Chapter 115
Elber was hanging upside down outside the window.
This is the third floor, by the way.
I rushed over and opened the window. His long legs crossed the room in an instant. He landed silently.
“Thanks. I was just starting to get a headache.”
“Why on earth are you hanging there instead of using the door?”
“If I came in through the door, my father would chase after me. He’d say I’m trying to have fun with you alone and probably drag Benen into it too.”
I couldn’t deny it—he had done the same during dinner.
“Anyway, what brings you here?”
“Because I wanted to see you.”
“…….”
“Uh, well…”
Seeing me at a loss for words, Elber also became flustered.
“You don’t need to watch me too! Do whatever you want! I just need to see you—”
“Look somewhere else! I won’t chase you out!”
“Tch……”
The way he pouted like a grown-up, yet he looked exactly like that little kid I met at the orphanage.
Still, Elber obediently turned his gaze, then noticed a report on my desk.
“Uh, a jousting tournament report?”
“…Ah.”
“Sol, are you interested in this kind of thing?”
His eyes sparkled like a child’s. It’s clear Elber himself is genuinely interested in jousting. Well, nothing to hide, so I answered confidently.
“Yeah, I heard enormous amounts of manpower and money go into jousting tournaments. I wanted to see how the finances worked.”
“…Not interested in the matches themselves?”
“Not really.”
Jousting is just riding a horse straight at your opponent and crashing into them, right? Bumper cars might be more fun.
But my answer made Elber’s eyebrows droop.
“So, you’re not interested…”
“Why, do you like it?”
“Not exactly! …I’m going too.”
He glanced at me for approval.
“You’ll cheer for me?”
“….”
Yeah, this is exactly what happens in reincarnation or body-swap stories! If you try to avoid trouble in advance, a trap always pops up.
I felt a surge of irritation toward the divine.
Seeing my expression change, Elber panicked.
“Sol? Sorry. You don’t have to watch if you don’t want to! I’ll do fine even if you’re not in the stands! No, you don’t even have to cheer!”
“….”
“Anyway, I went alone last year! Benen was busy. It’s fine, if there’s no family to give me a bouquet, the organizers will find one somewhere!”
“….”
“You’d rather watch your friends than me anyway, right? If you’re short on allowance, just tell me. Still, there will be plenty of street vendors near the tournament, so if you want to come… Wait, you don’t even want to hear jousting sounds, do you…?”
“That’s enough!”
Ah, this is enough to make anyone tear up!
I grabbed Elber’s cheek and pulled it.
“Come on, let’s go!”
“Sol?”
“I’ll come cheer! Are you good at jousting?”
“Yeah! I’m good! It was my first time last year, and I came in third!”
“You’ll do well this year too. Because I’ll be cheering for you!”
“…I’ll win, no matter what!”
Elber’s face brightened instantly. All this fuss earlier about me not needing to come… he was just talking nonsense.
I reached out and held his hand tightly in mine.
“But, really, if by some accident the jousting tournament is stopped, don’t be too disappointed.”
“…Huh?”
“You never know what can happen in this world. You understand what I mean, right?”
“Yeah, yeah.”
He might not fully understand, but at least he looked reassured.
After that, Elber babbled on about the tournament procedures, famous players, judging criteria, and so on.
He sounded like a geek excitedly talking about what only he knows—but why is it cute?
Still, I could see why jousting remained a popular sport.
Strength, skill, speed, horsemanship, and even luck. All honed and clashing in a single instant to determine victory. Anyone who likes testing themselves to the limit could get hooked.
…but our Elber is still young. I hope he doesn’t get hurt.
Ignoring my worry, he was excited like a child the day before a field trip.
I answered vaguely while reading the report. How should we prepare for a potential terrorist attack?
The simplest solution is to cancel the tournament.
…Of course, it’s as simple as “How a 25-year-old minimum-wage worker buys an apartment—wins the lottery three times! Easy!”
Easier than ensuring the tournament runs safely, at least.
Ah, damn it. How can we stop terrorists from sneaking in from some corner? My brow furrowed automatically.
At that moment, Elber’s excited voice reached me.
“…Because it’s a one-on-one match, you target your opponent’s weaknesses. There’s a way to deliberately show a fake opening…”
“…That’s it.”
“Huh?”
“That’s it! If you show a path that’s easy to break through, humans would target that path, right?”
“Not humans, just the opponent in the jousting match.”
“Anyway! Thanks, Elber!”
So commendable.
I rubbed Elber’s cheeks and, while I was at it, smoothed his hair too.
“Sol, why are you treating me like a kid?! I’m your brother!”
Even saying that, he looked genuinely happy.
After a fierce debate, the vacation destination was decided to be the sea.
Well, the “fierce debate” only included me and the Duke. Elber didn’t care where we went.
Benen, who might have offered an opinion, was sent to the Flogel domain by the Duke early the next day after the semester ended.
“Been lenient enough. Go work.”
“Father! I’ll at least have breakfast with Sol before I go!”
“I’ll eat two bowls for you, so go without worry.”
…Anyway, if you take a summer trip, it has to be the sea!
The Duke insisted on mountain climbing—where does he get these ideas?—but Elber cast his vote for me, and the vacation spot was easily decided.
The Duke grumbled for quite some time afterward. Even at his age, he pouts.
“I could’ve made it refreshing even without going to the sea.”
“If refreshing were enough, people wouldn’t go on vacation; they could just dig into the ground like little country pups.”
“….”
The Duke sighed, holding his forehead.
“Sol, is this rebellion?”
“Surprisingly, I plan to grow up without a rebellious phase. If I ever had one, it would’ve caused more trouble than Ignatz ever could. Rest assured.”
“….”
“Then why don’t you like the sea?”
“Sea water doesn’t freeze easily.”
Seeing the world in black-and-white terms—some limits should exist!
When I was at a loss for words, he added:
“I don’t like situations I can’t control.”
“I can tell just by how you handle children.”
“I won’t deny it.”
“Well, but I’m easy to raise, right? I listen well and my actions are predictable.”
“….”
“…Wait, why aren’t you responding?!”
Am I really that easy to read?
Feeling a bit frustrated, I glanced at the surrounding servants and maids; they all smiled wryly and avoided eye contact.
Anyway, a private beach with clear water in the southwest was chosen as the vacation spot.
We couldn’t leave Benen behind—though the Duke said it would be fine! That wouldn’t do!—so we planned how to manage the Flogel domain in the absence of the steward and selected the servants to accompany us.
The remaining time passed busily. Meaning, the summer solstice was approaching.
The day when the sun is highest in the sky and the hottest. The Great Temple calls this the day the divine created the world and celebrates it.
I adjusted my uniform in front of the full-length mirror. Well, it’s just a school uniform anyway.
“Linda, how do I look? It feels awkward wearing it after so long.”
“Neat and pretty. But, miss, aren’t you going to wear any accessories?”
Linda showed me a box of accessories.
“All participants will probably dress up. You can’t just go casually, or it would be embarrassing if your voice caused the bells to ring.”
“I doubt that would happen.”
Of course. The one who rings the bells is the saint, Seraphina, in the original story. I’ll just be clapping from behind.
Still, Linda looked unsatisfied.
“Other young ladies will dress up fully. They’ll use every accessory in the house!”
“Hmm…”
“There will be many outside guests too. You don’t need to stand out, but as a Lady of the Duke’s family, it’s better to be properly dressed, isn’t it?”
She had a point. From student families to archbishops, all sorts of people will attend.
Surely they’ll be thinking, ‘Who is this famous Schlager lady?’ with sharp eyes.
If I looked shabby…
“…Maybe I should dress up a little?”
“Good idea!”
Linda smiled and grabbed a comb and hairpins. She’s planning to work her artistry on my hair.
“Uhuhuhu, relying solely on accessories is amateurish. I’ll show you what refined beauty looks like.”
“…Don’t overdo it.”
Other maids had already gathered to watch.
Wait…
“Sol, is something going on in your room?”
The Duke, walking down the hallway, entered my room.
The maids scattered instantly and began cleaning the room as if instructed. Thanks to them, the Duke’s figure looked dramatically staged, like the curtain had just risen.
Wow…
“Father, you look amazing today!”
I meant it sincerely.
His white uniform hugged his fortress-like body. His blue eyes looked especially sharp and deep beneath neatly combed hair. Even without weapons, anyone facing him would feel a blade at their chin.
…Wait, when I say it all out, it’s not ‘cool’; it’s just terrifying. I guess I’ve gotten used to the Schlager family’s horror aesthetic.
“Off to the audience, yes? Have a good visit, Father!”
“Sol, why are you in your school uniform?”
“Oh, you didn’t know? Today at the solstice event, we’re having Gruner Bant students sing. I thought you’d know.”
“…I’ve heard about some ridiculous event looking for a saint. And they’re mobilizing students?”
Hmm, the Duke didn’t look pleased.
Does he dislike his children being involved in temple duties? I hurriedly explained.
“Well, I don’t think forced mobilization is good either. But the choir contest is fun. Plus, my friend Seraphina is participating…”
“…That’s not the point.”
“Excuse me?”
“When does the choir start?”
