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0% If I wanted Father to return safely after (forcibly) leaving home, then I should go to the territory immediately. Unfortunately, disappearing from work during the weekdays wasn’t exactly appropriate.

It’d feel like I was blatantly collecting paychecks without working—and while being paid to slack off was every worker’s dream, even I had to consider the Emperor’s watchful eyes.

Moreover, Elizabeth had to return to her duties at the Prosecutors’ Office now that I’d returned from war. This meant that there was no one to fill in for me. I felt sorry for Father, but he’d have to wait until the weekend.

So, I spent my Academy life normally until the weekend—

“I’m so relieved you’ve returned safely. It seems the Executive Manager has become an indispensable pillar of the Academy.”

—the Principal greeted me with unusually intense enthusiasm.

“I honestly can’t imagine anyone else doing your job, Inspector.”

—the Vice Principal sighed with a strange sort of relief.

“Thank you for coming back.”

—and even Villar offered a short but sincere expression of gratitude.

Over the past few days, everyone I ran into had expressed various forms of relief and joy at seeing me again. I’d always had decent relationships with them, but now it felt like we’d suddenly become much closer during my absence.

It was odd. Weren’t people supposed to grow distant when separated? Why had they become more affectionate instead?

“Did something happen while I was gone?”

I tried asking Elizabeth, who’d returned to the Prosecutors’ Office, but she responded that she didn’t know either.

And I accepted that response. If she acted the way she usually did, that alone would’ve caused quite a stir.

It must have been a new world for them.

Even after three years of exposure, I still sometimes found myself surprised by Elizabeth’s casual remarks or outrageous behavior.

People encountering her for the first time probably experienced an entirely new world.

What was normal for Elizabeth was shocking to everyone else—things that would make any ordinary person’s blood run cold were simply everyday events to her.

It might be a somewhat harsh assessment, but it couldn’t be helped. After all, as her lover, it was important for me to see her clearly, with all her quirks.

I embraced Elizabeth out of genuine love, not because I was ignoring reality.

“Well, that’s fine if nothing happened.”

Still, there was no need to hurt her feelings unnecessarily, so I quickly ended the conversation without pressing further.

“You caught me. Was it that obvious?”

Her playful bragging brought a smile to my lips.

Yes, I decided—that was exactly why I’d called her. Simply because I missed her.

***Seven people gathered in front of the lodgings as soon as the weekend morning arrived. Three more would join once we moved to the capital, forming a grand party of ten people.

Two of those three were, of course, Elizabeth and Penelia. And the last one—

“You’ve come.”

“Yes. Good morning, Father.”

—was Father, who had been wandering aimlessly around the capital after losing his home.

Well, he wasn’t really wandering since he was staying at the family’s mansion in the capital, but wasn’t it right to say he was homeless if he couldn’t even enter his territory?

At this point, my father had practically lost the ‘Tailglehen’ from his name, Wilhelm Krasius of Tailglehen.

Anyway, after exchanging greetings, Father opened his mouth with an awkward expression.

“Sorry for troubling you like this.”

“No, it was on our way anyway. Elizabeth and Penelia were in the capital, too.”

“Exactly! So please don’t worry about it!”

Elizabeth immediately chimed in after me, causing Father to smile faintly.

By the way, it was fascinating. I used to not be able to read Father’s expressions properly, but even his slightest emotional shifts stood out plainly now.

So that’s why their marriage lasted.

I’d always wondered about the good relationship between Father and Mother, but it was possible because Mother could easily read Father’s expressions. To Mother’s eyes, Father wasn’t a cold machine but an ordinary person.

It was just a pity that she could read him so well that she could even kick him out.

...It’s probably better than having a bad relationship.

While I comforted myself with that thought and watched my father exchanging greetings with my lovers, a familiar figure trudged slowly out from the mansion.

“You’re already heading back?”

It was also followed by a familiar voice: the former Count Horfeld.

“The newcomer leaving first... How times have changed.”

“You only arrived a short while before me. Don’t make such a fuss about it.”

Seeing Count Horfeld and my father bantering back and forth left me feeling both surprised and a little sorry for him.

He was still here?

I knew Count Horfeld had been kicked out of his own home and had sought refuge with Father, but I hadn’t realized he was still here. Was Countess Horfeld’s anger really that intense, or was he just enjoying his newfound freedom a little too much?

Either way, it didn’t seem normal. The Hiden family seemed to be just as peculiar as our family.

“Oh, Erich.”

“Uncle?”

The former count turned his bitter gaze toward our family and greeted Erich warmly. However, Erich seemed startled by Count Horfeld’s sudden appearance, his eyes widening in surprise.

Still, to hear Erich call him ‘uncle’ suggested that Erich was even closer to the Hiden family than I’d realized. I guess that’d be good news for Countess Horfeld.

“But what are you doing here, Uncle? I thought you retired and had nothing to do.”

“That’s true, but couldn’t you say it a bit more gently?”

The former Count Horfeld’s face darkened at what was essentially a blunt ‘Why’s an unemployed old man staying at someone else’s house?’ He probably felt it was an unfair blow, considering he desperately wanted to go home but wasn’t allowed to.

“He has some personal business here in the capital. Actually, it’s precisely because he’s retired that this situation happened.”

Father quickly added, trying to save his friend’s honor.

He wasn’t wrong. If Count Horfeld hadn’t retired, then he probably wouldn’t have been kicked out by his daughter.

...Then again, maybe not, considering Father had also been exiled by Mother.

“Ah, yes, I see. I understand.”

Erich nodded at Father’s explanation, though it was pretty clear he was just backing down because he had no idea what else to say.

I understood. In Erich’s mind, the strict and dignified image of our family head was now clashing spectacularly with the image of a father who’d completely lost his authority. For someone still awkward around Father, how to treat him must be confusing.

Hang in there. You’ll become a true Krasius once you get past this hurdle.

“By the way, I haven’t seen the child next to you before.”

“That’s Sarah Trimara. She’s Erich’s childhood friend and also the daughter of the head maid.”

“Hmm.”

Meanwhile, the former Count Horfeld’s gaze turned to Sarah. Was he interested because she was a child who hadn’t been seen in social circles, or was he wary of a girl sticking close to the man his daughter loved?

I could see Sarah trembling slightly under the gaze of the vigorous warrior who had recently been on the front lines. He probably wasn’t sending killing intent to a young lady, but the gaze of a trained warrior was intimidating in itself.

“She’s a very dear friend—like Zenobia. Keep her in mind.”

“Yes, I’ll do that.”

Fortunately, Father’s quick intervention put an end to the scrutiny.

A precious friend like Zenobia... Although Zenobia and Erich weren’t in a romantic relationship, it meant that Sarah hadn’t reached that stage yet, either. From the former Count Horfeld’s perspective, it was a mediation he could accept and move on.

Father knows, too.

...I almost laughed bitterly at the thought. Even Father, who rarely saw Erich, could easily pick up on Sarah and Zenobia’s feelings. Why couldn’t Erich himself notice it?

Our family’s bloodline wasn’t to blame—Father had married without trouble, and I’d done perfectly fine myself. What was Erich’s excuse?

It was truly a pity.

***l woke up at dawn. It was too early to wake up so I tried to go back to sleep, but my heart was pounding so much I couldn’t sleep at all.

In the end, I called the maids who were already awake to prepare my clothing. I usually felt sorry for the maids who worked so early, but I felt a bit embarrassed now that I was benefiting from it.

“My lady, you seem to be in a good mood.”

And Laura, who came with the maids, spoke with a faint smile.

Seeing Laura like that, I couldn’t help but smile too. Laura always stuck firmly to her sleep schedule; the fact that she was awake this early meant that she probably couldn’t contain her excitement, just like me.

“I can’t help it as a mother.”

Yes, it was perfectly natural for a mother to be this excited—eagerly waiting for today to arrive and counting down the hours until morning finally broke.

Finally, Carl was coming back. That child went to the battlefield, fought, and got hurt, but he also finished everything and was coming home.

“We’ll prepare you more splendidly than usual.”

“There’s no need to overdo it. I know you always do your best.”

At those words, the maids’ faces brightened. Few things were more satisfying for servants than having their efforts acknowledged by their mistress.

“By the way, my lady, since the young master and Master Erich are coming today, should we contact the family head—?”

“He’ll come back on his own, so don’t worry about it.”

“I understand.”

I almost frowned when Laura mentioned Billy, but I held back. There was no need to make the maids feel awkward.

***Before I knew it, morning came, and the castle was bustling with activity to commemorate Billy and Carl’s safe return and to celebrate Carl receiving his title.

Although Carl had received the County of Wiridia before the war, we hadn’t had the opportunity to properly celebrate. It was better to do it on a joyous day like today.

As I was pacing in front of the main gate with a pounding heart—

“Mother.”

Finally, Carl arrived.

“I’m sorry for greeting you only now. I should have come earlier.”

Carl’s embrace as he said this and hugged me was so warm.

It was so warm that I felt like I might cry.

...His arm.

My hand instinctively drifted up to gently stroke his shoulder.

Suddenly, my tears threatened to fall for an entirely different reason.