“Y-Your Excellency.”
“……?”
What greeted me as I exited the Imperial Palace was none other than Trie.
She seemed to have stopped by the mansion for a moment, having changed from armor into casual clothes.
“What’s up?”
“It’s just that we didn’t have our duel yesterday or today, right? So I thought we should do it as soon as we got here. Hehe.”
“……”
Grrr…
Isn’t there an option to take a break for just one day since the war is over?
That thought lingered in my throat but quickly disappeared.
I knew Trie would most likely erupt, saying that slacking off on training for such lame reasons is third-rate.
“But until when are you planning to teach me swordsmanship?”
“Huh? Until when?”
“……?”
Trie tilted her head in confusion.
If I recall correctly, I thought we agreed that she would teach me until the midterm exams. Wasn’t that the case?
After the midterms, I was supposed to teach her magic.
That’s how the contract would be fulfilled.
“That would be until you surpass me.”
“Does that mean you’ll keep teaching me forever?”
“Are you underestimating yourself too much? My growth has already stopped. On the other hand, your skills are increasing exponentially. I think I could catch up soon.”
“……”
It was Trie who was underestimating herself.
Has her growth really stopped?
Is she really one to say that after facing the strongest foes in the south one against many?
If I had been there, I would have stammered and quickly lost my limbs.
It seems like Trie still doesn’t have a clue just how strong her opponents were.
“But I think it won’t be possible to duel right after arriving.”
“Huh? Why?”
“Well, I need to unpack… and shake off the travel fatigue.”
“Oh, come on! All you need to do is grab your sword and everything is solved!”
Hey, I don’t love the sword as much as you do…
But there was another problem that I hadn’t mentioned.
On the way back in the carriage, I realized that for the past week, I hadn’t sent a single letter to Emilia.
Of course, I hadn’t made a promise to send one, but considering how I saw Emilia off in tears, she must have been immensely worried.
No, she probably just acted worried.
Anyway, I couldn’t help but think that when I return, she might just pour that disappointment onto me.
Given her personality, I thought she might even get angry.
“We’ve arrived.”
“Uh…”
I reached the chairwoman’s residence of the school by foot.
However, the mansion looked nothing like I remembered.
Every window was tightly covered with curtains, allowing not a sliver of light to enter.
It looked like thin curtains were keeping any shadow from being cast, even though it didn’t seem like they had lit a separate lamp inside.
I assumed Emilia must be out at the moment.
I opened the door without hesitation.
“Ugh…”
“……?”
There she was, Emilia.
As she hurried down the stairs, startled by the light, she shielded her eyes with her arm.
Now, saying this might lead to misunderstandings, but she looked completely haggard compared to a week ago, adding a sense of tragic beauty to her allure.
For a moment, I lost my train of thought staring at her face before finally managing to speak.
“I’m back.”
As I spoke, Emilia’s eyes widened.
She stared at me blankly as if she had seen a ghost, but soon a smile crept onto her lips.
I had thought she’d be furious upon seeing me.
It was a pleasant surprise.
Now that a guest has arrived, I hope she brings out some tea…
“Big brother!”
“Ugh!”
Just as I was about to say that, Emilia’s tiny frame rushed toward me and collided with me.
It was a speed I couldn’t sense with my instinct until it was too late.
That overwhelming speed from Emilia had her immediately wrapping her arms around my waist.
At first, I was a bit taken aback, but soon I found myself petting Emilia’s head.
She buried her face into my chest, rubbing against me, and I gently stroked her hair.
Yeah. This felt like the kind of reunion you’d expect between an attendant and her master after a long time apart.
If only it had stopped there.
“Why are you this late! You said you’d be back within a week! You said you’d return before the handkerchief disappears! It’s been more than seven days and an hour!”
“Emilia.”
“You liar! Bad guy! Why did you break your promise? I was worried! I missed you so much that I thought I was going crazy! Just earlier, I was terrified thinking this was all a dream, or an illusion…”
“Emilia. Can we step back for a moment?”
“……?”
She punched my chest repeatedly out of blame, freezing me in place.
Emilia had clearly missed the presence of the person behind me.
It was a critical mistake for a spy from the renowned Intelligence Agency of the Trud Kingdom not to properly scan her surroundings.
“Uh, A-Attendant? Hello…?”
“……”
Trie awkwardly laughed and greeted, and Emilia froze up as well.
After a moment of rolling her eyes to grasp the situation, Emilia replied—
“I’ve been practicing my acting lately. How did it go?”
“Hoo, it was fantastic. Like lovers reuniting after years apart…”
“Really? Looks like the practice paid off!”
“Emilia.”
“I’m going to bring some tea!”
Shooting out that utterly useless excuse, she vanished into the hallway.
Did she run away…?
In disbelief, I could hardly step forward, and Trie approached, placing a hand on my shoulder.
When I glanced to my side, her expression was infuriatingly smug.
What’s with that smile?
“You have to make her happy, Master.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“Oh. Was it a misunderstanding? Maybe it was just one-sided? Even so, you have to be clear. Have you imagined the pain of holding onto a hopeless feeling?”
“So what the hell does that even—”
“If you don’t understand, that’s fine too. You’re as dull as a Master can be.”
“Trie…”
No, I get what she means.
But how could I explain that she’s pretending to be my admirer while actually being a spy for the kingdom?
Geez…
This is so frustrating.
Fine. I’ll just play the part of a thick-headed fool.
Although it’s entirely untrue, I decided to become the oblivious main character of a light novel.
*
An awkward silence followed.
While unpacking, Emilia was bustling around in the kitchen making some noise as she prepared tea, and she casually approached my room after attending to Trie in the living room.
Once reaching the staircase, Emilia deployed the Recognition Interference Barrier and stood in front of my door.
“Is there… anything you need?”
“This has turned around, hasn’t it? You were using familiar terms just a moment ago; why are you using formal language now that it’s just the two of us?”
“Ugh… Can we not talk about that anymore?”
Emilia covered her face with her hands.
However, since she couldn’t cover her ears, her red cheeks showed, and I couldn’t help but let out a chuckle.
“I’m sorry for not contacting you. I wasn’t really in an easy situation.”
I approached Emilia and, lying halfway, moved her hands away from her face.
“Even after promising…”
Her utterly wrecked face was revealed.
Had she been crying again? Her cheeks shimmered, sparkling with tears.
Watching her occasionally gulp and contort her face was dangerously beautiful.
It stirred the dormant masochistic impulse within me.
“You said you’d come back before the handkerchief disappears…”
“Oh.”
Only after rummaging through my pocket did I realize.
I had lost the handkerchief.
No, it would be more accurate to say that the handkerchief had vanished.
“I was going to get mad… I wanted to blame you…”
“Yeah.”
“When I saw your face, I couldn’t do it. Just… your safe return makes me so happy that I can’t think of anything else…”
Emilia leaned her forehead against my chest, droplets of tears falling onto my feet.
Her tears were incredibly warm.
“Why are you so unfazed? Was I the only one worried? Was I the only one missing you?”
That wasn’t true.
I worked hard to not forget the linger of your mana.
In fact, even now, I’m fighting the impulse to catch those falling tears in my hands and taste them.
“I missed you too.”
“Liar. You seem so calm. You completely forgot about me for an entire week, didn’t you?”
“I didn’t!”
“Ugh…”
I grabbed Emilia by the back of her head and pulled her in.
For a moment, Emilia rubbed her cheek against my chest before wrapping her arms around my waist tightly again.
I silently petted her head and shared warmth.
This felt too exaggerated for acting.
If Emilia really intended to entice me, she wouldn’t have acted so clingy.
This had to be her genuine feelings.
Given the context, I could surmise the reason.
In the original story, Emilia becomes Hertlocker’s attendant.
Being by Hertlocker’s side, she eventually opens her heart and rekindles their sibling-like bond.
But I had taken Hertlocker’s place in this world.
Emilia chose me as the dependable older brother instead of Hertlocker.
“I missed you too. I thought about you a lot. I wished every day to be sent back to your side quickly.”
“……”
Behind that infinitely strong façade, Emilia likely harbors many secrets.
Having lost her parents during the war, she was raised as a spy by the Intelligence Agency at an age when she barely comprehended it all; her adolescence must have hit her late and harshly.
It is my role to absorb that pain.
It was my fault that, unintentionally, I had pushed Hertlocker into despair and twisted this world’s plot.
I could offer all of me if it meant comforting her.
I would lend her my giant hands anytime she needed them.
I would gladly be the older brother she could lean on.
I am merely a substitute for Hertlocker to her.
“Liar… It couldn’t have been just that.”
“It’s true. I pulled out your handkerchief several times just to look at it and miss you.”
“Really…?”
Of course, it’s true.
In fact, not only did I look at it, but I even smelled it.
“Big brother. I—”
“Ah! When will my Master, who went up to unpack, come down?”
“……”
As soon as Trie’s booming voice echoed, Emilia quickly bolted away.
Having wiped her cheeks, she returned to an expressionless, perfectly poised maid demeanor, acting like nothing had happened.
There was nothing to be done about her puffy eyes, but…
I wondered if Trie’s voice might’ve left a psychological mark.
“Should we head down?”
“Yeah…”
I patted Emilia’s head and turned around.
Today, I’ll keep the fact that she was so adorable secret for now.
While cheerful and quirky Emilia is lovely, this teary-eyed version of her is even prettier.
Geez. Saying this makes me sound like a creep with some dark preferences.
I shook my head and dismantled Emilia’s clumsy barrier, then descended the stairs.
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