Translator: LynneSuzuran
"I'm really sorry. I came in a hurry and it resulted in this situation."
Though it was unusual, but Leo-san was led to Tou-san's room. I, Saryuu, and Kasan also came along and received our tea. The one who delivered the tea was a beautiful maid around 30 years of age, the maid-san who worked under Tou-san. She seemed to be called Yuuki-san. I didn't meet her that often.
Within the business-like room, Leo-san's figure excessively stood out. Because of that, Tou-san made a slightly troubled face. And suddenly, it became a light preaching session, but it seemed to be ineffective against Leo-san.
"Good grief. I'll be really troubled if Leo-dono isn't being careful."
"Really, I said sorry. Hey, Mondo-ojisama."1
"…There is no next time."
"Yes, I feel indebted to you. Also, it might be better to strengthen the protection a little bit, you know?"
"I will let Jigen know about it later. But then, perhaps he might have noticed it, too."
"As expected."
My father's scolding felt as if it just passed through this person's right ear to his left ear. It's fine for him to be smiling like that, but I'd like him to listen and pay more attention. Hanako must have it hard too, as the rider is this person. For the time being, let's continue drinking tea together with Kasan and Saryuu until everything calms down. Ah, today's cookies are delicious.
After enjoying the tea for a little while, Yuzuruhsan finally came. At a glance, it seemed that there was someone else behind him.
"Excuse me. Leo-sama, your escorts have arrived, so I guided them here."
"Oh my, thank you. They finally came. Is it fine if they come in as well?"
"Yeah, go on ahead."
The people who got my father's permission to get in were men who felt like they were twins at a glance. Their hair wasn't so long that it reached their shoulders, but they had beautiful black hair, with one person's bang got divided by his right eye, while the other person's bang was divided by his left eye. Their outward appearance could be distinguished using that alone, as the two of them were wearing the same black outfit. Nah, they were cool, but somehow, they looked like ninjas.
Anyway, the person whose bang was divided by his right eye looked at Leo-san and lifted his eyebrows.
"Leo-sama! Even when I have always told you not to go by yourself!"
"Don't be angry, Ayato, I just got scolded by Mondo-ojisama, after all. I will do a self-introspection."
"Is that so? Mondo-dono, please apologize us for causing you so much trouble."
"Nah, don't mention it. It looks difficult on you as usual, huh, Ayato-dono?"
"Yes, that's right."
At my father's words, the young man called as Ayato heaved a long sigh. Ah-, these two are accompanying Leo-san, huh? Thank you for your hard work.
The person whose bang was divided by his left eye didn't react to Ayato-san's complaint or Leo-san's reply, he was only looking without saying anything. Though their appearances looked a lot similar, it seemed that their characters were quite different.
Then, Leo-san noticed how I was comparing the two of them and clapped his hands.
"Ah, I'll introduce them to Seiren-chan and Saryuu-chan. They're my attendants, this one is the noisy Ayato. That one is the silent Maito."
"What do you mean by noisy? Really. I'm Ayato, pleased to make your acquaintance."
"…I'm Maito. Pleased to meet you."
The person with his bang divided by his right eye—Ayato-san complained while furrowing his brows, but he still properly bowed. The person with his bang divided by his left eye who was right at the opposite side of him—Maito-san greeted us in low voice. However just like Ayato-san, he properly bowed to us.
I'd better not say it, but Leo-san's explanation is the easiest way to distinguish the two of them. I wonder if he recognized it because they were always together? Though I think that Ayato-san was noisy because perhaps he got angry at Leo-san often.
Perhaps feeling relieved because his two attendants finally arrived, Leo-san finally asked Tou-san.
"By the way, I wonder where should I sleep?"
"We have prepared the guest room on the second floor, so you may bring your luggage in there."
However, that question wasn't answered by Tou-san, but it was Ayato-san who promptly replied. Is it the guest room that's so close by Saryuu's room? I hope nothing goes wrong, though.
Or rather, did they move their luggage before coming here? Perhaps there were a lot of Leo-san's clothes already put inside the drawers. Could it be even gaudier than the content of my drawers?
Yuzuruhsan seemed to have something to ask of Leo-san, so he lightly bent himself forward.
"Leo-sama. What about your two attendants?"
"These two will be staying at the same room as me, so would you please just prepare us meals?"
"Yes, I'll do so. About cleaning the room…"
"We will be doing it. We forced you to welcome us here, so we should at least do that much."
Oh my?
The two attendants would be staying in Leo-san's room, and not the servants and employees' rooms? …I wonder if they're his personal attendants, as I was told that he was some family's eldest son and pressumably the heir? I think that it's fine even if they leave the cleaning to us, but they might have various reasons.
…For me to say to leave the cleaning to our servants, I think I have really gotten used to this way of living now, huh? I have to pay more attention.2
Even so.
To begin with, I also had a question to ask. That's why, let's try asking.
"Uhm."
"Hm, what is it, Seiren-chan?"
"Leo-san, why did you come to our house?"
"Hmm-, to see Seiren-chan."
No, no, no, no.
If my mouth was full of tea, I'm sure that I'd spurt it out by this time.
No matter how you put it, there's no way that it's his reason to come all the way here.
"You see-. It's because Mondo-ojisama kept flaunting about how his adorable daughter finally returned home, so that made me want to see her. And she got a fiance in the twinkling of an eye, so I'd better see her quickly."3
…Tou-san, did you really flaunt about it? Nah well, I understand that both you and Kasan tend to be doting parents in the first place, though.
Or perhaps I should ask, what's up with him having to see me quickly? Did he consider me as a panda or koala? Though I don't know if such rare animals exist here or not.
"Ane-sama is not a show item!"
"Oh dear, I understand that. I also wanted to try and see Saryuu-chan who was thinking of that older sister of his."
"…"
Ooh, Saryuu's face turned bright red. Leo-san, you managed to overturn the situation well. However, I agree with Saryuu's opinion on how I am not a show item.
Leo-san who compared the sulky me and the bright red Saryuu then laughed. It was a little bit feminine and gentle smile, and then he continued his words, "And then."
"I also wanted to see the Harvest Festival once. The capital doesn't hold it recently."
"Is that so?"
"After all, there are many buildings in the capital but there is no farm nor field at all over there. All the food and drinks were all carried from outside, so there's nothing to harvest."
Leo-san pouted his cheeks as if saying, "How boring-!" and he looked even more childish than me and Saryuu that way, that I ended up laughing a bit.
I see. Even here, the city is the city, there are mostly no farmers there. That's why, there's also no Harvest Festival there.
I ended up thinking that it's surely boring that way. Nah, there is also a festival held in order to express our gratitude to the God of Sun, but it felt somehow different from the Harvest Festival.
"Hey, hey. Isn't it also Seiren-chan's first time with the Autumn's Harvest Festival? Won't you go out together with me to visit it?"
"What?"
I stiffened in an instant at Leo-san's abrupt proposal as he bent himself forward.
My first time, huh.
Aah, more or less, the setting of [me being the daughter that finally came home after recuperating from her weak constituion] worked wonder here. Nah, that seems to be the case. Taigsan have been told of the truth, but as expected, Leo-san didn't know of it.
That's why, it's my first time celebrating the Autumn Harvest Festival. Yup, it isn't wrong, but well.
"No, well, I…"4
"I?"
Whoa, that's dangerous, I almost said it. It's fine if he's Taigsan, but in front of Leo-san, I have to properly display myself as a woman.
…Sorry for always comparing you with Taigsan.
"…That's not it. I got lost and separated from the people who accompanied me during the Spring Festival, that's why…"5
"Ah. Some naughty children teased you, right?"
"That can't do," so Leo-san said and he poked his fingertip at my forehead. What's with this kind of treatment, is he treating me like a little sister?
Anyway, what Leo-san said wasn't wrong in a sense, so I gave an evasive answer, "Well, it's something like that." Or rather, I wonder if it was an expression of his concern to me?
"Nn, it's fine. I'll be with you, Ayato and Maito are also coming along. If there are three handsome men accompanying you, the delinquents are not a big deal."
"Why is it settled already?"
"Because there's no way I'm going when you guys aren't coming along, right? Hey, Maito."
"…If it's your order."
Really, Ayato-san, Maito-san, thank you for your hard work. Or well, no matter what they say, they're still his servants, so they'd feel like they have to follow Leo-san's orders.
"Hey, is it fine, Mayobasama?"6
Ah, he changed his target to my mother because my reaction was slow. But well, my mother being the way she is, she's putting a nonchalant air. Then, she said without hesitation.
"I think it's fine as long as you also bring Seiren's maids along."
"Oh my, am I unreliable?"
"At the very least, I'm worried about my daughter who will be surrounded by only men."
"That is right. Since it's your adorable daughter, of course you'd be worried."
In a sense, this seemed like a fellow women's conversation, and though they were laughing outwardly, for some reason there was something that made it feel scary from their gazes.
Or perhaps I should say, Leo-san, I have a fiance, you know? I'm going to go to Taigsan's place next year, okay? Ah-, why is Taigsan so busy? Nah, it's because he's a new feudal lord, though.
Anyway, there seems to be another person who's thinking of the same thing as me. Naturally, it's Taigsan's biological younger brother, Saryuu. Bang! He knocked the table and interrupted the conversation. Though his ears were still red.
"Wait! I-I'm coming along as well!"
"Oh my. Saryuu-chan is coming along? Well, it's fine because you're adorable, though."
"That's not fine! No, I mean, I've decided to protect Ane-sama until her wedding day!"
"Oh dear, how nice of you to think of your bi sister. You're getting more and more adorable, this Oni-san will be cheering for you!"
"P-please let me go."
Does this person have a habit of hugging someone he likes? I mean, he couldn't be drunk in this broad daylight. Or perhaps I should say, Saryuu is so troubled over having his face being rubbed on. Let's help him to get away with it.
"Leo-san, Saryuu is troubled, so can you please let him go?"
"Eh? Oh my, I'm sorry, it seems that I put a little bit too much force."
"I-it's not a bit… *Cough, cough, cough*!"
Whoa, are you all right, Saryuu? Well, that seems to be the case. His style and his choice of wording seems to be like this, but Leo-san is a good man. In addition, he's got power, too.
"Saryuu, don't lose to Leo-dono and protect Seiren properly, okay?"
"Whoa, please stop. I'll surely do my best, so…"
"Well, I'll be looking forward to your growth, Saryuu. Leo-sama, why don't you train him, too, at any rate?"
"I'll also look forward to it. But well, maybe I should do that a little bit?"
Also, Tou-san, Kasan. Perhaps that's not where you should pay more attention to, I think. In the first place, Saryuu's still growing from now on, so I think it's not a problem even if he lost here. Nah, I cried when I couldn't win from brawling with the older boys at the institution or the orphanage director when I was about Saryuu's age, so I could understand Saryuu's feelings.
…Speaking of which.
It's natural to for the servants to speak politely to him, but I wonder why Tou-san and Kasan also spoke politely to him?