A few days after the grand ceremony at the Royal Castle.
　One evening, after the move to the new house was over and the cleanup was finished.


　In the new Arx's room, Noah called out to Arx who was still at his desk.


"Mr. Arx.

"............

"Sir Arx, Sir Arx.

"Heh, .......


　Noah called out to Arx, but the desk-bound Arx only let out a strange laugh.
　His voice sounded like that of a man who has made a sloppy smile.
　Noah frowned at the fact that his master did not answer his call.


　Then, Kazui peeked out of the door.


How's it going?　We're all set here.

Thank you for your time, Mr. Kazi. This is ......, as you can see.

"As you can see, ......, what are you doing?　What's he doing?

He's just admiring his medals.

Oh, .......


　Cazi also knew that Arx had received a medal at the ceremony, so he immediately understood what was going on.
　He thought he must have been very happy to receive the award.


At first, he didn't, but as he watched, he began to realize that his work was outstanding.

"You've never gotten much praise in your life. You've never been praised much before, and now you've been praised by the highest person in the country. That must make you happy.

Yeah. I'm sure it's a great honor for Mr. Arx.

But I think it's time for you to stop.

Yes, sir. Mr. Arx, Mr. Arx. Can you please stop this?


　When Noah spoke forcefully, Arx finally noticed him. He straightened his back for a moment and turned around.


"Oh?　Oh, Noah and Kazui?

"Oh, no, sir. How long have you been preoccupied with your medals?

Why not?　I'm just soaking it in. It's not like I'm going to be happy with it or show it off to anyone.

I hope you're right. It's not a good thing to be obsessed with pleasure.

Like the Marquis of Gaston or the Earl of Nadar?

Yes.


　I certainly don't want Arx to become like them.
　If he gets caught up in money and honor and loses sight of the right path, he will eventually end up like those two.
　Besides, if you get carried away, you might be caught flat-footed.
　Of course, I am more than aware of this, having experienced the life of a man.
　But still, what makes me happy makes me happy.
　It is, after all, a medal.
　It makes me proud to wear it, and it's kind of cool.


So, what's going on?

I'm here to tell you that your guests should be arriving any minute.

Oh!　Oh, I see. It's that time already!

Oh, yeah? You're .......

Mr. Arx. As a lord, you have to be ready to receive guests at any time. Lord Arx may not have a title yet, but he's a businessman involved in the country's military affairs.

I know. Sorry. I'll get it right away.


　Arx apologizes to Noah and leaves the table.
　Yes, what's about to take place at the mansion is a celebration.
　You've come back safely from the war. And since you've been awarded a medal for your service, we've decided to throw you a little home party, albeit a small one.
　Rather than congratulating himself ......, he decided to invite Louise, Deet, and Crabbe, who had participated in the battle, so it would be more like a thank you party.


　After getting ready quickly, Arx left Kazi to do the rest of the preparations and waited with Noah at the entrance to greet them.


　After a while, a carriage pulled up in front of the gate.
　It was not flashy, but it had a good quality body that suggested that a lot of money had gone into it.
　On the top is the emblem of the Rastinel family.


　Soon, a boy with reddish-brown hair, the heir of the Rastinel family, Deet, appeared as if jumping out of a carriage.
　His hair used to be tousled, but now it was groomed, and he looked like a young boy.
　He is dressed in casual clothes, common to both men and women, worn by children of noble families.
　Today, there is no guillotine on his back, the bandage on his nose has been removed, and the mischievous boy has become much less mischievous.


　Deet, in his boyish mode, smiles happily and charges toward us.


"Ah Nikki.

Deet, you're here?

Of course!　My brother called me. Of course! My brother called me, I can't not go.




　Deet said cheerfully, then quickly showed a sullen look and rolled his shoulders.


I'm finally going to relax. I've been to a lot of gatherings after the ceremony, but they were all so formal that I couldn't breathe properly.

The Rustinels were the most active in this war.

"Yeah. They were talking about it everywhere. At first it felt good to be praised, but if you keep talking about it, it's easy to see what you're thinking.

Oh. ......


　Deet told me that at the party he attended, he was swarmed by the children of noble families who wanted to get to know him.
　Naturally, the party was full of sycophantic gobbledygook, and Deet, who is a straightforward type, was quite fed up with it.


　Deet spoke about this and then looked up at the house.


But my own house. Looking at it makes me jealous.

Deet will eventually get a castle much bigger than this one, right?

Yeah, but... But this is not like that.


　The mansion or castle that Deet will get from Louise will be much bigger and more spacious than this one.
　Still, if you are jealous of it, maybe you feel as if your friend has a secret base.
　As I was talking about this with Deet, Louise came down from the carriage.
　She had the same auburn hair and eye patch as Deet.
　At the ceremony, she was wearing her military uniform, but now she is wearing it loose as before.
　With a sword at her waist and a piece of animal skin as a cloak, she has returned to her typical wild appearance.


Thank you, Louise, for accepting our invitation.

Are we the best?

Yes.

They're preparing a very rare drink for us. How can we not go?

Yes. And you can count on the taste.

Huh?　You're very kind. I won't know if it's bad, will I?


　Louise made a joke and smiled wryly.
　I'm sure she's had a lot of drinks, but I'm sure she'll be satisfied with Soma.


"Sir. Thank you again for what you've done.

"No, I'm the one who should be thanking you. Thanks to you, this war was a good one. I got more territory, more money, and I got to know how your highness fights. And I even got Diet's war record. It's all good.

"Annikky.

Oh.


　Deet and I clapped hands, like a high five.


Oh, and, sir. The silver thing. ......

Got it. I'll get that for you. I'd like to hear about it as soon as possible, though.

No, please don't do that. ......


　It's a good idea to have a good idea of what you're using the silver for.
　However, it will be a little while before she announces the existence of the magic meter to the local monarchs and gives it to them.
　Shinru says that he can't give out inferior goods to the local monarchs. If we give them inferior products, there is a possibility that the trust between them will be cracked. That's why I'm more careful than ever about adjusting the magic meter, and of course I have to have a lot of them, so that will take some time.
　In a sense, it is no exaggeration to say that it depends on my work.


　Just as I finished greeting Louise, another carriage arrived.
　Coming down from it was the silver-haired stalwart, Clive Arbent.


Oops, I missed the first one.

"Uncle!　You've come!

Oh. It's my nephew's first gathering. I couldn't miss it.


　Crabbe smiles, and Louise calls out to him.


"This is the Mage of Molten Iron. This is the Iron Mage.

No, you've been a pain in the ass next door.

Not at all.


　At one time, Cleve and Louise were both on the same battlefield. I'm sure they share the same hardships. They were both talking about the war, but laughing at the same time.


　Anyway, as I waited to talk to Crabbe.


"Whoa, Arx, you don't have time for me, do you?

What do you mean?

Well, look over there.


　When Crabbe told me to look at the gate, another carriage appeared in no time.
　The emblem on the carriage is that of the Clemellia family.
　Seeing this, I naturally stood up straighter.
　The first person to step out of the carriage was a man.
　His black hair mixed with gray made me feel old, but he walked briskly.


　He wears a number of medals on his chest, a jeweled sword given to him by the previous king at his waist, and a white jacket. He is dressed in a white jacket. He wears a stern atmosphere, but if anything, the tranquility of a mentally advanced swordsman is more strongly felt.


　He is Perce Clemmeria, head of the Clemmeria family and one of the kingdom's generals.
　Arx quickly made his way over to him.


"My Lord. Thank you for accepting my invitation.

"Yes, my daughter wanted to come. Don't worry about me today, just enjoy the meeting.


　As soon as Perth said these words, his daughter Charlotte came forward.
　Tonight she was dressed in a beautiful white dress, unlike the ones I had seen her in before, and she had the appearance of a princess from a noble family. Her long, milk-tea colored hair is tied up with a hair clip and a stole is draped over her shoulders.
　When she wears a sword with her light clothes, she looks brave, but when she wears a dress, she looks more fragile.
　If she had a sorrowful expression on her face, she would look so good in a dress that she might have been the "Jacqueline sitting at the window" of the Book of Records.


　She pinched the edge of her skirt and made a graceful bow.


"Mr. Arx. How do you do?

It's been a while, Miss Charlotte. You look lovely in your white dress tonight.

Very good. I'm flattered.

No, I'm not flattered. ......


　I'm about to say that, but then I think I'm being too rude, and I feel embarrassed.


"Your father told me about you. Your father told me that you were very active in the West.

No, I've only been a part of it.

Oh, really?　I don't see why you shouldn't be.


　Charlotte smiled elegantly, and I smiled back.
　When the cheerful greeting was over, another girl stepped forward from the shadows of the purse, looking modest.
　She had the same silver hair as me, tied up in a ponytail.
　She wore a blue dress and walked up the approach, taking care not to stain it.


　As soon as Lisha saw her face, a flowery smile bloomed on her face.


"Brother!

"Lisha!　It's been a long time.

It's been a while. Congratulations on this award, brother.

Oh, thank you.


　I take Lisha's hand, which she extends to me.
　It's been a long time since I've seen her. It's been a long time since I've seen her, not only because we don't see each other as often as we used to, but also because of this trip west. We haven't seen each other for a few months, but it seems like we haven't seen each other for over a year.
　Lisha seems to be happy to be able to see me like this without any hesitation.


　Anyway, the reason why Lisha is here this time is because when I acknowledged the letter of invitation to Perth, I asked if Lisha could come with me.
　She can't move yet on her own, and if she were to ask Crabbe to bring her, there's a chance that he'll think she's crazy. That's why he arranged to meet with Charlotte and get her out of Raytheft's house.


　Pars gave a word of encouragement to Crabbe.


"Lord Ferrous. Thank you for your time.

I didn't expect to be forced to march all the way to the west end.

"That's how much you trust me, Lord Ferrous. As your vassal, I envy you.

"I think he just thinks you're a useful pawn.

The fact that they think so is proof that they can rely on you. I'd like you to take over if you can.

...... No, even if your father asks, this is non-negotiable.

Haha!　I'm sure.


　I'm sure you will.


"Thank you, Louise, for all your hard work.

No, no, no, no. We earned our money in an easy fight, so we don't need any help.

Is that so?　The West is going to be a tough place to live.

"Well, yes, but...


　Louise shrugged her shoulders.
　It is true that Louise has a lot of work to do.
　She needs to rethink how to distribute the ceded territories to her subordinates and how to defend the west.
　After returning from King's Landing, she would have to work with no time to spare.


　While we were talking about this, another carriage appeared.
　The carriage is not emblazoned with any particular emblem, and I don't even know which family it belongs to.
　However, since this was the last person invited to the party, I had a vague idea of who was riding in it.


　After all, it was my friend Suu who got out of the carriage.
　For some reason, Lisa Rousey, the director of the inspector general's office, came down with him, but whatever.
　Tonight, she was not wearing her usual easy to move clothes, but the same dress as Charlotte and Lisha.
　It was not white, but red. The dress is red, not white, and has a slit at the waist, giving it a very mature look.
　She also wore a little bit of makeup, which gave her a very different impression.


　I was suddenly caught by her unusual appearance.


----


　When she noticed that I was still in a daze when she picked me up, she smiled wickedly at me.


"Huh?　I'm sure you'll be pleased to know that I'm not the only one.



What?　Oh, no, no!　That's not true!

"Oh, really?


　My friend, the girl, comes up to me with a grin.
　I turned away so that she wouldn't see my face, but she stretched out her neck as if she was chasing me.
　This girl knows exactly what she's doing.
　While I was feeling sorry for my mistake, Charlotte looked surprised.


"Are you Master Sucia, by any chance?

"This is ...... Miss Charlotte. How do you do?

"Yes. Good day to you. ......


　Charlotte curtsies to Suu.
　On the other hand, Suu's uncharacteristic use of language confused me for a moment, and I thought she was someone else.
　But then again...


"Well, do you two know each other?

Well, not really acquaintances, but acquaintances.

I've had a few conversations with Master Sucia at the Academy. How do you know Master Sucia, Mr. Arx?

She and I study magic together.

Oh, so the person you say you study with is .......

Oh. I see.


　I'm sure you'll be able to understand why.
　Anyway. I'm sure you'll be able to understand why Charlotte is addressing Suu as "sama" instead of "san".


Is it possible that Suu is of a higher rank than the Countess?

Arx, you didn't know?

"Um, .......


　When I'm stuck for an answer, Charlotte introduces me to Suu.


"Mr. Arx. This is Master Sousia Argusia. She is the princess of the Duchess of Argusia.

"Sucia Algusia.

"Algusia is .......


　The Dukes of Algusia. It is a noble family that is famous in the kingdom for its closest ties to the royal family. It's a great way to make sure you're getting the most out of your time with your family and friends.


...... Are you from the Dukes of Argusia?

"Uh, well, you know?


　It's a good idea to have a good idea of what you're looking for.
　This is why Lisa, the Count, is attending to her as her valet.


　Suu approaches Lisha.


"Are you Arx's sister?

Yes, yes, I am. ......


　When Suu speaks to ...... the duke's daughter, Lisha is frothing. I'm not sure if you've seen this before, but I'm sure you have. It's a good idea to take a look at the website and see if you can find any useful information.


"Calm down. It's okay.

Yes, I'm sorry.

Yes, it's nice to meet you.

My name is Leisha Raytheft. It's nice to meet you, Mr. Sucia.


　Leisha was nervous, but she greeted him properly.
　She noticed that Crabbe had a strange expression on his face.
　His brow furrowed, as if he was thinking about something.


"Uncle?

"Uh, well, yeah. So that's what this is all about. ......


　Eventually, one of them is convinced and starts scratching the back of his head.
　Then, for some reason, he stared at me and let out a big sigh.
　It's as if he's anticipating his own difficulties in the future.
　What the hell is this?


　In the midst of this, Perth suddenly turned his head towards Suu and sat down so that they were eye to eye.


So, should I call you Mr. Soussea?

"Yes, Count. Yes, Count, it's nice to meet you.

"......?


　In the event that you've got a lot of money, you're going to need to be able to pay for it.
　It is true that there is a rise and fall in family status, but it is not surprising that he would be so disrespectful to his children who have not received a title.


　Suu, on the other hand, changed her cheerful demeanor and approached Perth with the air of a clear-headed lady.
　It was not only me who was puzzled by their interaction, but also Charlotte, who was familiar with them.
　Louise, too, is narrowing her eyes and doesn't seem to understand the reason for this.
　I was curious about this strange exchange, and when I tried to ask her about it.


"Suu?

"Well, yeah, haha. ......


　"Suu?
　As I was wondering more about this, Lisa Rousey interrupted me.


"Arx Raytheft, there's no need to pry. Hold back.



"Huh?　Ha, yes. Yes, sir.


　The fact that she nailed me suggests that this is a very delicate situation.
　I knew I shouldn't get involved and quickly backed off.


　Then Lisa approached me again.


"It's been a while. Arx Raytheft.

"It's been a while. Mr. Secretary.

I've heard of your skill. Your loyalty to His Highness is admirable. As a subject of his, I envy you.

Yes. I'm glad to see you've achieved the true meaning of nobility.

"Oh.


　Lisa nodded her head in satisfaction, while Lisha and Diet tilted their heads.


"You're jealous?

I don't know about that either.

For a nobleman, it is an honor to die for the royal family. It's no wonder you don't understand it, since you come from a family of monarchs with a large territory.


　Lisa explains to Lisha and Diet how to be a nobleman.
　It's a very feudalistic way of thinking. Somehow, it reminds me of the samurai of the men's world.


　Lisa said, and turned to me.


I think I've misunderstood you.

"Misunderstood?

Yes.


　I don't know what she's talking about, but Suu suddenly interrupts from the side.


You know what?　I've told you many times that the Arks are not a problem, but you won't listen.

That's because ...... I'm a vassal of the royal family, right?

Hmm. Lisa says I can't be trusted. I see.

No, that's not what I mean. ......


　When Suu looks at her, Lisa is forced into a corner, as if she is faltering.
　This is a great way to get the most out of your business.
　Crabbe, who was watching the situation, said with a grin.


It's not easy being the inspector general.

"Hey, molten iron mage .......


　I'm sure Crabbe knows what he's talking about.
　I'm not sure what to say.
　In the event that you have any kind of questions regarding where and how to use the internet, you can call us at the web site.
　In addition to this, taking into account personal occasions and seniority, it seems that Louise treats Perth as her superior, Louise and Crabbe are okay as equals, and Perth is more senior than Crabbe .......


　And then there's Suu, who is a different kind of person: .......


　With this in mind, I led the guests to the house.