After returning from the dungeon, I sent a letter to the castle informing them that I would be attending the academy.
As the head of the family, I needed to report since I would be leaving the territory for an extended period.
The one in charge during my absence would nominally be Commander Ryan of the Knights.
Sir Ryan is the only person granted the title of baron by the authority of the Margrave.
Among those remaining, the Heinfield family is the most senior.
Such an unusual situation rarely happens. It’s uncommon for someone outside the family to manage the household for an extended period, or for it to be entrusted to the military.
But they’ve been working diligently with their worn-out equipment to protect the territory and Liel, so there’s no problem. That’s why they were chosen for the role.
Well, they’re so muscle-headed it makes you wonder if they’re even thinking at all.
The concern was how the court would view this, but whether my father pulled some strings or not, there were no specific instructions, just words of support for Liel.
Maybe they’re just waiting for us to die of illness, believing Commander Ryan can handle things?
With that thought in mind, I finished all the necessary procedures and prepared for the academy, handling as much of the territory’s work as possible before leaving.
If anything comes up, our people will send reports as needed.
And so, we left the territory.
“We finally wrapped up the work,” I said to Liel, who had been managing the territory with me.
“Yes, I’ve learned a lot as well. Thank you, as always,” Liel replied with a bright smile.
She seemed to have slimmed down a bit, perhaps from dieting. The other day, I noticed and asked, “You’ve lost weight again, haven’t you?” to which she replied, “Eh!? I wonder…,” while making a small fist-pump with a grin.
“Ugh… I didn’t want to go to school, but now I have to because of you!” complained Emilia as usual, pouting.
I was already used to her grumbling, so it didn’t bother me anymore.
“Hey, you’re the one who said you wanted to go, so I asked Commander Ryan to arrange it,” I replied.
“Don’t call me ‘you’! It’s because you’re not reliable enough!” she snapped back.
“Ugh… Then you shouldn’t call me ‘you’ either, Emilia. You won’t make any friends like that.”
“I don’t need any!” she said, glaring at me with her usual irritated-but-beautiful expression.
She still seemed to hate boys her age.
Well, I don’t have any friends either…
“Um… do you dislike girls too?”
“Of course! They’re all trash!”
“Well, you can’t say that about everyone. You came to accept me eventually, didn’t you?”
“Right, Liel?” I turned to her for support, and she hesitated, “Um… honestly, I’m a little scared too.”
“Huh… But you don’t need to be afraid,” I said. “If the people Emilia described really are jerks, you don’t need to waste energy on their words. Just think of them as fools who can’t even evaluate themselves properly.”
“But it still makes me angry!” Emilia, not Liel, quickly responded.
“Well, yeah, I get angry too. But there’s no reason to be scared,” I explained. “Both the Heinfield and Grande families are strong. Once we graduate, it’s clear they’ll regret it. If you think about how childish their actions are, it feels pointless to get genuinely angry, right?”
“Wait… is our family really that strong?” Emilia asked, looking a bit confused.
“Yeah. In terms of military strength, we’re among the top in the country. In a one-on-one battle between territories, we’d almost certainly win.
But you must understand, war isn’t without loss—someone always dies. If you care about your comrades, you have to avoid war, which is why patience is key.”
“I see… Even without Father, we’re still that strong…” Emilia seemed relieved and settled down, but I felt a bit uneasy. How could she not know this while being so involved with the military?
It’s widely known that defeating powerful monsters strengthens you.
The soldiers who have survived while defending this incredibly dangerous land are definitely not weak.
Commander Ryan’s unit of 100 knights is made up of some of the strongest in the country. For a count-level territory, it’s rare to have more than 500 soldiers, and against Heinfield’s forces, each soldier could easily take on five from other territories.
Unless it’s a large territory under a marquis or higher, they would likely be wiped out with almost no losses. That’s the level we’re talking about.
Well, you’d still need supply units and scouts, who are weaker in terms of combat, so there would be some casualties.
Even so, it’s frightening to think that they were even stronger before the Stampede three years ago.
That’s exactly why there’s concern about us joining a faction. Our role is to maintain balance by using the royal family’s power to suppress monsters.
“So, if someone annoys me, I can just wipe them out, right?”
“As if! What are you talking about, you idiot? Big sis, is this girl okay?”
“Um… Emilia, no, that’s not allowed.”
And so, while I kept lecturing Emelia during our journey, we eventually arrived in the Imperial Capital in no time.
No, wait. How many days did I spend lecturing her? It wasn’t like we talked about that the whole time! But seriously, why does she never give up on wanting to punch people!?
In the end, I had to tell her that the academy forbids violence outside of duels. It’s the same everywhere.
I really wanted to tell her that insults aren’t allowed either, but as we talked, I realized that would be absolutely impossible, so I shifted tactics.
Finally, we arrived at the Heinfield family’s villa in the Imperial Capital.
Lune, along with two servants from the Heinfield family, had accompanied us, but we were all stunned by the state of the house. It was covered in dust, as if it hadn’t been touched for over a decade.
“I’m sorry. This will take a while. Could you spend some time somewhere safe until we finish?”
Lune said this expressionlessly.
As I thought, she’s totally unfazed. With that in mind, I told them, “Well then, I’ll go ahead and complete the registration at the academy,” and turned to leave, noticing Liel looking uneasy.
“Um, I’m terribly sorry. It’s all my fault for not managing things properly…”
“No, well, it can’t be helped. Let’s just be glad we have a proper residence in the capital.”
“Exactly. Judging by how filthy it is, it’s obvious Father didn’t care at all. He’s so careless!”
Yeah, no doubt about that.
We continued talking like this as we headed towards the academy.
When we arrived at the gates of the academy, a guard noticed the carriage with our family crest and approached. I rolled down the window and explained our purpose.
“We’ve come to complete the re-enrollment procedures for all three of us. My name is Licht Grande. This is the Marquis of Heinfield, and next to me is his younger sister, Lady Emelia.”
“Y-Yes, please wait a moment while I open the gate…”
The guard hurried back to his post, where he began rummaging through papers, probably confirming the family crest. Although the guards at an academy entrusted with noble children should be aware of such things, he was likely nervous due to how rarely the Heinfield family visits the capital.
Soon, the gates creaked open, and the guard motioned for us to proceed inside.
The coachman guided the horses onto the grounds, following the stone-paved path. In the center was a large fountain, and at a crossroads ahead, the main entrance to the school stood straight ahead.
We slowed down, circled the fountain, and the carriage stopped. This was the limit for carriage access, and we had to turn around at the fountain to leave.
Since I had been here many times before, I got off the carriage without hesitation, helped the two of them down, and led them toward the school building.
I mentioned that the students were on break before the start of the new semester, which seemed to ease their nerves a little.
“Hehe, it feels strange hearing you call me ‘sister’,” she remarked.
“I’m truly glad that Lord Licht is such a dependable gentleman,” added Liel.
The two seemed to relax, their usual lighthearted tone returning as we continued our conversation. I escorted them to the headmaster’s office and knocked on the door.
“We’ve come to apply for reinstatement. My name is Licht Grande.”
“Ah, it’s you. Come in.”
Opening the door, I led the two of them inside, stopping in front of the headmaster’s desk. The office was impressive, with two decorated swords, likely fine blades, displayed in frames on the wall behind him. The desk itself was grand, fitting for an academy that gathers the sons and daughters of nobles from across the country.
“Hmm, and these two are?” the headmaster asked.
“I am Liel Heinfield, here to apply for reinstatement along with my sister,” she introduced herself.
“I am Emelia Heinfield.”
Even Emelia could manage a proper curtsey, introducing herself with graceful manners.
“Ah, the gravekeepers. I see… it’s already been three years since that tragic event. I’m relieved to see you both have recovered,” the headmaster said.
“Yes, thanks to Lord Licht’s support, we’ve managed to pull through,” Liel responded.
The headmaster, pausing his writing, looked at me with a curious expression.
“We are now engaged to be married, and I’ve had the honor of assisting the Heinfield family,” I explained.
“Ah, an engagement between the Grande Dukedom and the Heinfield Margrave family! Wonderful news!” The headmaster smiled with relief.
Nodding in approval, he resumed working on the paperwork, and with a firm stamp, he raised his head.
“Well then, the documents are ready, and the reinstatement process is complete. Licht, can I trust you to guide them through the preparations?”
“Of course,” I confirmed, and after receiving the necessary explanations, we left the headmaster’s office.
“The headmaster seems like a pleasant person,” Liel remarked.
“Yes, I’ve never sensed any hostility from him. I think so too.”
“Children just don’t cut it. You need a grown-up like him,” Emelia chimed in.
Looking around, though, I thought to myself that adults weren’t so different either. The only real difference is whether they voice their feelings or keep them to themselves.
I kept those thoughts to myself. If she started disliking adults too, there’d be no end to it.
Next, we stopped by the academy store to buy the necessary textbooks. There weren’t any rules about uniforms or bags, so all that was left was to attend classes.
We returned to the carriage, circled halfway around the fountain, and slowly made our way out.
“It’s probably not finished yet, is it…” Liel sighed, looking concerned about the state of the house’s cleaning.
“Come on, Licht, my sister is worried. Do something about it!” Emelia teased.
“Hmm… how about we stop by a café?” I suggested.
“Café!!” they both exclaimed, their faces lighting up.
Suppressing a chuckle, I directed the driver toward a stylish café. We enjoyed sweet drinks and treats, chatting and passing the time cheerfully.
After spending about two hours there, we returned to the house to find that the essential areas for daily living had been cleaned. The guest rooms, storage, and servant areas were still untouched, but at least the places we would use were ready.
It seemed the staff were now busy running around buying replacements for worn-out items.
“We don’t have any guests coming soon, so there’s no need to rush. You can take your time starting tomorrow,” I told them.
“No, I can’t stand to leave it in this state. I’ll be working diligently, so please bear with the haste,” Liel said, determined.
It seemed like she was on fire with motivation. I assured her it was fine as long as she had the will, and after receiving a brief tour, we each went to our rooms.
The room was simple but not unpresentable, with a bed, desk, wardrobe, and vanity. Considering how long it had been neglected, it still had a surprisingly fresh feel. Perhaps the room had been newly prepared by the previous generation for when the two sisters would attend the academy, but Liel’s seclusion had left it untouched.
As I was reflecting on this, a knock sounded at the door.
When I responded with “Ah, come in,” it was Emelia who entered.
“What’s wrong?” I asked, and she had a somewhat anxious expression.
“You can protect my sister properly, right?” she asked, repeating a question she must have asked many times before.
Having completed the procedures for her return to school, the reality of it likely made her uneasy.
“Yeah, no problem. If I can be by her side at that time. Even if I can’t be, I won’t leave her to fend for herself.”
“I know. It’s fine as long as you don’t tolerate anything that puts you in such a position.”
Emelia looked down as she said that.
It was such a rare compromise from her that I found it strange, so I asked, “That’s only natural, but may I ask what happened?”
When I did, Emelia told me that during her debut party when she was five years old, an older child had insulted Liel, and in a fit of rage, she tried to punch them but ended up getting beaten badly in return.
She was just a small child. The other child must not have held back even though she was a girl.
Emelia is also a very strong-willed child, so it seems it was quite a fierce fight.
But the result was a crushing defeat.
After that, the previous margrave was furious and made the whole family grovel in apology, but that kind of thing doesn’t heal emotional scars.
Liel also felt deeply shocked, thinking that Emelia had been hurt because of her.
Upon seeing her older sister cry and apologize, Emelia made a vow.
That from then on, she would never lose again.
“No, you’re already plenty strong. Without a doubt, you’re the top at the academy. Even including the teachers, you’re the strongest.”
“Even if you say that, it’s still kind of scary! That’s why I want you to take things seriously!”
“Got it, got it. If anything happens to either of you, I’ll protect you. I promise.”
“Really…?” she looked up at me with teary eyes for the first time, making my heart race.
Normally, she’s a torrent of abusive language.
I don’t get nervous when she stares at me anymore, but now I feel uneasy instead.
However, I no longer dislike her straightforward nature that differs from how she was at first.
Now, it feels more like… a spoiled and troublesome little sister.
Thinking that it was fine just this once, I placed my hand on her head and smiled.
“Yeah, don’t worry. I’ll protect you.”
The moment I said that, I heard something fall with a thud, and when I turned around, I saw Liel standing by the door, wide-eyed.
For some reason, she had a despairing expression on her face, standing frozen.
“What’s wrong? Why that face…?”
“As I thought, Lord Licht cares more about Emelia than…”
Liel placed both hands over her mouth, and tears welled up in her eyes.
She was jumping to conclusions, but that was one misunderstanding I couldn’t allow.
Emelia was only barely tolerable as my little sister.
“Stop it… I haven’t forgotten how this girl knocked me out once, and she wounds me with harsh words every day. No way!”
“I agree it’s impossible, but… forget about what happened ages ago already!”
“Come on, come inside,” I said, forcibly inviting Liel in and picking up the textbooks she had dropped.
“Look, Liel, you misunderstand too easily over trivial things.
I’ve made a vow and even revealed my secret. I’d like you to trust me a bit more.”
I gave her a weary look, thinking it was absurd for her to be jealous of the sister who had bullied me so much.
“But… you’ve never kindly patted my head…”
“No, you’ve done far more significant things. You’ve placed your hand on my chest.”
“Wha—!?” Emelia was getting angry, but now wasn’t the time. This was an important conversation.
Ignoring her, I continued.
“I’ve told you many times, but I’ve already decided it will be only you.
Even if something seems easy to misunderstand, I want you to trust me. I won’t betray you.”
“Yes… I’m sorry for doubting you,” Liel said, crying as I gently patted her head.
“More importantly, what’s this about ‘placing a hand on the chest’!?”
“Why are you getting mad?”
I could understand what Emelia was trying to say. She must have thought it was improper for a fiancée.
But wasn’t that kind of attitude what led to misunderstandings in the first place?
“Of course I’m mad! Did you touch my sister’s chest or not!?”
“Wait, Emelia. It was only for medical treatment.”
Hmm… This is likely to lead to another misunderstanding.
I should be clear about this.
“No, Liel, that’s not the point. It wasn’t done reluctantly.
Why would Emelia be angry about that? We’re both seriously in love with each other.”
“L-Love… Yes! So there’s no need to get angry, right?”
“I-I can’t! It makes me feel left out…”
“Huh…?”
No, that’s definitely not a place where you can be included! It’s not about being friends! This is someone I’m going to marry!
“I knew it… Emelia also likes you, Licht-sama.”
“Y-yeah… but as family, okay? I can’t imagine ever feeling like it’s okay to be embraced by her like my sister does.”
“Hey, Emilia! You can’t say that!”
I see. So she really felt that way… While I’m glad, it’s a bit awkward for various reasons.
To be honest, I had some doubts about the jealousy Emelia was showing, but considering she’s a girl who has lived a life solely focused on martial power since she was thirteen, it’s understandable.
But well, it seems that Liel also understood that this child didn’t really get it.
So now I just need to calm this child down.
“Emelia, you won’t be left out. Family is family, right? Liel and I will become a couple in the future, so we’ll have to touch each other, but if that means you’ll feel excluded, then you should feel the same way about your father and mother, too.”
“…I don’t know. We don’t have a mom.”
Huh? Wait, does she not even remember…?
“Um, Mother passed away shortly after giving birth to you, so it’s not in our memories…”
“O-oh, I see. I’m sorry. I just wanted to convey that I won’t leave you out.”
“W-well then, I’m going to lean on you from now on, okay?”
“Eh?” I paused in confusion.
Isn’t this different from that?
Well, it would be nice to be on good terms since we’ll be interacting more in the future.
“Well, as long as it’s within the scope of being a little sister…”
When I replied that way, for some reason Emelia nodded from a superior perspective and left the room.
“L-Licht-sama, I’m really glad you said that. I’ll also do my best to lose weight and become beautiful!”
“Uh, you don’t have to push yourself—”
Before I could finish, Liel flew out of the room.
