We live at the foothills of Dragon Peak.
The Ys Family
After leaving the temporary palace, we returned to the capital city with a good view. Outside, as usual, boys and girls of the same age were forming a long queue to report their return. Moving south from a distance, the main street, which runs north and south, leads to the Dragon Forest.
Thanks to a kind official who drew us a map, we were able to proceed without getting lost, even in the capital city where buildings were sparse and felt out of place.
The palace surroundings are planned for noble residences, and many craftsmen are busy working on large grounds.
Along the main street, there were already larger buildings, even if temporary, serving as landmarks. Among them, some looked quite splendid, with well-built shops and houses.
After passing several prominent buildings, we turned at the corner of a landmark building. From there, we walked while comparing the map with its finely detailed branching paths, making sure not to take a wrong turn.
As I was told, the destination should be the district where I originally lived. The buildings are brand new and unfamiliar, yet I feel like I know the roads a little.
Ah, maybe it’s because I passed by in the early morning! I thought, looking around the capital city in the afternoon.
“It should be around here… but.”
Walking while comparing the map with the surrounding scenery, I arrived at the area after passing the plot where my family home used to be. There, I seemingly got lost and stopped.
“Older Brother, you’re lost, aren’t you?”
“Lost, lost!”
“Grrr… More importantly, why did you guys follow me?”
The ones who clung to my lower body when I stopped were cheerful young girls.
“Oh, are we not allowed to greet your parents?”
“No, that’s not it…”
Looking back, it wasn’t just the young girls, but the women too!
This is ridiculous…
I wanted to return quickly to reassure my parents, who must be worried and waiting for me. However, I hadn’t thought about bringing everyone with me.
I had intended for them to stay at the palace and introduce them later.
After all, considering the emotional burden on my father and mother, I thought that would be better. I’d explain myself first.
“Father, this is Yufilia, the First Princess of the Armēdo Kingdom, and Nina, the Second Princess. And this is Ruiseine, the Battle Priestess. Mother, this is Mistral, a representative figure of Dragon Peak’s women, Lyra, backed by the Yorttenitos Kingdom, and Priscilla-chan of the Mimicho Race. Oh, and this one isn’t a kitten. It’s an Ancient Dragon Species.”
Given such an explanation, would my parents remain sane? My mother, with her strong will, might manage to endure despite foaming at the mouth. However, my father would likely fall ill and be unable to go to work the next day.
Besides, it’s not just about my own convenience.
Today, I finally managed to pay my formal respects to the King and Sera.
However, there’s one more person. I haven’t paid my respects to Ruiseine’s parents and the temple yet.
It would be unfair to leave Ruiseine alone without a formal introduction after completing her parents’ and temple’s greetings. Therefore, I wanted to have the introduction with the temple’s permission and with my head held high.
“No, Elnea. I understand your consideration for Ruiseine, but you should introduce everyone first.”
“Elnea-kun, I don’t mind. I trust you. So, if you don’t mind, please introduce your parents to us first.”
When we left the palace, Listea and Ruiseine told me that.
It seems like introducing Ruiseine’s parents and the temple is not straightforward. Even Listea said she hasn’t finished it yet.
Ruiseine wants to meet my parents first, so we decided to all go together.
Father, Mother, please be prepared!
“To visit Elnea-sama’s parents, I’m feeling nervous.”
“I’m looking forward to it.”
“I’m happy.”
Lyra, who was already blushing all over from nervousness, and Yufilia and Nina, who had changed into their usual adventurer attire, were, of course, coming along.
“So, Elnea, where is your house?”
Mistral sidled up to me with a natural gesture, peering at the map in her hand. The scent of her clean hair tickled my nostrils.
However, Mistral was immediately pulled away from me by the “Busty Alliance.”
“What are you doing, Mist?”
“Hmph. Mist, you’re too soft. I won’t let you get close to Elnea-kun so casually.”
“Hmph. Mist, you’re sly. I won’t let you stand next to Elnea-kun pretending it’s natural.”
“No sneaking ahead!”
You four, don’t start a catfight on the roadside.
While the four were glaring at each other, Ruiseine came to my side.
“The directions are correct, aren’t they?”
“Yes. According to the map, it should be around here.”
Together with Ruiseine, I looked down at the map.
She also had a clean scent, and my heart fluttered.
We made sure to turn at the landmark buildings and proceed correctly. And according to the map, my parents’ temporary home should be very close…
“Elnea-kun, there’s no getting lost. There’s only the house in front of us.”
“That’s right. So maybe the map itself is wrong?”
“But it’s a map drawn by an official, isn’t it? I don’t think there are any mistakes.”
“Then, Ruiseine, do you think this house in front of us is my family home?”
“That… is…”
We both looked at the house built on the premises in front of us.
We looked up…
“E-Elnea-kun, were you a noble?”
“No, we weren’t wealthy…”
“Oh my, my…”
What we’re looking up at.
A mansion stood there, so grand that we were astonished at how many annexes it had.
Was it the entire block?
It’s understandable to think that.
The garden trees indicating the boundary of the meticulously maintained grounds. Beyond that, a lawn spread out, and a neatly compacted path of irregular stones led from the main gate to the mansion.
“Is this Older Brother’s house?”
“Rich.”
“Meow.”
The young girls were very interested in the mansion before them, hopping excitedly in front of the main gate after moving away from me.
“Is it perhaps an apartment building?”
“Ah, you’re right! Maybe a kind noble built it in advance and is opening it up to residents?”
“That’s a possibility.”
“…But I heard it was temporary housing?”
“Well, Elnea-kun. Even the palace was that magnificent, and it was temporary.”
“I see. Even if it looks splendid to us commoners, it’s temporary for royalty and nobles.”
As we were both coming to an understanding, we suddenly felt a murderous intent from behind us and hurriedly turned around.
“Elnea?”
“Elnea-sama?”
“Ruiseine?”
“What are you guys doing?”
Ruiseine let out a small cry and hid behind me, cowering from the four’s murderous intent.
“Hey, Ruiseine! What are you doing?”
And then, Mistral lunged.
It was the moment the Second Bride War erupted.
“Priscilla-chan, let’s go.”
“Yes, let’s go.”
“Run, run.”
I wonder where Priscilla-chan learned to speak like that, I thought as I grabbed Priscilla-chan and Ares-chan’s hands and entered the main gate. Nimia, wagging her tail, jumped onto my head and relaxed.
“Ah, Elnea! Wait! I won’t forgive you for ignoring us!”
“Shoot, Mistral’s got her eyes on me. Run!”
The women, who had been in conflict, formed a peace treaty and attacked us, who had been peaceful.
Leading the young girls, we fled through the magnificent mansion’s front garden.
Running across the stone pavement, we reached the mansion’s entrance in an instant.
“Ugh, I couldn’t escape…”
“Of course. If this is the destination, there’s a limit to how much you can run.”
Caught and grabbed by the scruff of my neck, I still tried to resist escaping Mistral. It’s not good to always be under her thumb. I couldn’t afford to look pathetic when I was about to meet my parents.
Then, everyone else surprisingly attacked me, who was resisting.
Why!
Why is everyone so energetic!
Are they not nervous about meeting my parents?
As I was being jostled around, the heavy door opened.
“May I ask who you are?”
And from the mansion’s entrance came a woman who looked like a servant who served nobles.
She had a sharp appearance and wore her uniform impeccably; she was a beautiful woman.
“Yufilia, Elnea-kun is admiring Karen.”
“Elnea-kun has his eyes on Karen.”
“Huh?”
“Elnea-sama, and everyone. Welcome back. I will call for the Madam immediately.”
Huh?
What’s going on?
Karen? Elnea-sama? Madam?
Leaving me, who was tilting my head at the nonsensical words, the beautiful woman retreated into the mansion. Instead, another servant quickly came and guided us inside.
Confused, Mistral, Ruiseine, and I hesitated, but Yufilia and Nina naturally followed the servant’s lead. So, we reluctantly stepped inside the mansion.
“Yufi, who is Karen?”
I asked the question while following the three walking ahead.
“She’s the name of the servant who just came out of the entrance.”
“Nina, how do you know the name of this mansion’s servant?”
“She used to be our servant.”
“What?”
We became even more confused.
Why is the servant who served the two of them working in this mansion?
And the person called “Madam” by the servants who serve the royal palace… Could it be Sera?
No, no, I just met Sera at the palace. She didn’t say anything when we parted, and I don’t understand why Sera would have come here in advance to wait for us.
So, who is Madam?
We moved through the mansion, which was splendidly decorated, though not as much as the palace, and were guided to a reception room.
There, we waited for “Madam,” looking at each other with bewildered expressions.
Even when asked, Yufilia and Nina knew the background of the servants but not the identity of Madam.
Also, from the moment we entered the mansion until we were guided to the reception room, we saw many servants, but contrary to the expectation of an apartment building, we did not see any residents.
I don’t understand.
A mansion instead of an apartment building. Servants who apparently worked at the former royal palace. And a mysterious Madam.
The key to everything must lie with Madam.
As I waited nervously, wondering who Madam was, the reception room door was knocked upon, and a woman appeared, led by Karen from earlier.
“Mother!”
And then, to my utter astonishment, I recoiled.
“Elnea…”
The person who entered the room was undeniably my mother. However, instead of her usual worn-out clothes, she was wearing splendid attire like a noble. It looked very incongruous.
But her expression towards me was exactly like my mother’s, and after a moment of surprise, I ran.
And hugged my mother.
“I’m home!”
“Ah, Elnea. Welcome back.”
My mother also hugged me tightly.
“I’m sorry for making you worry. But I’ve returned safely.”
“Yes, I was very worried. Until I held you like this, I couldn’t believe it even when Karen told me you were back.”
“Yeah. I also feel like you’ve become a different person, Mom.”
“Is it perhaps because of this outfit?”
“That’s right!”
As we rejoiced in our reunion after a year, holding each other, we confirmed each other’s appearance.
Indeed, my mother in her splendid attire looked somewhat strange. Did it not suit her?
My mother gazed at me intently, tears welling up in her eyes.
“You haven’t changed at all.”
“Have I not?”
“Yes, you haven’t changed as if we only parted yesterday.”
“Oh, come on… I went on so many adventures, I thought I had grown.”
We exchanged such light words.
I had imagined what kind of reunion it would be, but when I actually met my mother for the first time in a year, all the words I had thought of flew away, and it ended up being a simple reunion.
My mother seemed to feel the same way, only shedding tears and smiling while holding each other, not a special reunion.
“So, Mom, what about that outfit?”
“Oh, this.”
My mother looked down at her outfit with a troubled expression.
“It’s your fault.”
“What?”
“Honestly, we were surprised enough when you said you were going to Dragon Peak… It’s all thanks to your exploits this past year, or rather, this winter.”
“Could it be…?”
“Because you are the parents of a national hero, we were forced into it.”
“And this mansion?”
“It was the first to be built from the reconstruction, as befitting your family home. They say it’s temporary housing, even this.”
“And the servants?”
“Since we can’t accommodate all the people who worked at the palace right now, they’ve been forcibly sent here to work.”
“The servants’ wages?”
“Everything, including the building, is provided by the nation. You really…”
I could only laugh.
Although I myself don’t desire nobility or a luxurious life, it seems it was all pressed upon my parents before I returned.
I laughed dryly, and my mother looked genuinely troubled.
“Um, everyone is in trouble?”
Then, Priscilla-chan tugged at the hems of my mother’s and my clothes.
“I’m sorry. It’s not that I forgot.”
“It’s fine. Mist said that reunions are important.”
“I see. Thank you.”
I thanked Priscilla-chan and turned around.
Everyone had been waiting in the corner of the room, so as not to interrupt my reunion with my mother.
“Mom…”
When I called out to introduce everyone, my mother averted her gaze slightly.
My mother, as expected!
She must have sensed that things were about to get difficult.
I couldn’t help but smile at my mother’s gesture.
And then, I introduced everyone one by one.
