Happy Friday!
Here’s the new chapter. We are almost at the end of this story, only about ten more chapters or so, including the extras. Time goes by so quickly and all things must come to an end, so let’s just enjoy what’s left of it. Of course, if you don’t know what else to read after this series is finished, you can always head on over to my other series, , and give it a try.
Another thing is, I don’t remember if I’ve mentioned what chichiue means but it’s just a more respectful version of otousama, for those who don’t know or don’t remember. Anyways, enjoy the chapter and I’ll see you next week. Have a good weekend!
We got on Al's carriage that he had especially used to pick us up, and the three of us headed towards the Alwick mansion. I was worried if there was a common topic that we could talk about, but Al listened to Yurii-sama enthusiastically talk about medicinal herbs with great interest the entire time.
When we arrived, obasama and ojisama were outside waiting for us.
When we descended from the carriage, I was immediately hugged by the two people.
The nonchalant Lloyd-ojisama quickly noticed Yurii-sama and even greeted him. Iris-obasama greeted him as well.
Ojisama was someone with a calm disposition, and obasama was also someone who was quiet with her downturned eyes as her charming point. In reality, she was a quiet person, but when she's mad, she's actually scarier than my own mother. She's even scarier than Lydiobasama.
She had a weak-willed older brother…in other words, my father, but thanks to this older brother, obasama, grew up to be a levelheaded child, built proper human relationships with a well-regulated lifestyle without wasting money, and, it was her motto to have her family do as such.
「Mira, Mira. You can overturn something like heredity.」
Araa, Yurii-sama. That is, even though obasama was beautiful, my own father was something or another. He's honest, like always. Although it's regrettable. In terms of facial structure, even if it's just one parent, siblings should all somehow or another look similar to each other.
「Aniue is, for better or for worse, absent, it seems.」
Al had a complex look on his face. He probably didn't want Yurii-sama to see that oniisama who was too energetic, however, even though he was the eldest son, he was even absent…there was this regret as well.
He was an impulsive person, so it couldn't be helped.
「How many siblings does Al have?」
「I have three siblings. All of us somehow look similar to each other, but our personalities are different.」
Iris-obasama placed her hand on her lips and smiled.
「I only have boys. If there was one girl, I would also be able to go shopping with my daughter like Claire.」
「I have asked Mirabell several times if the son-in-law was coming though.」
Ojisama gave a bitter smile.
Of course, it was a joke, but, before, I remembered that in the middle of Mother and Father's fight, a pot came flying, and because I got injured, I was seriously told to become a child of their house. That was when I was eight years old.
There’s was no way I could’ve left those parents by themselves and I refused, but it was still reassuring to have an adult that I could rely on nearby.
「Right about now, Ian-oniisama is probably on an adventure somewhere.」
When I was about to go back to what we were talking about before, Yurii-sama furrowed his brows.
「Ian…? Ian…Alwick…Ian…」
Yurii-sama, pulled on the hem of my clothes.
「Ian Alwick? Is it the Ian Alwick from the 'Legend of Ian'?」
「That's right. That person.」
When I nodded and smiled, ojisama, obasama, as well as Al were all greatly perplexed.
「That idiotic son is」
「Really. If he was going to publish an autobiography, then it would’ve been good if he at least put a little more thought into the title.」
「I wonder who he takes after…」
Yurii-sama’s face brightened.
「He exists!」
He, spontaneously gushed with vigor.
Al’s oniisama, Ian-oniisama was, a self-proclaimed adventurer, and his autobiography was written like a story, publishing many volumes. He had written about his days filled with ups and downs that you simply wouldn’t think would belong to the eldest son of the Alwick House, but it was all true, so it was surprising. Moreover, with his well-featured appearance and that manliness, he was even popular with women. It doesn’t seem like the marriage proposals for oniisama will stop coming, but the person himself was gone with the wind.
It seems that the people who didn't know that that kind of person who seemed to only exist in books actually existed increased recently, but for there to be one so close to me.
「Then, it really was Ian Alwick who discovered the Ian herb as well! I thought that it was a legend!」
He gushed once again.
And Al, ojisama, as well as obasama lowered their shoulders more and more.
「Using your own name like that, is also something that you should think a little more on, but…the sad thing was that that older brother was able to achieve glory time and again.」
「Even though he was a child who lived with luck on his side, he's really…」
The Ian herb was, the name of the new species of medicinal herb Ian-oniisama had discovered five years ago. It was a medicinal herb that was used when one had abdominal pain, but for the name to contain the name of the person himself….
And yet, Yurii-sama's eyes were sparkling with admiration.
「I see…so he's not here today…」
「You will be able to meet him sooner or later. He is traveling around the country, so perhaps, he would also be in the vicinity of the castle.」
At Al's words, Yurii-sama jumped up and down.
「When is he coming back…」
「Chichiue has not given up on aniue's marriage.」
「I see.」
Did he dislike getting married that much…. However, because he was traveling around, they haven't settled on a partner either…
「Perhaps oniisama was of that nature…」
「That shouldn't be. Since he's someone who brags about being popular with the ladies.」
I saw a figure of a person pass by the window of the mansion that was overwhelmingly bigger than my house's. It was too small to be a servant.
And then, having been urged by ojisama, when I entered the mansion with Yurii-sama, at the place that we had just come into, there was a handsome youth who was catching his breath. No matter how many times I see him, he was like an angel. The boy who was looked like the young Al, was smiling like an adult and gave a bow.
「How do you do, Prince Yuriel. Hello. You haven't visited in a while, Mirabell-aneue.」
「Hello, Avi. Your manners are excellent.」
Al's younger brother who was nine years old this year, his face turned red as if embarrassed.
「Um…aneue, can I hug you?」
Was hugging embarrassing now, he asked me as he looked down.
「Of course. Ara…you've grown so tall. It seems that you will soon be taller than me.」
He, who was already as tall as my shoulders, muttered, 'it's normal', quietly.
「My name is Ivan Alwick. Your Highness, pleased to meet you.」
Nervously shaking his hand, Yurii-sama had, turned to look at me, after thinking for several seconds.
「It's not uncomfortable! It's different from the twins!」
「Ara…were you not friends with the twins…?」
「I'm friends with everyone! That's why, don't make a sad face, Mira!」
「That's true.」
Maa, I also knew that the twins and Yurii-sama weren’t friends just by looking at them, but I would say that they got along well enough for them to argue, and somehow or another, before I realized it, they exchanged nothing but abusive words, so they were something like good frenemies.
「Hahaue, can His Highness and I go play?」
There was a gap in their ages, so rather than saying that they’re playing, it was more like Avi will be Yurii-sama’s companion. As expected of Al’s younger brother, he’s good with young children. It was the right choice to not ask if he could play with him.
Iris-obasama, smiled and agreed.
「Let's see. Why don’t we have a break from studying today. Your Highness, I’ll be leaving Avi to you.」
「I got it!!」
Holding onto Avi’s hand, Yurii-sama left without me.
Before I realized it, Yurii-sama had become someone who was fine by himself even if I wasn’t there. It was a good thing though.
Al pacified me who was gripping the handkerchief that I took out with enough strength to rip it while he moved towards a different topic.
「His Highness would also enjoy himself with other children.」
「That’s not true! That’s not true! If I join them, then Yurii-sama as well as Alvin would play with me! Why are you saying unkind things, Al?」
「It’s fine if you become unusually emotional like that, but the one who’s troubled and unable to let go of the children is aneue.」
Ojisama and obasama even stopped us and guided me to the room where the tea and tea cakes have been prepared.
I were uneasy the entire time, even when we were talking, so they told me to calm down.
「…come to think of it, oniisama is doing great like always, but is there no good news for Al? He may have a nasty mouth, but he's a good catch.」
When I asked them while eating the sweets, Al, obasama, as well as ojisama blankly looked at my face.
Al tilted his head in confusion.
「Did you not hear…?」
「Eh…?」
「I thought that she would've surely told aneue herself already, so…」
「Eh? Eh? Eh?」
Then, eh?
「There is talk, with a friend of mine…?」
「Haa…maa… I am unable to give you an answer myself. Since she said that she wanted to tell you herself when the time comes.」
「Eeeeeeeeh…」
For me to know this much yet not know the most important part….
「Is Al keeping a secret from me?」
「People have one or two secrets.」
「That's not true.」
「Aneue doesn't even know if your fiance-dono is hiding something from you or not. Not only are there only good rumors, such a frightening thing like a person who doesn't have any flaws doesn't exist.」
「Right now, we're not talking about that person… besides, Dia wouldn't do something like keep a secret from me.」
「Where is the guarantee that he doesn't have another woman?」
「That person doesn't have the courage to have an affair.」
Abruptly turning away, I could hear a growl coming from Al.
Ojisama and obasama were giggling.
「He was lonely because you were taken away by Judias-sama. This child can't be helped.」
「Ara, was that it, Al?」
「I'm just worried about aneue.」
「If the partner is Sir Judias, then there's nothing for you to worry about.」
They were different from the Mayford uncle and aunt, these two people had a high evaluation of Dia.
「Please excuse me, Master. A messenger for Lady Mirabell has come.」
Just when the conversation had reached the point where it had paused, ojisama's private secretary came to the room and delivered his message. Naturally, ojisama was suspicious of this. Even though Alwick mansion was not my home, why did the messenger come here for me? In the first place, where did the messenger come from?
The private secretary continued with, 「He said that he came from the castle」.
If that's the case, even if we had our suspicions, we couldn't not let him in, so the messenger from the castle was let into the house.
Coming into the room, the messenger, after demonstrating his polite manners, came towards me to report.
「The apprehensive things that you have done are evident. Unfortunately, it will not do if we do not thoroughly and harshly investigate you. We appreciate your cooperation. And finally, please excuse me, Lady Mirabell.」
The messenger who had a hard look on his face grinned.
「Whatever could you be saying? I, wanted to view the scenery, so I took a detour with Yurii-sama and merely came to the Alwick mansion. In doing so, I even gave you efficient advice by telling you, 'wouldn't it be better if we took a shortcut?'. You, who are Yurii-sama's escorts, do not have the sense to anticipate something like encountering an enemy who was lying in ambush there, and even if you took it into consideration, you didn't assess the situation. This was, the result of what had happened somehow or another, it was only by chance that it turned out like this.」
I took a risk, and didn't tell them to investigate it themselves.
I was told by Dia. To not poke my nose in other's business.
That's why, this was the result of my advice, it was a complete coincidence that the escorts had received an attack from the enemies that Yurii-sama and I were supposed to have met.
Perhaps he had sensed something, the man gave a nod and returned to the castle.
Al merely tilted his head in confusion. Obasama did as well.
Only ojisama had, a concerned look in his eyes as he looked at me.