Two months have already passed since I injured my leg.
Now, I’m looking at the start of the third month.
I’ve at least removed the cast on my leg.
Honestly, since I haven’t properly walked for two months, it’s still a bit uncomfortable, but I’m managing.
“Sophia, if it’s tough for you, I can help.”
“No, it’s fine.”
Kyle has been worrying about me this whole time.
Even wondering if I need help now that the cast is off, he insists on assisting me.
A whole lot.
“The Young Master has his Coming-of-Age Ceremony soon, right? You shouldn’t be spending time on me.”
And there’s not much time left until Kyle’s Coming-of-Age Ceremony.
Just about two months to go.
It’s the perfect timing to prepare for the ceremony that starts on the first day of the New Year.
It’s not the time to be worrying about someone like me.
“Ugh… I’ve told you so many times already. I’ve learned just about everything I need from my father.”
“Still, there must be many things left. Learning never ends, so it’s best to be thoroughly prepared. So please, quickly have lessons with the Duke…”
“Sophia.”
“Yes…”
No matter what I say, he doesn’t listen.
I’ve assured him multiple times that I’m fine, yet he persistently wants to help.
Honestly, it’s not that I dislike it.
Who wouldn’t appreciate someone who cares about them?
It’s not that I mind.
I’m just worried that something might go wrong during Kyle’s succession ceremony.
“But really, I’m fine. It’s time for you to worry about yourself, Young Master. Please, I beg of you to prepare for what’s about to come…”
“Fine… I got it.”
“I’m glad you understand. I was worried you’d only focus on me.”
There’s a super important event coming up.
And it’s a really important one.
Yet I have no idea why he spends all his time worrying about me.
It’s not the time for that.
He should focus more on himself.
“Sigh…”
After sending Kyle off to his lessons, I sat down in a chair.
I feel like I still need a bit of rehabilitation for my leg, but since I can move now, I’m back at work.
The doctor said my fracture has healed, but there’s still a slight uncomfortable feeling.
Something feels different from my left leg.
“Well, at least I can walk, so that’s nice.”
If it were the past, I would still be lying alone in my room.
In that regard, this is enough for now.
At least I can go to the bathroom by myself, right?
“By the way, what’s with Kyle…?”
I truly don’t understand why he’s so worried about me.
I’m six years older than Kyle.
And if we consider my past life, I’m practically a mature adult compared to him.
Does he really see me as an 18-year-old?
“I’m about to enter my mid-20s.”
Is it possible I lack the image of an older woman?
Kyle used to follow me so much when he was younger.
But now, no matter how much I tell him I’m fine, he ignores that.
“….”
Doesn’t it really seem like I don’t look older?
“Sigh…”
Well, what can I do?
I guess I have to understand that my Young Master wants to worry about me.
I hope he treats his future girlfriend better than this.
I bet a girlfriend would appreciate that kind of concern.
Once the Coming-of-Age Ceremony is over, won’t he be going around with girls?
Being an adult, he shouldn’t have any issues doing so.
“He’ll be fine by himself.”
I believe he can handle that kind of thing.
As a man, he’s gotta date and show off too, right?
Despite his somewhat wooden personality, probably he’s different when it comes to romance?
“Generally, those types of guys are pretty devoted.”
I’d say Kyle would likely be like that too.
Once the Coming-of-Age Ceremony is over, there’s sure to be a lot more people contacting him, and he’ll probably have a lot of connections with other girls.
Definitely.
Kyle is already quite famous within the Empire.
So, countless eyes are sure to be on him.
I bet girls all over the Empire will send him letters.
Women who lost their husbands young, ladies who just turned into adulthood like Kyle, slightly younger girls, and even ordinary children.
They’ll send a ton of letters.
Girls just can’t help but be interested in someone like Kyle.
If he goes out more often, there’ll definitely be a massive amount of attention on him.
He’s never been to another territory until now.
He’s barely even been outside the capital.
“Hmm…”
Well, I suppose he’ll figure it out somehow.
There are still about two months left until the Coming-of-Age Ceremony, so I don’t need to worry about that.
Probably?
No matter how interested a girl is in Kyle, she’s not going to come around right before his Coming-of-Age Ceremony.
That shouldn’t happen in the first place.
That would be such a nuisance.
*
That’s what I thought.
I figured that for Kyle’s succession, other nobles wouldn’t bother us for a while.
But those noble idiots turned out to be more of a nuisance than I anticipated.
“Ugh… dammit…”
“Sophia, are you okay?”
“No.”
I was definitely not okay.
At a time when the entire family was focused on Kyle’s Coming-of-Age Ceremony and succession, these morons decided to show up to celebrate his ceremony.
Complete strangers, mind you.
People who had never even met Kyle.
“Ugh… why am I so angry?”
Normally, I wouldn’t be this mad.
I would’ve just been annoyed and swept it aside.
But I was furious!
I even took a bit of my frustration out on Louise.
“Sorry, but there weren’t many people to let it out on.”
“It’s fine. I’m not fond of them either!”
“Right…”
Anyway, I’m in a rather elevated position among the servants.
So, it seems my workload suddenly increased.
I’m Kyle’s direct servant.
And on top of that, I also play the role of a private tutor!
Why on earth am I guiding incompetent nobles with bellies like balloons?
“Sigh…”
“Sophia, we’re struggling too…”
“Elin?”
It was the first time I heard Elin curse.
She usually had this innocent knight vibe going on.
Though she wasn’t doing her duty.
But still, to hear Elin swear like that!
So it’s not just me who hates these newly arrived visitors!
“Suddenly, we’ve had way too many spectators, so the Knights are being asked to hold an event…”
“Ugh.”
“During the Young Master’s Coming-of-Age Ceremony, all the Knights needed to do was stand around in armor…”
“…”
“But suddenly they’re saying that the knights should engage in a light duel among themselves, and also, that the Young Master should participate…”
“…”
That’s a bit unfortunate.
I think they’ll have it worse than me.
At least I don’t have to do much during the ceremony.
“But somehow, I ended up being the one who is supposed to duel with the Young Master!?”
“…”
With Kyle?
Just the two of us?
“Does that mean I should train with you, Young Master…?” “Of course you need to! It’s not a serious duel, just a demonstration, but we need to practice together. Otherwise, you could get hurt in a real situation.”
“Just the two of us?”
“Yup! Lately, I’ve had to train with the Young Master every single day! I thought I’d have less work and finally get some rest, but…”
“…”
Training one-on-one with Kyle…
That made me suddenly reminisce about the past.
When Kyle and Elin were in the training area, both of them stripped down for lesson time.
“…”
Are they going to be stripping for training again this time?
I haven’t taken a swordsmanship lesson since then, so I wouldn’t know.
“…”
“Elin, isn’t it at least a good thing?”
“What do you mean?”
“At least you’re spending time with Kyle, right? It’s better than being with other nobles.”
“Well, that’s true. The Young Master has been someone I’ve known for years now.”
“Exactly?”
“…”
Something feels off.
I don’t know what it is, but it just feels uncomfortable.
*
“Please follow this way, members of House Jokarta.”
Today, I was assisting the noble idiots visiting the territory again.
They had even taken over an entire hotel building for their stay, so every noble was gathered here.
I just wish they hadn’t come at all.
“The servants from Jokarta will follow this person next to you.”
They even brought unnecessary servants with them.
It’s just a Coming-of-Age Ceremony! Why bring ten servants?
At least there were other hotels nearby, so I’m thankful for that.
If there hadn’t been, I can only imagine the fuss these nobles would have caused.
Even just imagining it makes me shudder.
“Hmm… well, it’s not bad. I thought it’d be rough being from a rural northern village.”
“Hohoho, I thought so too.”
“…”
Do these idiots think I don’t have ears?
I made sure to introduce myself every single time I guided them that I’m Kyle’s direct servant.
Why on earth do they keep yapping like this when they could just talk to me?
*sigh*
I quietly let out a breath.
There was no need to murmur bad words and give them a reason to bug me; this was enough.
Dealing with this is an issue that can easily be resolved by just speaking with Kyle, the Duke, or the Head Butler.
How dare they say nasty things about the Duke’s family, and not just the Duke, but the family of the Duke of Eristirol!
Managing a vast territory all alone.
“By the way, the Duke of Eristirol is said to be quite handsome…”
“I’ve had my eye on him too. When he came for the debutante, I had a chance to speak with him…”
“Is that really so?”
“It is! He was even more charming in person.”
“…”
The only person Kyle has really met is the one introduced by Catherine.
But why are they getting so invested in gossip like that?
Ah, I just wish all the nobles would disappear!
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