On the day Kyle turned 18 and I turned 24.
Despite the cold January weather, we were having a pretty normal day.
Kyle was having a lesson with Louise while Elin and I were leisurely walking down the castle’s hall after having a small tea time.
“Emergency!!!!”
“Everyone gather at the entrance!!!”
“Hurry!!”
“?”
Suddenly, servants were running down the hall, shouting noisily. They never run, no matter how urgent things get—what on earth could warrant such a scene?
Elin, walking beside me, seemed to be just as confused, exchanging looks with me.
“What’s going on?”
“Uh… I don’t know?”
“Should we go too?”
“Yes.”
Whatever was happening, it felt like we needed to head to the entrance of the castle. When we arrived, the servants were lined up in formation.
And on the opposite side stood the family’s knights.
“….”
“….”
Elin and I walked past each other in silence, sharing our bewilderment with a glance.
What kind of situation requires both the family servants and knights to be standing around like this?
It’s been six years.
That’s how long I’ve been in Eristirol.
In all that time, I’ve never encountered anything like this, making it hard to grasp what was going on.
Just then, the head butler stepped forward from the line. It felt like I hadn’t seen this guy in ages. I hadn’t run into him much while taking care of Kyle, and to be honest, I wasn’t really keen on meeting him.
“The reason we’ve all gathered is simple. A letter arrived stating that the Duke will be returning.”
The Duke is coming back.
This was the first time I had ever heard that.
I had never seen the man in charge since starting work at Eristirol Castle.
Neither Adela nor Kyle mentioned anything about the Duke, and there hadn’t been any reason to bring it up. Just that he enjoys hunting and has a slight wandering issue—nothing substantial.
While it wasn’t a problem raising and educating Kyle, it was a little concerning that his father, the most significant member of his family, had been absent.
Thank goodness Kyle had grown up well, but to be honest, I didn’t have any particularly good feelings toward the Duke.
“Given the Duke’s personality, it’s quite clear that he must have sent the letter late. He should be arriving shortly, so please wait a moment.”
At the butler’s words, the knights were noisy in their responses.
Even after years of absence, their loyalty to their lord was high.
They probably had the skills to match their loyalty.
“….”
But… the biggest problem wasn’t that.
Unlike the majority of the northern townspeople, I’m originally from the central region.
The place I was born and raised generally had warm weather.
Sure, it was chilly in winter, but nothing compared to the north.
Going outside in the north was something I’d rarely done.
Yet right now, stepping inside the castle was a touch awkward.
The Duke is coming, and a mere servant retreating inside because it’s cold?
That would definitely raise eyebrows.
“Ugh…”
And it’s January.
This is basically the peak of Eristirol’s cold season.
Even now, snow was falling from the sky, and a sharp wind whipped through the air.
In simple terms, it’s freaking cold.
“Ugh…”
Since I mostly lived in the warmth of the castle, I was only wearing a standard outfit.
No thermal layers—just underwear, a shirt, and a blazer.
The situation was even worse with my pants.
Wearing just my underwear and pants? That was barely going to keep me warm.
“Ugh…”
“Sophia.”
“Young Master?”
While I shivered, hands tucked under my armpits, Kyle suddenly called out to me from behind.
I turned to him, slightly surprised he was here.
Oh, right. If their dad was coming, of course Kyle would have to be around too.
“You’re cold, right?”
“Uh… yeah…”
I could barely speak, the chill getting to me.
I really wished I could somehow wear something.
Something like those fluffy fur coats the hunters wore when I saw them through the castle windows.
Yeah, that would help.
“Wait, I’m sorry.”
“Eh?”
Suddenly, Kyle hugged me.
He was way taller than me now, probably around 185 cm.
We had a height difference of about two heads.
As a result, I found myself burying my face in Kyle’s chest.
“Young Master…?”
“Just stay like this for a moment. You’ll warm up soon.”
As I realized, Kyle was blocking the chilly wind with his coat for me.
He knew I was cold and did this first…
That kid, it looks like he has some serious charm now.
If it were any other girl, she probably would’ve turned into a gooey mess, too shy to even look him in the eyes by this point.
“Thank you.”
Well, it didn’t matter much to me, though I was grateful.
It did leave me a bit in awe.
The little guy who was once shorter than me has grown up to be this wonderful man who can hold me and keep me warm.
“Ha ha…”
At this rate, I must have raised him quite well, huh?
The scared little 12-year-old has turned into such a handsome young man.
“You really did well, Young Master.”
I was proud of this little kid who followed me well and grew up nicely.
I couldn’t help but wonder what would have happened if he had gone rogue, but it was purely hypothetical since he turned out fine.
“Yet you shouldn’t do this for girls you just met. Women can be easily swayed, you know?”
“… Okay.”
He should just give the other girls a coat instead of hugging them.
Being a Northern noble with a higher body temperature, Kyle was already warm, and with his body heat, any trembling girl would surely fall right over.
Of course, I wasn’t cold anymore thanks to Kyle, but doing this with anyone else would definitely lead to trouble for him, noble or not.
He’d be branded a flirt.
“By the way, Young Master, that outfit you’re wearing is really stylish.”
He had on a black shirt and a warm black coat with white fur trim.
Good fashion sense, too.
“… Thank you.”
Still, being this close to Kyle while looking up did make my neck quite sore.
The height difference was ridiculous.
“Duke entering!!!”
After a few minutes nestled against Kyle, the butler shouted.
And the castle gates swung open.
“Oh.”
Watching the gates open while holding on to Kyle, something grand seemed to fill the space.
Through the large opening, a massive man appeared.
I could see through the blur of falling snow, but I was sure.
This was the Duke of the Eristirol family and Kyle’s father, William Eristirol.
He looked like a Viking straight out of a past life.
He had the same white hair as Kyle.
But he was much taller, maybe about two meters tall.
He was also incredibly muscular, clad only in a pelt that looked like some animal—wolf or bear—showing off his physique.
“Wow…”
He was even more impressive than the knight commander I saw last time.
Honestly, calling the leader the knight commander seemed more fitting now.
With his long hair and beard, he really had that Viking look down.
“Everyone, salute the Duke!!”
At the butler’s command, all the knights and servants in the castle bowed in unison.
I turned my body and bowed 90 degrees.
Kyle merely gave a casual nod, not bending over much.
If he’d bowed properly, it would’ve been quite heavy.
Thank goodness.
There’s no way I could hold his weight.
“…?”
Suddenly, I sensed something firm behind me.
Maybe Kyle kept something heavy in his pockets.
“Enough. Go back to your tasks.”
The Duke’s deep, rumbling voice commanded.
At that word, the knights and servants dispersed to resume their duties.
“…?”
Were we even all gathered here just for that?
Well, I guess it was probably better this way.
No need to freeze outside unnecessarily.
“Young Master, I’m going inside now. Since the Duke has returned, enjoy your time… Uh…?”
Just as I tried to break free from Kyle’s embrace to enter the castle, he suddenly wrapped his arm around my waist to keep me from leaving.
“Young Master..?”
“I need to introduce you to my father, so wait.”
“Wait… What?”
Introduce me?
To that Viking dude?
I may have been exaggerating, but still!
Why would a mere servant like me need an introduction?
“Because you’re his private tutor.”
“Oh.”
I had indeed been teaching Kyle, but still, it felt surreal. It was so minor I had almost forgotten.
“And you’re my direct servant, so you have to come along.”
“Alright…”
I just stayed there, still wrapped up in Kyle’s embrace as the Duke chatted with the captain and the butler nearby.
Before I knew it, Adela had also arrived.
“What’s up, big brother? Why are you all cozy with Sophia?”
“Oh, Sophia is just very sensitive to the cold, so I had no choice.”
“Oh, I see…”
“..?”
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