MTLNOVEL Chapter 101
✦ Chapter 101 ✦
「Translator – Creator」
“…Huh?”
At my puzzled response, my father chuckled heartily and continued, “Ha ha, trying to pretend you didn’t hear, huh? From how embarrassed you seem, it looks like there’s someone you have in mind. Is it that young lady who visited last time?”
“Hic… hic… sob…”
“Last time…? That young lady…?”
Adele’s eyes widened at my father’s words. Soon, they began to brim with tears. She then looked at me helplessly, as if deeply betrayed. Estelle frowned disapprovingly and muttered to herself.
“If you mean last time… are you referring to Cecila?”
“Yes, that lady from the Holy Kingdom. I observed carefully, and you two seemed to interact so comfortably and intimately. Your relationship appeared so pleasant that it brought a smile to my face just watching.”
“Cecila and I are just friends. And although it’s a bit embarrassing to say this, I don’t have any…”
“What? Boy, are you trying to lie to your father? Looking so much like me, how could that be…”
“That’s enough, Uncle.”
“Sister Estelle? Why suddenly… hic.”
Hearing my words, my father furrowed his brow as if in disbelief. I wondered what Estelle was up to as she suddenly approached, but she abruptly embraced my face, burying it in her chest.
The faint scent of lavender, so similar to Estelle’s, tickled my senses.
Seemingly unsatisfied with just that, she gently covered my ears with her hands, as if to prevent me from hearing my father’s words.
“Don’t you know how fortunate it is that while our Edwin resembles you in every other way, Uncle, he didn’t inherit that particular trait?”
My father and Estelle’s conversation seeped through her fingers. I could sense my father’s rare bewilderment at Estelle’s words.
“I’ve heard everything from Father.”
“What do you mean?”
“About your academy days, Uncle. It’s almost too embarrassing for me to mention, but he said that every night, the color of the hair of the girls knocking on your dorm room door would change…”
“Ahem…!”
“Even after being called in and warned by the student council president, you didn’t change at all…”
“My dear…”
My father called out to Estelle pitifully, but she continued, completely unfazed by his plea, recounting his past, “Even when you got engaged to Aunt, the female students lined up undeterred, causing Aunt great distress…”
The words coming from Estelle’s mouth were stories I had never heard before. But after hearing the details, I could somewhat understand why my father had never uttered a word about his academy days. Of course, he must have been embarrassed…
“When I first heard these stories, I was so shocked. How could a person behave like that? Even considering the unwritten rules of the academy.”
“Alright, alright. I admit defeat, so let’s stop there. My goodness, why would my brother tell such unsavory stories…”
“Compared to that, do you know how well-behaved and exemplary Edwin is? I’m so grateful he takes after Aunt in personality. How can you try to stir up unnecessary trouble for such a child?”
“Sister, wait… mmph.”
As soon as she said ‘trouble,’ I felt Estelle’s arms tighten around me.
While I was grateful for her blocking my father’s awkward questions, I honestly questioned whether it was appropriate to describe me as well-behaved and exemplary. I wondered if, by Estelle’s standards, my bullying of commoner students didn’t even register as wrongdoing. She had even heard the rumors about Ellie and seen it for herself…
“That’s right… I hate… I hate you, Father…!”
“My child, Adele…”
I heard the pitter-patter of running feet, then felt a warm, heavy weight on my legs. Adele’s voice, thick with tears, could be heard shouting at our father. Through my obscured vision, I caught a glimpse of my father’s pitiful expression upon hearing Adele’s resentful words.
“It was just a youthful indiscretion. But wasn’t it thanks to that that I met Grace?”
“Yes. She was truly a virtuous and kind person. Shouldn’t we at least find someone like that for Edwin? Someone far superior to Robinette.”
“My dear… are you still hung up on that…”
Estelle’s words were gradually filled with emotion. And perhaps thinking along similar lines, my father looked at Estelle with a bitter smile. Certainly, when the engagement to Iris was first announced, Estelle reacted with a level of rejection that was almost like a match.
The image of her, at that young age, coming alone to our family and boldly arguing with my father was still vivid in my mind.
— Uncle! How could you do this? Have you sold Edwin to those imperial lapdogs?
Although it was extremely disrespectful behavior, my father simply accepted Estelle’s outburst. Probably thinking she acted out of affection for me.
And while extreme, her words weren’t entirely wrong. The engagement did have political calculations behind it, an attempt to forge connections with the central power.
But Duke Cilla had come to apologize in person, and Estelle hadn’t mentioned the incident since then. However, hearing Estelle’s words now, I wondered if she was still harboring those feelings in a corner of her heart.
“Estelle, my dear. We’re not a great house like yours. The Reeds only barely made it into the ranks of the Empire’s hundred noble families in my generation. Even Robinette was a significant upward match for us. Where else can we find a better match than that?”
“………….”
As my father hit the nail on the head, Estelle seemed at a loss for a rebuttal. She just puffed up her cheeks with a dissatisfied expression. I could feel her arms loosening their grip around me.
“And Edwin.”
“Yes, Father.”
“I was half-joking when I asked, but as my successor, you naturally need to pay attention to such matters. Nobles have a duty to ensure their lineage continues.”
“………….”
“There’s no better place than the academy to find a partner. How can you neglect your duty? If I don’t hear some good news soon, I might have to look into arranging something myself.”
“Uncle…!”
“Estelle. I’m truly grateful for how much you care for Edwin, but I can’t yield on this matter. You are not a child anymore. I think you understand my intentions better now than before.”
“Ugh…”
Estelle tried to argue once more, but this time my father was quicker. There was nothing wrong with what he said, making it difficult to refute.
“Hic…”
Adele, who was clinging on to my leg, just whimpered. Perhaps she thought that her brother was going to be taken away.
In truth, anyone would agree that father’s words were reasonable. Even as one grows older, not having a suitable partner could easily be seen as a sign of some defect. This was especially true in noble society, where appearances were so important.
But the fact is, I didn’t feel that way at all right now. It was somewhat strange. All the people I’m close to at the academy were women, and each one of them was stunningly beautiful. Ellie, Selene, Cecila.
They all needed a friend, and emphasized that intention as they approached me. So it was not surprising that they didn’t harbor such feelings for me.
But I didn’t seem to have felt that way about them either. It would be natural for such thoughts to occur, but they haven’t. I can’t quite pinpoint the reason why.
Fear of changing relationships, the healer’s words suggesting that I might have possible mental issues, the pressure to prepare for the coming future — it could be all of these, or perhaps there were other reasons.
It was also difficult to tell my father about these things directly. I definitely need to find a solution…
My worries always seem to find me unexpectedly.
* * * * *
“Big brother… kiss…”
After finishing dinner and chatting, night had fallen deeply. My father returned to his study, and I took Adele to her bedroom along with Estelle.
Adele rubbed her eyes and held out her cheek to me. As I gently kissed her cheek, Adele smiled faintly.
“Hehe… nice…”
She was especially clingy when she was sleepy. I picked her up in my arms in front of the door and carried her to the bed. Then, I covered her with a blanket and patted her a few times, and she quickly fell asleep, breathing softly.
After putting Adele to bed, I then guided Estelle to the guest quarters prepared for visitors.
“Well then, Sister, have a good ni-“
“…You’re not going to give me one?”
I was about to say goodnight at the door and leave, but Estelle suddenly grabbed my sleeve.
“Give you what?”
“…A kiss…”
“Sister…”
When I sighed deeply, Estelle made a displeased expression, “…Didn’t you used to do it often when you were younger…”
“That was when I was young… You did this at the Academy last time too… Please stop teasing me like this…”
“………….”
She was silent for a moment after hearing my words. Her face was very red, perhaps due to the wine with dinner. Then, not long after, she abruptly changed the subject.
“Edwin. Do you remember? When you were little, you always loved the snacks I brought you. Almond biscuits, cream puffs, even raspberry cookies.”
“How could I forget those tastes? And that’s not all. You always fed me a lot. You even constantly told our cook to pay attention to my meals.”
“Yes… that’s right…”
“Thanks to that, my figure became quite plump. You have no idea how much trouble I went through to become aware and fix my eating habits. Ah, I’m not blaming you, of course…”
“…It should have been… I hid it so carefully…”
“Sister?”
“…No. It seems my shallow tricks couldn’t stop the flowing river after all.”
She slowly stepped closer to me. When she was close enough that I could hear her breathing, she raised herself on her tiptoes. And then she brought her lips to my cheek. The scent of lavender wafts over strongly, almost to the point of giving me a headache.
“…I vowed that day. That I would never let what’s mine be taken again. But I still lacked the strength. So I tried to hide it preciously until the time came…”
Estelle very slowly pulled her lips away, but her body was still close. She spoke as if whispering, “Sleep well, Edwin. No matter how much you shout that you’re an adult, to me you’re still my cute Edwin. And if you don’t give me a kiss next time, know that you’ll be in for a severe scolding.”
— End of Chapter —
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