“...!”
Misha froze with her mouth open. She couldn’t believe her ears, wondering if those words were coming from Kalin’s gentle face.
Misha barely managed to gather her wits and spoke firmly.
“Thank you so much for raising my grades, Miss Ankart. But I will stop being your maid. I am the proud daughter of the third lion. I cannot disgrace my family with my shortcomings.”
“...”
“I have received too much from you, but I have endured all the humiliation you gave me and served you, so I think I have repaid my mistakes sufficiently.”
“Do you know the word ‘ungrateful, Misha?’”
When she asked to be called by her last name, Kalin was completely condescending. She should have been respected again since she had paid off her debt, but Kalin had no intention of doing so.
Misha didn’t know what to do in a situation where her authority was not working. Even that vicious Lorisha backed down when her father was mentioned!
Kalin got up from the desk and came right up to Misha.
She poured ink on Misha’s chest and spoke in a sing-song voice.
“What if that third lion found out about his daughter’s habit, Misha? It would definitely be in the newspapers...”
“Haa...”
Misha was unable to move, shaking in shock, until the ink bottle was empty.
Kalin put the ink bottle back on the desk and returned to her seat.
“Oh my! Misha, you spilled the ink. What should I do? Hurry up and change your clothes. I’ll let you know the date of my tea party separately.”
“Ugh...”
Misha couldn’t make a sound because the ink dripping from her chest to the floor was so horrible. She headed for the door without even knowing how she was walking.
Kalin spoke after Misha.
“Don’t forget that it is thanks to my mercy that you are not expelled from both the Academy and the Imperial Society at the same time. Without it, the humiliation you will suffer will be much blacker and stickier than the ink.”
And so, vacation came to the Academy.
Grayon felt an extreme sense of liberation as his body recovered. He picked up his sword again and trained his body. His injuries now only remained in scars and memories.
He often became serious and attacked Locard when he mentioned the word parasite. He could not admit that he, the Prince of the Empire, had suffered so much from such a small bug.
“I will take a breather for a while.”
Locard, who had entered the palace for the vacation, said, finally relaxing. It was true that he, too, had accumulated fatigue from going in and out of the palace and the Academy at the same time.
“The palace is stuffy, Locard.”
Grayon got up as if he had been waiting for Locard to enter the vacation, put on his civilian clothes, and left the palace.
There was a forest with a lake nearby outside the center of the capital. It was not yet the season for boating, so the area was deserted.
Grayon stood on the deck set up on the lake, took off his clothes without hesitation, and ran into the water. Locard looked at him incredulously. How could someone born as the son of the Emperor be so excited just because they came to the lakeside?
Locard trumpeted and shouted,
“If you take off your clothes like that, you might catch it again. Parasite...”
“Shut up and come in!”
Locard giggled and folded Grayon’s clothes before taking off his own clothes and jumping into the water.
His tidying-up instinct wasn’t just because of his innate personality. Living in the Duke of Kydel’s mansion, which was no different from a barracks, orderliness had to be sharp.
The water they jumped into was still cold, but that was easy. The damned stream in Tunbar was frozen even at this time of year.
“Wow!”
I quickly covered my mouth and lowered my head. I looked around, but there was no one else on the low grassy field besides me on the mat.
I thought I heard a sound, so I raised my head and saw those men on the deck across the lake...
“No, if that’s the case... That’s... Oh my...”
I was so surprised by the sight of two naked men bathing that I didn’t even notice the peanuts I was about to put in my mouth falling out.
They were almost dots, but they were still men, and naked bodies were naked.
I had taken refuge in the Count’s mansion for a while.
Misha, who had returned home for the vacation, had changed even in her eyes. She had been foolishly wandering around, but now she had a venomous look in her eyes and would often get irritated as she walked around the house.
However, the Countess was busy soothing her, saying that Misha’s grades had improved dramatically and that studying was hard. If studying was hard enough and her personality was ruined, then all the people in the academy had been executed?
I decided to leave the house for now when I saw Misha, who was passing by, glaring at me as if she was going to kill me. It was obvious that she would come to pick a fight with me, who was easy to deal with, given the way she acted.
Damn, studying is the real deal.
So I brought a book, a mat, and roasted peanuts and set up here. I was going to spend a little time by the lakeside and then go to the herbal medicine shop, but as I lay down on the quiet waterside and read a book, all the worries of the world seemed like someone else’s business. So I didn’t even think about getting up.
Why do people in this world live so miserably?
Since I was already like this, I decided to enjoy the afternoon to the fullest by reading a book.
But then I saw this.
“Oh. F*ck.”
My eyes, what am I going to do with my eyes?
Misha froze with her mouth open. She couldn’t believe her ears, wondering if those words were coming from Kalin’s gentle face.
Misha barely managed to gather her wits and spoke firmly.
“Thank you so much for raising my grades, Miss Ankart. But I will stop being your maid. I am the proud daughter of the third lion. I cannot disgrace my family with my shortcomings.”
“...”
“I have received too much from you, but I have endured all the humiliation you gave me and served you, so I think I have repaid my mistakes sufficiently.”
“Do you know the word ‘ungrateful, Misha?’”
When she asked to be called by her last name, Kalin was completely condescending. She should have been respected again since she had paid off her debt, but Kalin had no intention of doing so.
Misha didn’t know what to do in a situation where her authority was not working. Even that vicious Lorisha backed down when her father was mentioned!
Kalin got up from the desk and came right up to Misha.
She poured ink on Misha’s chest and spoke in a sing-song voice.
“What if that third lion found out about his daughter’s habit, Misha? It would definitely be in the newspapers...”
“Haa...”
Misha was unable to move, shaking in shock, until the ink bottle was empty.
Kalin put the ink bottle back on the desk and returned to her seat.
“Oh my! Misha, you spilled the ink. What should I do? Hurry up and change your clothes. I’ll let you know the date of my tea party separately.”
“Ugh...”
Misha couldn’t make a sound because the ink dripping from her chest to the floor was so horrible. She headed for the door without even knowing how she was walking.
Kalin spoke after Misha.
“Don’t forget that it is thanks to my mercy that you are not expelled from both the Academy and the Imperial Society at the same time. Without it, the humiliation you will suffer will be much blacker and stickier than the ink.”
And so, vacation came to the Academy.
***
Grayon felt an extreme sense of liberation as his body recovered. He picked up his sword again and trained his body. His injuries now only remained in scars and memories.
He often became serious and attacked Locard when he mentioned the word parasite. He could not admit that he, the Prince of the Empire, had suffered so much from such a small bug.
“I will take a breather for a while.”
Locard, who had entered the palace for the vacation, said, finally relaxing. It was true that he, too, had accumulated fatigue from going in and out of the palace and the Academy at the same time.
“The palace is stuffy, Locard.”
Grayon got up as if he had been waiting for Locard to enter the vacation, put on his civilian clothes, and left the palace.
There was a forest with a lake nearby outside the center of the capital. It was not yet the season for boating, so the area was deserted.
Grayon stood on the deck set up on the lake, took off his clothes without hesitation, and ran into the water. Locard looked at him incredulously. How could someone born as the son of the Emperor be so excited just because they came to the lakeside?
Locard trumpeted and shouted,
“If you take off your clothes like that, you might catch it again. Parasite...”
“Shut up and come in!”
Locard giggled and folded Grayon’s clothes before taking off his own clothes and jumping into the water.
His tidying-up instinct wasn’t just because of his innate personality. Living in the Duke of Kydel’s mansion, which was no different from a barracks, orderliness had to be sharp.
The water they jumped into was still cold, but that was easy. The damned stream in Tunbar was frozen even at this time of year.
***
“Wow!”
I quickly covered my mouth and lowered my head. I looked around, but there was no one else on the low grassy field besides me on the mat.
I thought I heard a sound, so I raised my head and saw those men on the deck across the lake...
“No, if that’s the case... That’s... Oh my...”
I was so surprised by the sight of two naked men bathing that I didn’t even notice the peanuts I was about to put in my mouth falling out.
They were almost dots, but they were still men, and naked bodies were naked.
I had taken refuge in the Count’s mansion for a while.
Misha, who had returned home for the vacation, had changed even in her eyes. She had been foolishly wandering around, but now she had a venomous look in her eyes and would often get irritated as she walked around the house.
However, the Countess was busy soothing her, saying that Misha’s grades had improved dramatically and that studying was hard. If studying was hard enough and her personality was ruined, then all the people in the academy had been executed?
I decided to leave the house for now when I saw Misha, who was passing by, glaring at me as if she was going to kill me. It was obvious that she would come to pick a fight with me, who was easy to deal with, given the way she acted.
Damn, studying is the real deal.
So I brought a book, a mat, and roasted peanuts and set up here. I was going to spend a little time by the lakeside and then go to the herbal medicine shop, but as I lay down on the quiet waterside and read a book, all the worries of the world seemed like someone else’s business. So I didn’t even think about getting up.
Why do people in this world live so miserably?
Since I was already like this, I decided to enjoy the afternoon to the fullest by reading a book.
But then I saw this.
“Oh. F*ck.”
My eyes, what am I going to do with my eyes?
My head told me to turn my head quickly, but my body wouldn’t listen to me because I was so surprised.
I mustered up the will to save my soul and barely managed to lie back down. I covered my face with the book I was reading, and it seemed to calm me down a little.
“It’s not even swimming season yet!”
I grumbled to myself, then realized that my face was slightly flushed.
“I can’t do this. I should at least go for a walk.”
I put down the mat and went for a walk in the forest wearing only a shawl.
Locard enjoyed swimming leisurely. Butterfly stroke, backstroke. It was exciting to swim in wide, ice-free water for the first time in a long time. He didn’t even realize that he had reached the other side of the lake.
“...?”
He was startled by the sound of a person disappearing into the forest in the distance, so he put his body in the water with only his eyes open, then emerged again. He sensed a delicious smell wafting along the shore and leaned out. The strong smell of roasted peanuts was so foreign that he recognized it right away.
He walked slowly through the bushes and went up to the shore, found peanuts lying on an empty mat, picked up a handful, and put them in his mouth. Then he chewed them and disappeared into the water.
After he returned to the water, the wind blew, and the folded corners of the mat straightened. There was an old book lying between them.
[The Life of a Happy Empress - Autobiography of Empress Queenna]
When Locard left, Grayon, who had been lying on the deck with his limbs spread out, said,
“What are you mumbling about alone?”
It was the most delicious peanut Locard had ever eaten.
I wish I could eat just a little more...
He answered absentmindedly and stopped talking.
“Dirt...Um, I ate dirt.”
“This bastard!”
The two men jumped into the water again.
As the afternoon sun was starting to set, Grayon, who had dressed up, shook off his wet silver hair and said,
“The attendant medals have arrived.”
“...”
Locard’s eyes quickly sank.
The attendants and maids of the royal family were selected from among the nobles or children of noble families. They were the secretaries and staff of the royal family, and they were given medals according to their status as members of the royal family. They were status cards that shared the authority of the royal family.
They were provided with rooms near the bedrooms of the royal family they served, and they were also paid salaries.
All Imperial subjects were to be loyal to the Emperor, but the servants and maids were permitted to prioritize their masters. In return, the current servants and maids were to share their political fate with the royal family.
Grayon said dryly.
“His Majesty has decided to hold a contest to test the abilities of the royal sons and daughters. He will test us from now on.”
“Is this the beginning?”
“Are you sure?”
Locard sneered at Grayon’s question.
“Who are you asking now? I will prove to the hero of the Battle of Amata that I am a lion cub.”
“I trust you, Locard.”
As they left the lakeside, the knight guarding the horse, Falcon, greeted Grayon.
Locard mounted his horse and said,
“I have a place to stop for a moment, so I will be leaving for today.”
“Are you meeting a woman?”
“Ha. No way.”
Locard frowned and rode his horse into the streets of Valois.
As he stopped his horse in front of the herbalist and wandered around, Lorisha jumped out.
Locard found it funny that she would glare at him. There were definitely moments when it was really annoying, but most of the time, it was like that.
Lorisha guided Locard’s horse to the roadside, looking around in all directions.
“What, again, why did you come? To kidnap again?”
“What do you think I am?”
When Locard held out his hand and waited, she glared at him again.
“...What, what do you want? Are you going to extort money now?”
Extortion, my goodness!
Locard tilted one eyebrow and focused on her. He could vividly see her angry expression.
“Compensation. Now, shall I return it?”
“See...”
Lorishia stopped talking and shut her mouth.
The sound of her head rolling was so loud that it hurt Locard’s ears. But on the other hand, he waited with interest to hear what excuse she would make.
‘Are you going to swear again? Now, tell me, Miss Lorisha.’
He said with a pretended cool attitude.
“The reason you didn’t ask for compensation that morning was because you already took it, right? Return it now. I’ll be in trouble if I find out that the books in the imperial library are missing.”
Bookworms do the same thing.
Lorisha rolled her eyes anxiously and then stammered.
“W-Wait.”
I mustered up the will to save my soul and barely managed to lie back down. I covered my face with the book I was reading, and it seemed to calm me down a little.
“It’s not even swimming season yet!”
I grumbled to myself, then realized that my face was slightly flushed.
“I can’t do this. I should at least go for a walk.”
I put down the mat and went for a walk in the forest wearing only a shawl.
***
Locard enjoyed swimming leisurely. Butterfly stroke, backstroke. It was exciting to swim in wide, ice-free water for the first time in a long time. He didn’t even realize that he had reached the other side of the lake.
“...?”
He was startled by the sound of a person disappearing into the forest in the distance, so he put his body in the water with only his eyes open, then emerged again. He sensed a delicious smell wafting along the shore and leaned out. The strong smell of roasted peanuts was so foreign that he recognized it right away.
He walked slowly through the bushes and went up to the shore, found peanuts lying on an empty mat, picked up a handful, and put them in his mouth. Then he chewed them and disappeared into the water.
After he returned to the water, the wind blew, and the folded corners of the mat straightened. There was an old book lying between them.
[The Life of a Happy Empress - Autobiography of Empress Queenna]
When Locard left, Grayon, who had been lying on the deck with his limbs spread out, said,
“What are you mumbling about alone?”
It was the most delicious peanut Locard had ever eaten.
I wish I could eat just a little more...
He answered absentmindedly and stopped talking.
“Dirt...Um, I ate dirt.”
“This bastard!”
The two men jumped into the water again.
***
As the afternoon sun was starting to set, Grayon, who had dressed up, shook off his wet silver hair and said,
“The attendant medals have arrived.”
“...”
Locard’s eyes quickly sank.
The attendants and maids of the royal family were selected from among the nobles or children of noble families. They were the secretaries and staff of the royal family, and they were given medals according to their status as members of the royal family. They were status cards that shared the authority of the royal family.
They were provided with rooms near the bedrooms of the royal family they served, and they were also paid salaries.
All Imperial subjects were to be loyal to the Emperor, but the servants and maids were permitted to prioritize their masters. In return, the current servants and maids were to share their political fate with the royal family.
Grayon said dryly.
“His Majesty has decided to hold a contest to test the abilities of the royal sons and daughters. He will test us from now on.”
“Is this the beginning?”
“Are you sure?”
Locard sneered at Grayon’s question.
“Who are you asking now? I will prove to the hero of the Battle of Amata that I am a lion cub.”
“I trust you, Locard.”
As they left the lakeside, the knight guarding the horse, Falcon, greeted Grayon.
Locard mounted his horse and said,
“I have a place to stop for a moment, so I will be leaving for today.”
“Are you meeting a woman?”
“Ha. No way.”
Locard frowned and rode his horse into the streets of Valois.
As he stopped his horse in front of the herbalist and wandered around, Lorisha jumped out.
Locard found it funny that she would glare at him. There were definitely moments when it was really annoying, but most of the time, it was like that.
Lorisha guided Locard’s horse to the roadside, looking around in all directions.
“What, again, why did you come? To kidnap again?”
“What do you think I am?”
When Locard held out his hand and waited, she glared at him again.
“...What, what do you want? Are you going to extort money now?”
Extortion, my goodness!
Locard tilted one eyebrow and focused on her. He could vividly see her angry expression.
“Compensation. Now, shall I return it?”
“See...”
Lorishia stopped talking and shut her mouth.
The sound of her head rolling was so loud that it hurt Locard’s ears. But on the other hand, he waited with interest to hear what excuse she would make.
‘Are you going to swear again? Now, tell me, Miss Lorisha.’
He said with a pretended cool attitude.
“The reason you didn’t ask for compensation that morning was because you already took it, right? Return it now. I’ll be in trouble if I find out that the books in the imperial library are missing.”
Bookworms do the same thing.
Lorisha rolled her eyes anxiously and then stammered.
“W-Wait.”
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