Chapter 25
“That’s right! My teacher is a super-strong witch fairy queen!”
A witch and a fairy—what kind of title was that now? Still, “queen” had a nice ring to it.
In any case, that was how the two of them came storming into the Grand Duke’s office the moment breakfast was over.
“Elly’s going to the Grand Ducal Castle with Uncle too! I’m going to see Grandma there!”
“But your uncle and your grandmother are both very busy. They won’t be able to play with you much, Elly.”
“Uncle never really plays with me anyway. He doesn’t even read me a fairy tale before bed.”
“……”
Faced with the fierce accusation from his five-year-old niece, Thermion bowed his head in solemn silence.
Still, he scraped together every reason he could to persuade Eleonora.
“The Grand Ducal Castle is very cold. The wind howls, and it snows a lot.”
“Then I can make lots of snowmen! And ride a sled!”
“There isn’t much food there that’s better than what you have here.”
“Elly doesn’t have picky eating habits, though? I eat beans and carrots just fine! Broccoli and bell peppers and asparagus too!”
For a moment, Thermion couldn’t hide his surprise as he asked back,
“…Broccoli and bell peppers? Even asparagus?”
“They’re tasty if you grill them. Why? Does Uncle not like them?”
“…That’s not it.”
At this rate, he was only digging himself deeper. Thermion changed tactics and decided to aim for his niece’s teacher instead.
Ailesia was a reasonable adult. Surely, if he explained things calmly, she’d listen.
“Ailesia, for Elly’s education, wouldn’t it be better to remain in the imperial capital?”
“That’s something I can handle on my own.”
“The journey itself is extremely harsh. It’s nothing like when you came through the Chernil Forest.”
“What’s so different?”
“We’ll be riding at full speed with the knights. We may also have to use the gate more than twice a day. That’s exhausting for a young child like Elly.”
“You’ve seen how Whitey and Blanky are sturdier and faster than horses, right? And I can block gate shock myself.”
“……”
Judging by her reaction, Ailesia had already made up her mind. Teacher and student alike—if anything, she was doubling down.
Thermion looked at Kubera with a troubled expression, but he only shrugged.
“What authority do I have? The Grand Duchess isn’t my niece, Your Highness.”
Didn’t he say to treat him like an older brother in private? Then couldn’t he treat Eleonora like a real niece too?
Refusing to give up, Thermion turned to Viscount Gavin.
“Chairman, what do you think?”
“Oh dear, this old man must have overexerted himself this morning—my back is aching terribly. I’ll see you this afternoon, Your Highness.”
What did that have to do with anything?
Before Thermion could respond, Viscount Gavin bent at a perfect right angle and bolted straight out of the office.
“…His back looks perfectly fine to me.”
Whether or not his lord sounded hollow, Kubera was already discussing detailed travel plans with Ailesia.
“Will you be using the same carriage you took when you came to the estate?”
“There’s no better carriage than that one.”
“I’m concerned it won’t be able to maintain speed on such rough roads. There’s also the risk of damage.”
“If we remove the wheels and keep it floating with magic, there’s no problem. Then it can run smoothly no matter how bad the ground is.”
“Oh! I never thought of that!”
Kubera’s eyes widened in admiration at Ailesia’s explanation. It was a revolutionary idea he’d never once considered.
“Is that an application of flight magic? Or a different method?”
“Reverse gravity magic. There are a few auxiliary spells mixed in, but in short, you don’t need to control it constantly like flight magic.”
“Incredible! If we researched commercial applications, the uses would be endless!”
So he wasn’t even pretending to be on his side anymore—just suddenly acting like a mage? Thermion shot Kubera a look fit for a traitor.
“…Is that really the priority right now?”
At Thermion’s low growl, Kubera immediately snapped to attention in a military salute.
“Then, Your Highness, I’ll begin preparations at once. If we’re to depart within two days, there’s much to see to.”
“Sir Dayfold?”
Ignoring Thermion’s desperate call, Kubera slipped out of the office like the wind.
“…It seems I don’t have a single ally.”
“Hey, what are you talking about? You’ll make your niece sad.”
“Elly always cheers for Uncle!”
“Haah.”
Telling Eleonora an outright no would only backfire—it was obvious. Hadn’t he already paid dearly for the disappearance incident?
Even after hearing the truth from Baron Beiton, Thermion still blamed himself.
“Elly.”
Meeting Eleonora’s eyes, Thermion spoke with a serious expression.
“Do you really want to go with Uncle that badly?”
“…Is it really not allowed?”
The bravado she’d shown when she burst into the office was gone; Eleonora’s voice shrank back timidly.
She was always like this. Her stubbornness flared up suddenly, but she rarely acted in ways that truly troubled those around her.
‘She could stand to throw more tantrums for her age.’
Seeing her fidget with her fingers and watch his reaction made his heart soften endlessly.
In the end, Thermion slowly rose from his chair. This time, it seemed he’d lost completely.
“Uncle… are you mad at Elly?”
“Elly.”
Pulling her into his arms, Thermion gently patted her back as he replied.
“I’m not mad. I just thought it might be better for you to stay here.”
“But being with Uncle is what Elly likes best.”
“…I see.”
As a child, he himself had longed to be near his family—yet he hadn’t understood a child’s heart at all.
After a brief moment of inward reflection, he lifted Eleonora in his arms.
“Are you dressed warmly?”
“Yep! The fur coat Teacher put on me—I’m not cold at all!”
“Then shall we take a walk together? It won’t be for long.”
“…Really? Really?”
Thermion rarely made time in the mornings. Watching Eleonora beam and swing her arms with joy, a smile naturally spread across his face.
‘For something so small… honestly.’
What this child wanted wasn’t anything grand.
Just talking now and then, walking through the garden together, eating meals together, staying by her side until she fell asleep.
Those small moments of shared warmth as a family were more than enough.
She was this happy just from holding hands or getting a hug. For that, he could endure a little inconvenience any day.
“You’re making quite the grown-up face there, boy.”
And yet—how on earth was he supposed to deal with this woman?
Ailesia’s eyes narrowed like a cat’s, her expression thoroughly infuriating.
Even her teasing voice sounded absurdly clear, making the calm he’d just found stiffen again for no reason.
Leaning lightly against the sofa, she looked like a painting come to life. His gaze kept drifting to her despite himself.
Turning his head away with effort, Thermion snapped irritably,
“…Do you really have to spoil the mood like that?”
“Oh, come on. Don’t be shy.”
He should’ve kept his mouth shut. Swallowing dryly, he shuffled out of the office.
“Whitey! Blanky!”
“Woof! Woof!”
Leaving Eleonora to roll around buried in the wolves’ fur, Thermion finally asked Ailesia what he’d been curious about.
“How did you restore the barrier?”
“Oh, that? When I caught those guys yesterday, I cleaned everything up at once.”
“How?”
“Neatly and efficiently?”
“……Impressive. As expected of a super-strong witch.”
“Are you being sarcastic?”
“Pure admiration.”
“Tch.”
Ailesia pouted, clearly unimpressed. Seeing her reaction, Thermion awkwardly changed the subject.
“So… Elly said she wanted to go to the Grand Ducal Castle with me?”
“Huh? I thought that was already settled?”
“I wondered if you might’ve encouraged her.”
It was certainly Eleonora who’d expressed the desire first. Still, Thermion suspected Ailesia had her own reasons for siding with her.
She might look playful on the surface, but Ailesia was sharp and rational—something proven by how cleanly she’d uncovered the traitors this time.
“You’re really putting an innocent person on the spot. Is it okay for a Grand Duke to bully a witch like this?”
“…Isn’t it obviously the other way around?”
For once, truly feeling wronged, Thermion asked back with a faintly wounded expression.
