116 – First greeting
“That’s how it happened.”
“There’s even a carriage in our house…”
I care more about the changes in our family than about Max.
No matter how much there is a coachman, what kind of six-year-old rides a carriage by himself?
“Does Mirai ride the carriage alone?”
At Aren’s words, Sandra shook her head and said.
“No, I went with Mirai because my mom had some business in the next town. But Mirai suddenly said she wanted to go home, so I sent her away first.”
“Much has changed in our humble family, we drive our own carriage.”
“Hohoho, it’s all thanks to our wonderful son~”
Sandra smiled and said as if she was praising, but Aren was just shy.
“Well, I got that, I got it! Why is that guy named Max still in the house?”
“You must have met Max for the first time today, so why do you hate it so much?”
When Hans spoke as if he did not understand, Aren exclaimed proudly.
“I didn’t like it from the moment I first saw it! No! The moment I first met it was wrong! How dare you carry Mirai in front of me and go to the back garden!?”
“What did that mean?”
“You’re pissed off!”
“So where are you going?”
“Just everything!”
“ha.”
“Ehh.”
The two parents sighed at their son’s pathetic appearance.
But Aren continued to speak as if he were really serious.
“Anyway, stop sending that guy named Max. Isn’t he a knight hired with the money I sent and the goods sent by the duchy anyway? Then, since he was hired with my own money, I’ll kick him out.”
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“Has the knight contract already ended?”
“It doesn’t matter. Wouldn’t it be nice to have a generous severance pay?”
“There is no such thing as a vicious lord.”
Hans clicked his tongue, but Aren’s will was burning unwaveringly.
Looking at Aren like that, Sandra said.
“Then Miria will cry a lot?”
“yes?”
“That’s because Max is Miria’s knight.”
“… yes?”
who’s knight?
When Aren did not understand, Sandra spoke in more detail.
“Max swore an oath of knighthood to Mirai. So Max is Mirai’s knight.”
“…is that bastard still in the back garden?”
Flames lit up in Aren’s eyes.
***
“My lady, are you okay?”
“what?”
“Isn’t the young master here, even now…”
“it’s okay…”
Mirai turned her head and looked at the flowers blooming on the mountain.
‘… I hate you.’
In my heart, I wanted to get along well with my brother, but…
‘Is that Rachel?’
The blonde-haired girl seen behind Aren earlier.
It was one of the causes of Mirai’s pouting.
‘Huh, I won’t do brother or sister anymore!’
Actually, Mirai wasn’t this angry from the beginning.
I was sad when I parted from Count Cloud, but I understood a little after hearing the explanation from my mother, and I also knew that Aren was busy.
However, as time passed, Mirai’s pouting inevitably became more and more severe.
The cause is…
‘If I like Rachel that much, I just need Rachel!’
Dozens of letters from Aren to his hometown.
Of course, Mirai also read the letter curious about Aren’s news, and the problem was that most of the contents were about Rachel.
‘…I wanted to be with you too.’
I suddenly feel sad and my tears well up.
Max, who was watching this, approached Mirai and held out a handkerchief.
“miss.”
“I don’t cry.”
“I know, I’ll just give it to you.”
“……”
Mirai closed her mouth and accepted Max’s handkerchief.
Max, who watched the scene with a quiet smile, said in a soft voice.
“Looking at you earlier, you seem like a nice person.”
“who?”
“You’re a young boy.”
“joy.”
Mirai reacted as if it wasn’t, but deep down, Max’s praise made her feel a little better.
“Looking at it earlier, it seems that the Bocchan wanted to see the young lady a lot.”
“I bet he won’t like me anymore.”
Tears fill up again as I speak.
It was because he was concerned about how he treated Aren coldly earlier.
Max shook his head and said.
“When he carried the lady on his back earlier, the boy was only chasing after the lady. He’s probably worried a lot even now.”
“… is that so?”
“Yes, I’m sure you still want to see my lady.”
“… Let’s go see Ray.”
Ray, that was the name of Max’s son who was born this time.
And Ray was now living in the Difus family’s mansion.
‘You’re trying to reconcile.’
Max said with a smile.
“Yes, can I pick you up?”
“No, I’ll walk.”
The moment he said that and was about to go down the mountain.
“Mirai!”
“… brother?”
From the bottom of the mountain, Aren was running at breakneck speed.
‘It’s fast.’
Max thought that while watching Aren run.
I don’t know much about High Human, but even without that, Aren seemed to be a strong enough military man.
Tadak!
“Mirai!”
“Oh, brother.”
When Aren, who had been running at great speed, stopped in front of her, Mirai hesitated slightly and could not continue her words.
I do not know what to say.
‘I wonder if he’s angry…’
While Mirai was worried, Aren spoke first.
“I missed you Mirai.”
“uh?”
When Mirai was taken aback by the sudden words, Aren spoke one more time.
“I’m sorry I’m late, I really missed you, but oppa was very late, right?”
“… Yes.”
“Can I forgive my brother just once? My brother will be at home for a while, so I’ll give Mirai all of his time, how about it?”
“… really?”
“Sure! Brother promised, right? Next time we meet, we’ll play with Mirai.”
“Then… Oppa, do you still like Mirai?”
When Mirai spoke in an anxious voice, Aren exaggeratedly spoke loudly.
“How can my brother hate Mirai!? Nonsense!”
“… hehehe… Oppa.”
“huh?”
“I’m sorry too.”
At Mirai’s apology, Aren smiled and went to Mirai and hugged him.
“Eutcha, did you feel sorry for my little brother?”
“Ugh…”
“Sorry, brother, I’ll take care of you.”
“It’s okay, I’m here now.”
“hehehe, is it?”
Aren laughed for a moment before turning his gaze back to Max.
The moment Max was about to say hello to that gaze.
“Let’s go Mirai.”
“huh.”
“ah…”
Aren turned his back on Mirai and went down the mountain.
“…what did I do wrong?”
From Max’s point of view, it was unknown.
***
“Now, shall we say hello?”
“……”
“……”
After coming down from the mountain, Aren and Mirai went straight into Aren’s room and had a meeting with Rai and Rachel.
But at the first meeting, I didn’t know what to say, so when the children stayed still, Aren looked at Rai and said.
“In times like these, oppa should set an example, right?”
“yes yes.”
Lai put on a slightly nervous expression and approached Mirai, holding out her hand.
“Ra, rai, say Mirai. I often heard about you from my older brother.”
“… yes.”
“Ah, you don’t have to use honorifics. That… if possible, treat me like an older brother.”
“… huh.”
“……”
“……”
‘It’s awkward.’
It was unavoidable.
For a young child, meeting for the first time is so awkward and unfamiliar.
After the two people’s greetings, Rachel came forward and began to greet them.
“Oh, hello?”
“huh.”
“I’m Rachel… let’s be friends.”
“huh.”
“Mirai.”
Aren looked at Mirai and said,
“Wouldn’t it be difficult for Rachel to speak in such a short answer? Do you have any questions about Rachel?”
“……Albino?”
“Ah! I’m close with an albino!”
“… I’m friendly too…”
“Really? We’re the same, hee hee.”
“huh…”
Fortunately, the two children continued their conversation about the cuteness of the albino, as if they had found a common topic.
‘That cat is helpful.’
The problem is the other one who can’t join the conversation.
“lie.”
“yes.”
“What are the advantages of being an albino?”
“… cute?”
“Quack.”
Rai, of course, likes albino hair, but he doesn’t like wavy hair like Rachel and Mirai.
“Well, you can get to know each other slowly. Don’t rush.”
“yes.”
smart
At that time, a knocking sound came from Aren’s visit.
“Come on in.”
jump
“father?”
Hans Deepus entered Aren’s room.
Rai and Rachel became nervous once again and began to greet Hans.
“Oh, hello! My name is Rai!”
“Hello, my name is Rachel.”
“Yes, nice to meet you.”
Hans stared at the two children for a moment and then said to Aren:
“Come to think of it, did the kids eat?”
“No, not yet.”
“Then should I prepare anything?”
“We can have it for dinner. It’s dinner soon, right?”
“Mmm.”
Hans looked at the children again as if they were perplexed.
‘What should I say?’
When we first met, nothing came to mind.
In the first place, Hans wasn’t the type to talk a lot, and since they were children brought by Aren, he couldn’t think of anything else to say.
Seeing Hans unable to continue the conversation, Aren smiled and said,
“Father, at times like this, just tell him to be comfortable.”
“Be comfortable.”
“yes!”
“yes.”
‘Everyone in my family looks cute today.’
Fortunately, that day, the family was able to take a step forward at the dinner table.
***
Late at night, Aren came out of the mansion to get some fresh air and walked around the yard.
And two people standing in the corner of the yard.
“huh?”
“female.”
“What are you doing?”
Einhart and Kana were out in the yard.
“Just a night walk?”
“Ah, if I’m in the way…”
“hahahahaha, no no no~”
Einhart laughed and denied it, but Kana started glaring at Aren as if she was in a bad mood.
“Don’t stare at me too much. Wasn’t it a situation that could be misunderstood enough?”
“do you want to die?”
“Okay, I’m sorry.”
Einhat asked as he approached the two of them, passing Aren roughly.
“Then why did you come out at this late hour?”
“I have someone to see.”
“Ah, is that person by any chance?”
“Yes, that person.”
When Einhart pointed out where there were lush trees in the corner of the yard, Aren calmly affirmed.
“Sir Dyke, long time no see.”
“……”
“Did we all notice? Are you going to stay there?”
Pusss Tak
Dyke, who came down from the tree at Aren’s words, said with a frown.
“What.”
“You said you’re having a hard time. It’s late here.”
Dyke’s expression wrinkles even more as Aren takes the jerky and alcohol out of his bag.
“I don’t drink alcohol while on duty.”
“Then what about beef jerky?”
“… Let me take it.”
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Dyke calmly took the jerky and chewed it.
Looking at him, Einhart said.
“Are you a knight of Princess Frey?”
“That’s right, you’re having a lot of trouble because of me.”
“…you know me well.”
Dyke said with a frown.
“Why on earth do I, a palace knight, have to protect you and your family in a place like this?”
“I know all about you sir. Have more beef jerky here.”
“…give me more, there are more people.”
“Of course I have it ready.”
Aren laughed hatefully and took the jerky out of his bag and passed it to Dyke.
“You’ve been through a lot, please take good care of me in the future.”
“good.”
Dyke climbed over the wall and disappeared as if his business was over.
It must have gone to distribute beef jerky to other colleagues.
Aren, who looked at that for a moment, turned his head and looked at Einhart and said,
“That’s great. I had to ask you something.”
“huh?”
“Do you know about the Black Church?”
“The Black Church?”