FEFR 25

Episode 25

Upon closer look, the fish looked extremely ominous.

“…I don’t think it’s edible.”

Its sharp dorsal fins and the vivid blue patterns made it look unappetizing—even if it were technically safe to eat.

Lenart had only ever encountered fish once they were fully cooked, but he had common sense and instincts. Feeling wary of blue-colored creatures was an inherited survival instinct passed down from his ancestors.

But Ranze widened her eyes in protest.

“Why are you killing the spirit of my fish?”

She was already planning to gut, grill, and steam the fish—yet she dared to act offended? Lenart frowned slightly.

Still, he began to doubt himself. Maybe he was the one misjudging the situation. When it came to food, Ranze was the expert. Unlike him, who’d lived inland all his life, Ranze had spent most of her time in the kitchen.

Swanhild is near the sea anyway… Maybe it is edible.

He watched quietly as Ranze transferred the blue-patterned fish into a bucket.

“It’s too big to fit anything else in here. Should we head back now?”

Even as they climbed the steep path back to Petra’s mansion, Ranze would pause here and there to giggle to herself.

“…Do you like fishing?”

“This is my first time. Catching a fish this big—I must have talent.”

Though Ranze had noticed the tug on the line and pulled it up herself, Lenart didn’t point that out as she bragged.

Then tomorrow too…

He was about to offer to come with her again the next day, but Ranze suddenly stretched and murmured,

“But it’s not all that fun.”

“…I see.”

The one to get back at the cheeky Ranze wasn’t Lenart—it was an unexpected person.

Intending to brag, she carried the bucket all the way to the room, but Erna shrank back in horror the moment she saw it.

“What is that?!”

“It’s the fish I caught today. Isn’t it huge?”

“The size isn’t the problem!”

The fish wasn’t even passably good-looking, and seeing Ranze’s deflated expression, Lenart momentarily thought Erna might’ve been a bit too harsh.

But Erna, unfazed by her sister’s disappointment, spoke firmly.

“It’s a poisonous fish! Highly toxic! I can’t believe you brought it all the way here… Well, no—it’s good you did. If you had grilled it outside and eaten it—”

She pressed her forehead as if the thought alone was horrifying.

Whether her gloom had been an act or not, Ranze bounced back quickly and asked,

“How do you know all this? I didn’t know you were knowledgeable about fish.”

“…I saw it in a field guide once.”

Her voice had dropped low, and Ranze recalled the same place. Erna’s study in Swanhild had shelves full of various books.

A fish guide might’ve been among them.

Erna didn’t look too pleased and fidgeted with the ends of her hair.

“Shouldn’t you get your bangs trimmed?”

Ranze suddenly changed the topic without warning.

Erna nodded faintly. She appreciated the change of subject, and she’d actually been thinking the same thing before Ranze had barged in with the strange fish.

“Want me to cut it for you?”

Ranze offered after spotting a pair of scissors on the vanity.

“Wha…?”

“Isn’t it annoying when it pokes your eyes? Trust me.”

Trust her based on what? Erna was flustered, but Ranze sat her down before she could object and fetched the scissors.

“Hold the paper under your chin.”

“W-Wait, are you really doing this…?”

“Don’t worry. I’ve got pretty good hands. You get better with practice doing all sorts of things.”

Even Lenart, who was just watching, didn’t trust that claim. The way Ranze snapped the scissors playfully was far too careless.

As if punishing them both, Ranze even offered to cut Lenart’s hair, as if doing him a favor.

“Senior, shouldn’t you get a trim too?”

Having no one trustworthy to cut it, his hair had grown down to his shoulders. Though it was tied back to stay neat, a trim would look better.

But the problem was, Ranze’s skills weren’t exactly trustworthy. Lenart averted his gaze and replied,

“Better to start with your sister. She’s already getting ready.”

“Ahh…”

Erna let out a fearful moan.

Still, she didn’t let go of the paper Ranze had given her. She couldn’t help but imagine that Ranze’s “various experiences” might refer to her hardships as a maid.

Lenart had no real responsibility in this and could stay out of it, but Erna didn’t have that luxury. In the end, she squeezed her eyes shut.

A tense silence fell as Ranze hummed and snipped away.

Then, at some point, even the humming stopped—which wasn’t exactly a good sign.

“Ah… Um… All done.”

Erna opened her eyes cautiously and was left speechless at the sight in the mirror.

The shape itself wasn’t bad. The ends were neat, and there was even a gentle curve to give it some style.

“It’s a little short, but… doesn’t it look okay?”

That was the problem—just like Ranze admitted.

The bangs were a whole finger’s width above her eyebrows.

A thick silence fell, and even Ranze clamped her mouth shut. After a long pause, Lenart offered,

“It’s not that bad. Hair grows fast.”

“Ranze, why don’t you cut His Highness’s hair too?”

“No thanks. I think I’ll grow it out for a while.”

Just as Lenart escaped Erna’s petty revenge and Ranze shriveled up from embarrassment, a knock came at the door.

“Come in…”

Petra stepped into the room and froze, unsure how to react to the scene before her.

Fishing gear and a suspicious fish-filled bucket near the door, a strange cousin holding scissors looking utterly defeated, and Erna Swanhild with a drastic new hairstyle that, judging by her expression, clearly hadn’t been her choice.

“…That hairstyle was popular when I was a kid. Looks pretty good on you.”

Petra said kindly, trying her best.

But it didn’t offer much comfort to Erna. If it had been trendy when Petra was young, that meant almost twenty years ago. Taken the wrong way, it could be a roundabout way of saying it looked outdated.

Realizing her mistake, Petra cleared her throat and finally delivered her main message.

“News from the capital. They’ve officially approved my succession to the title. I’ll be heading there soon.”

“It’s a little late, but at least it was resolved properly.”

At Lenart’s response, Petra nodded heavily. A look of long-standing resentment lingered on her face.

From the father who delayed naming a successor and then died suddenly, to the brother who used it as an excuse to rebel, to the emperor who took ten years to make a decision—she couldn’t help but recall all the trials she’d endured. Smiling was impossible.

Still, Erna’s words managed to soften her mood.

“Congratulations, Count.”

Spoken shyly, it was rather cute. Perhaps it felt even more sincere in contrast to Ranze clapping half-heartedly at her side. Petra didn’t call it out and continued the conversation.

“You two need to start preparing your documents as well, if you haven’t changed your minds.”

Even with low entry requirements, documents like letters of recommendation had to be properly prepared. Unless you were someone like Lenart with an exceptional status, a noble background wasn’t enough to bypass the process.

Petra had enough influence to support them—but the matter wasn’t that simple.

“There’s still no sign that Swanhild has figured out your whereabouts. That means we’re safe from interference for now. But if you really plan to use my name for your recommendation, you’ll need new identities.”

If they were to stay in the capital under those identities, they’d have to completely hide the name Swanhild. Even with Petra’s backing, the difference in weight between a ward and a direct heir of a prince-elector was too great. The risk of being caught in some political incident was much higher.

If anything truly dangerous happened, Petra could step in—but that would mean sacrificing their freedom.

She hadn’t said it aloud yet, but Petra was worried about whether the sisters were truly ready to cut ties with their family like this.

Even if she couldn’t give them advice on their personal relationships, she wanted to approach this decision carefully.

“Well, then we just do that.”

But Ranze answered brightly.

“It’s not like we gained much from being Swanhilds. Erna said she doesn’t want to go back either. So, we just need to come up with a new surname.”

“I see. Got any ideas?”

“Not yet. Erna, do you have any names you like?”

“I’m not sure…”

Even if she’d braced herself, the sudden progress left Erna a bit flustered.

She awkwardly tugged at her short bangs and looked down.

“What about you?”