Chapter : 147

Today marks the end of my practical training! I'm finally a free man!

The eventful one-month training was finally over.

My first-year report card would be sent out in a batch a fortnight from now, which meant I had just over two weeks to relax as much as I wanted.

Just the thought of it was dreadful.

I was stretching lightly when I spotted Viscount Loren, who had come out to see me off, and quickly straightened my posture.

"Good to see you, Viscount."

"Are you leaving now?"

"Yes, I have to go home too."

My two-month vacation got Th*nosed, but a vacation was still a vacation.

I just hoped I could get at least a little rest in the remaining month.

I had asked Fel to conduct a more thorough investigation and offered to go back to the Academy to help, but he told me they'd be on guard if I was there, so I should just go back to the Lisitoel county and stay put without causing trouble.

"Ugh..."

"Why are you suddenly groaning?"

"I'm feeling a little sad that I seem to be branded as a troublemaker by those around me."

"That's an undeniable fact."

What a harsh thing to say for someone I've only known for a month.

But memories of the things I'd done in less than a month came flooding back, and I quietly shut my mouth.

"When you keep your mouth shut, you definitely resemble your father."

"A son resembles his father, who else would he resemble?"

"I'm complimenting you. Personality aside, Count Lisitoel's handsome features are worthy of being called the best in the Empire."

"I'm very grateful that you would evaluate me so, Sunbaenim."

At the sound of my father's voice, which appeared by cutting through the space in mid-air, Viscount Loren's body trembled like someone caught gossiping.

It was gossip, wasn't it? At my pointed gaze, Viscount Loren simply cleared his throat.

He really is an honest person. I wonder how someone like him ended up so at odds with his daughter.

"Well, are you treating me like a senior because your son is here?"

"And you don't like it?"

"No, I'm veeery grateful."

A hollow laugh escaped me at the strange war of nerves.

Sensing a childish argument that would be sad for a son to witness was about to unfold, I interjected before the two fathers could continue their conversation.

"Father, you came to get me, right? Let's go to the mansion."

I could use movement magic too, but the possible distance wasn't very long.

The distance between Viscount Loren's fief and the Lisitoel county was still beyond my level.

"Yes, let's."

"Thank you for taking care of me for the past month."

Before leaving, I bowed my head once more to Viscount Loren.

"On the contrary, I was very grateful to you for reducing Yuno's workload for a month."

I firmly grasped the hand Viscount Loren extended.

I felt a slight pain in my hand, but unlike shaking hands with Lucian, the mishap of my hand bones breaking did not occur.

A smile appeared on my face at the proof that I had gotten a little stronger.

"I plan to return for the investigation, so please prepare for it."

"I know, now get lost."

With Viscount Loren's hand-waving figure behind us, my father cast the movement magic.

After a slight feeling of nausea, the 'house' I hadn't seen in months unfolded before my eyes.

"Home!"

I hadn't been here for that long, yet it could feel this welcoming.

So much had really happened. I was feeling a little emotional when the door swung open and I saw the nanny running out.

"Nanny! I'm back!"

How long has it been since I've seen Nanny?

I smiled brightly with delight and raised my hand high... and Nanny flew?

Before I could prepare myself in my bewilderment, Nanny's kick landed on me.

If I wasn't the one being hit by that perfectly curved hectopascal kick, I would have been impressed!

I was sent flying and rolled on the ground. Thanks to getting much stronger, it didn't hurt that much, but—

"What kind of nanny kicks you the moment she sees you after a long time!"

The moment I voiced my complaint loudly, Nanny's shoulders trembled, and she collapsed, beginning to cry.

Wha-what-what?

I rushed over to Nanny in a panic.

"Nanny, are you okay? Why, why are you crying?"

"What kind of academy is so dangerous! Every time I heard that the young master was hurt, every single time..."

"Nanny..."

Nanny was the one who had always taken care of Theo in place of my busy father at the Academy.

I couldn't even begin to fathom the emotions Nanny must have felt every time she heard I was sick or injured.

I couldn't apologize. Because from now on, whether by my will or the system's, I would be embroiled in dangerous situations time and again.

"Were you very worried?"

"Every time I heard, I thought my heart was going to drop."

"......"

I hugged Nanny tightly without a word.

"But I came back in one piece, didn't I?"

"That's something to be proud of!"

Nanny shouted, enraged.

"Those damn temple bastards!"

"I was really wrong about that too."

I thought she was being composed, but she must have been trembling inside.

At that moment, I regretted not taking better care of Nanny, no matter how urgent the situation had been.

"Still, it's enough that the young master is safe."

Nanny said with a smile on her tear-streaked face. At that sight, I smiled back and replied.

"I'm home."

"I'm so glad you've returned safely, young master."

Hearing those words from Nanny, I finally felt like I was home.

* * *

"Yo, you're here?"

What are you doing here?

It wasn't surprising enough to warrant such a remark, but anyway, at the appearance of Zephi, whom I had expected to return to the Nevera Duchy as soon as the practical training ended, I scowled.

"Come on, don't look so disgusted."

"I thought you were going back to the mansion."

"It's a hassle to go back, so I'm just going to stay here until the vacation ends."

"You have a movement artifact, you're such a bad liar."

With a movement artifact, he could return to his fief in the blink of an eye.

The lie was too obvious.

"Lerwon-sunbae and Lucian are staying here anyway, so one more person won't change anything. It's not like I'm a freeloader who complains."

"That's true, but."

I was just worried that the other people in the mansion would feel uncomfortable with the Duke of Nevera's son around.

Since they served my father, would they not mind someone of Zephi's stature?

Still, I wasn't too thrilled about it.

"Hey, give me a break. It's vacation, don't I get to rest too?"

"Shameless."

While grumbling, I didn't outright tell him to leave.

As if he was quick on the uptake, Zephi quickly grinned and put his arm around my shoulder.

"Where are Lerwon-sunbae and Lucian?"

"Training individually at the training ground."

"And what are you doing?"

"I was just practicing controlling the wind."

As if to prove his words, a gust of wind brushed past my cheek.

The sound of the wind was as refreshing as the laughter of young children.

"Not just playing around?"

"I'm increasing my affinity."

With that answer, Lou, who had been sitting quietly on my head, flew up and started playing with the wind.

It looked more like one-sided exploitation than friends playing together, but I decided to look away with blurry eyes.

"Do you think you'll get a good grade for the practical training?"

"I tried. You?"

"Probably a perfect score."

I was worked to the bone to a degree unbelievable for a trainee.

I was late once, but that was an unfortunate incident that happened because I worked too late, and Yuno said he would let it slide.

Considering Yuno's personality that I'd figured out over the past month, he wasn't the type to make empty promises, so a perfect score was certain.

"You're so confident."

"I want to be in the top 10 among the first years, at least."

"Not the top student?"

"I have a conscience."

I couldn't help being a transfer student, but I had missed class several times due to being caught up in various incidents.

I was at the point of thinking it would be unfair if I were the top student.

"Attendance doesn't affect the grade much."

"Still, what's wrong is wrong."

Zephi looked at me as if surprised by my rather firm answer.

In the game, Zephi was the top student, and Cian was the second. So, I just hoped to barely make it into the top 10, nothing more, nothing less.

"I'm sure they graded me fairly."

"Your real thoughts?"

"Honestly, wasn't I the top student based on my midterm scores?!"

"Just pretending to be calm."

...Tch, he saw right through me.

I turned my head away and headed to the training ground, where I saw Lerwon-sunbae and Cian fighting with a wooden sword and a dagger, respectively.

They seemed so focused on their sparring that they didn't even notice us entering the training ground.

"Should I let them know we're here?"

"No, let's watch a little longer."

Thanks to having learned a little about swordsmanship from Cecilia-sunbae, it wasn't as difficult as before to follow the sparring with my eyes.

Is this what experience is? As I watched intently, I asked a passing maid to bring some snacks and waited for their sparring to end.

A little later, the sparring ended with Lerwon-sunbae's victory.

Lucian, who used a longsword, had an overwhelming advantage in length, but Sunbae possessed a skill that transcended the pros and cons of length.

In any case, Lucian must have grown stronger in terms of experience to a degree unbelievable for a Lucian in the early first semester.

"The Count said he was coming to get you, looks like you're here!"

Just then, a maid brought the snacks.

"How about we review the match while eating almond tarts?"

"I'd love that. Sunbae?"

"By all means."

Judging by his somewhat unenthusiastic reply, the alchemist who was asked to investigate must have been Lerwon-sunbae.

And I also knew why Sunbae looked so gloomy.

"That potion that contained the curse. Did it match the way potions are made in the Gold?"

"...It didn't. Each merchant guild has a slightly different way of making potions, and my mother knows very well that a skilled alchemist can distinguish those methods, so she would never make such a mistake."

Nevertheless, there must be a reason why you're half-convinced that Iris Viden made it.

"I remember all the reagents my mother has collected. Among them are reagents that only my mother possesses."

"So, such a reagent was detected."

"Partially. The traces were almost erased though. I thought about using this as a clue to interrogate her, but as you know—"

"If it's just a reagent, she can just lie and say a thief broke into the guild."

"In fact, a theft report had just been filed."

That's one suspicious thief. No matter how bad a thief's habits were, there wouldn't be a thief crazy enough to rob the Gold.

"And the reagent in question was on the list of stolen items."

"So, officially, she has no charges."

"That's right."

It was obvious she was just pulling the wool over our eyes, yet we couldn't interrogate her. That was so typical of the Master of Gold.

Ugh, I groaned and picked up an almond tart.

Lucian, who had been listening quietly, started the match review after his conversation with Sunbae ended.

"This is delicious."

"Should I ask them to pack a box of tarts before we go to the Academy?"

"That's a great idea."

As I was watching the two of them review their match while eating almond tarts, I saw a maid approaching us with a troubled look on her face from a distance.

I was about to thank her for bringing the tarts, but the maid, who strode up to us, dropped a bombshell first.

"Young Master, His Grace, the Duke of Nevera, has come to visit."

...It was the visit of a completely unexpected guest.