
“But the truth is, you didn’t want to burden your family with your living expenses, so you left home, right?”
“……”
“And you’ve never returned home for six years after being accepted to work in the castle for the same reason, right?”
“……”
My, my personal information is being revealed again!
“What does that mean?”
Renas-sama, who was watching the exchange between Greed-sama and I, asked me suspiciously.
“The main reason why Aria left their house was to prevent her family from spending the money that was supposed to be spent on her.”
Greed-sama straightened up after kissing my head and turned to reply to Renas-sama. His face still had the trace of the smile he gave me.
“In this kingdom, a noble’s coming-of-age ceremony is at the age of thirteen, am I right?”
“Ah! I see. So that was it!”
The Princess clasped her hands together. Then, she started to explain to Rufus-sama and the others who seemed to have no idea.
“The daughters of the nobles of this kingdom usually celebrate their coming-of-age ceremony at the age of thirteen or fourteen. But, launching a debut is very expensive. It is most often called an event of the upper class, so there is a need to buy a lot of dresses and prepare a lot of accessories. However, the debut can be delayed if you leave your house by becoming an apprentice. Most of my maids were able to celebrate their debut when they go for vacations and return to their homes.”
“I see. In other words, Aria doesn’t want her family to worry about the cost of her debut and even avoided it by not going back home.”
“If that is so, you should’ve genuinely told them instead of saying you were ‘a little disgusted of living being led around’.”
I blushed when Milly-sama and Renas-sama said those and smiled at me.
Before I started grumbling and badmouthing my father, I didn’t feel like telling the truth. But, I still did not want to go home because I am still angry with my father…… Ugh, we’re digressing!
“It’s true that I was a little disgusted of living being led around by my father! That’s the main reason why I left my parents’ house!”
I hurriedly retaliated to rectify it, but Farah-sama, who wiped her face with a cloth, muttered a comeback.
“My, Aria is actually shy. No, perhaps, a tsundere?”
Tsu-Tsundere!!
Me, a tsundere!? Well, I shouldn’t possess such an attribute! I don’t like having a tsundere attribute on top of my tsukkomi attribute!
“I-I’m not a tsundere…… I mean, you see, the question that should be addressed here, why is Greed-sama digging about my past……”
“The Prime Minister told me. You said that when he recommended you to go to the castle for an apprenticeship.”
Getting information even from other people……!
“That gossipy Prime Minister!”
“Then, he also said this.”
Greed-sama continued, looking down at me with a gentle smile.
“You family understands your feelings, so they won’t order you to go home. And if you’re going to go to Elusion to accompany the Princess, they hope that you’d visit the Milford house from time to time. That’s what the Prime Minister said…… Aren’t you cherished, Aria?”
Blood suddenly rushed to my face. I know that it is a brighter shade of red than before.
Greed-sama, with that smile, that dialogue is a foul play……!
“I’m, I’m going to brew tea! For Greed-sama, and for the others’ servings, too!”
Without waiting for a reply, I rushed to the tea wagon in the corner of the room.
“She’s really a shy person.”
“A tsundere, okay?”
Hearing the those words spoken by Farah-sama and Renas-sama behind my back, I wanted to argue that they are wrong.
I’m not shy nor a tsundere, but I was just embarrassed for being completely exposed!
I prepared enough servings for everyone and heated them in the teapot. Eventually, the water boiled with a whistling sound, and when it was time to pour it into the pot, the redness of my face had considerably diminished and I have calmed down.
And when I stopped working and looked back at everyone, it seems that the conversation was flourishing with stories about their hometowns.
Although he only said a few words, Greed-sama joined their conversation, which was unusual.
After all, hometown are special for everyone. Even if they are not all fun memories.
As I listened to everyone, I remembered my hometown.
I was born and raised in the Milford house, which has a herb garden, a hill behind the mansion, and Aura mountains beyond it.
And my family, and the peasants who loves my father as their lord, despite his personality.
My precious, precious hometown.
“Aren’t you cherished?”
—Yes, Greed-sama, I knew that…… But I didn’t say that in front of Greed-sama, who has little connection with his family.
“Father, I want to ride a horse.”
“Brother, read me a book.”
—You know what, Greed-sama? My father and brother hates troublesome things and are irresponsible, but if I cling to them, they never told me that I am “a bother”.
“Sure. I’ll put you in front of me. Hold tight, okay?”
“It can’t be helped. Go, bring me the book that you want to read.”
—They have a lot of shortcomings, but I know that they hold me dear. That’s why, I always end up forgiving them, no matter how many times they got in trouble…… Because we’re family.
So it’s okay even if we don’t meet.
Even when I’m far away, or won’t see each other for years, I will always feel a connection with them.
I looked down at the golden bracelet on my left arm.
This also connects me to other people. Even without such a “symbol”, people can still be connected through feelings of mutual respect.
—I would like to teach Greed-sama about that one day.
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