In mid-July, the weather became very hot.
After Ratan made a spectacular debut in the West a month ago!
... Well, nothing special happened.
Everything as expected.
It is said that quite a few "No Ratan!" protests were held in the region. Naturally, the father must have pulled a lot of strings to shape public opinion.
In response, the Crown Prince also unleashed the 'Support Ratan!' protesters, and they handled things well without being told.
And at my house, professors from the Department of Beast Research have come twice so far, along with Nike, once every fifteen days.
"I plan to visit periodically until the safety of the rattan is verified."
Ah! Actually, there was a heart-pounding incident when they first came to Belzer.
“Ratan seems a little different from last time. It feels stiff, as if it is terrified. We were able to communicate quite intimately at first.”
It was sharp...
"There wasn't any abuse during the raising process, was there?"
Oh my god, I almost had a heart attack.
Actually, as soon as I returned home after finishing the Western campaign, I did some abuse... well, not exactly abuse, but I did some training.
Even if they seem obedient, a monster is still a monster. Moreover, it is a being that knows nothing of human sensibility, with a history of devouring human spirit and ruining the land.
Ratan is someone who, even before the regression, would gradually stop listening if Gabriel didn't educate him periodically.
I, who have heard such facts.
Isn't education inevitable?
...Ah, damn. I sound like someone who abuses others and makes excuses.
“What are you talking about? What do you take me for! I fed them on time, checked to make sure they didn't run away, and took diligent care of them! I have absolutely no record of abuse!”
Ryan hurriedly made excuses, looking a bit like he was trying to gloss over the matter to the officer who had come to investigate a report of animal abuse.
Anyway, that kind of incident happened...
The
Academy summer vacation started, so Alex came home too.
For the first time in a long while, our whole family sat around and listened to Alex's story.
"I made a lot of friends, all the professors were great, and also."
“Merchen! Do you know you’re super famous at the academy?”
On the day I visited regarding Alex's admission, Merchen, who had only sat on the campus for half a day, became a famous figure at the academy.
Blonde angel? Statue? He even got those cringeworthy nicknames.
And also...
There is a shocking and touching true story.
Alex, who was admitted on an irregular basis, reportedly took classes freely for two months, just like any other freshman.
And I heard that he chose his main major when the vacation ended.
“Why law all of a sudden?”
“That’s not sudden, sister? Didn’t I tell you? I was planning to go to law school from the beginning.”
Wow! That was really random!
“If I have a certificate of enrollment from the Academy’s Law Department, I’m going to take the private defense exam that I can take at fifteen! They say that if I do that, I’ll get a provisional trainee lawyer license without having to take the national exam. With that license, I can apply for a defense attorney qualification review in certain trials! If I pass, I’ll be able to go to court and defend a defendant even at the age of fifteen!”
My whole family couldn't understand what Alex was saying.
Just...
“Why is a twelve-year-old acting like this? Did you perhaps regress in time?”
"It seems so, Miss."
"You're right. Looks like he did it too."
“Damn it, I’m scared!”
“Oh, how amazing! Even dogs and cows do it!”
After Ratan made a spectacular debut in the West a month ago!
... Well, nothing special happened.
Everything as expected.
It is said that quite a few "No Ratan!" protests were held in the region. Naturally, the father must have pulled a lot of strings to shape public opinion.
In response, the Crown Prince also unleashed the 'Support Ratan!' protesters, and they handled things well without being told.
And at my house, professors from the Department of Beast Research have come twice so far, along with Nike, once every fifteen days.
"I plan to visit periodically until the safety of the rattan is verified."
Ah! Actually, there was a heart-pounding incident when they first came to Belzer.
“Ratan seems a little different from last time. It feels stiff, as if it is terrified. We were able to communicate quite intimately at first.”
It was sharp...
"There wasn't any abuse during the raising process, was there?"
Oh my god, I almost had a heart attack.
Actually, as soon as I returned home after finishing the Western campaign, I did some abuse... well, not exactly abuse, but I did some training.
Even if they seem obedient, a monster is still a monster. Moreover, it is a being that knows nothing of human sensibility, with a history of devouring human spirit and ruining the land.
Ratan is someone who, even before the regression, would gradually stop listening if Gabriel didn't educate him periodically.
I, who have heard such facts.
Isn't education inevitable?
...Ah, damn. I sound like someone who abuses others and makes excuses.
“What are you talking about? What do you take me for! I fed them on time, checked to make sure they didn't run away, and took diligent care of them! I have absolutely no record of abuse!”
Ryan hurriedly made excuses, looking a bit like he was trying to gloss over the matter to the officer who had come to investigate a report of animal abuse.
Anyway, that kind of incident happened...
The
Academy summer vacation started, so Alex came home too.
For the first time in a long while, our whole family sat around and listened to Alex's story.
"I made a lot of friends, all the professors were great, and also."
“Merchen! Do you know you’re super famous at the academy?”
On the day I visited regarding Alex's admission, Merchen, who had only sat on the campus for half a day, became a famous figure at the academy.
Blonde angel? Statue? He even got those cringeworthy nicknames.
And also...
There is a shocking and touching true story.
Alex, who was admitted on an irregular basis, reportedly took classes freely for two months, just like any other freshman.
And I heard that he chose his main major when the vacation ended.
“Why law all of a sudden?”
“That’s not sudden, sister? Didn’t I tell you? I was planning to go to law school from the beginning.”
Wow! That was really random!
“If I have a certificate of enrollment from the Academy’s Law Department, I’m going to take the private defense exam that I can take at fifteen! They say that if I do that, I’ll get a provisional trainee lawyer license without having to take the national exam. With that license, I can apply for a defense attorney qualification review in certain trials! If I pass, I’ll be able to go to court and defend a defendant even at the age of fifteen!”
My whole family couldn't understand what Alex was saying.
Just...
“Why is a twelve-year-old acting like this? Did you perhaps regress in time?”
"It seems so, Miss."
"You're right. Looks like he did it too."
“Damn it, I’m scared!”
“Oh, how amazing! Even dogs and cows do it!”
The whole family just had a reasonable suspicion that he had regressed.
“No. I didn’t regress.”
But Alex said.
“There is something I want to do. I am going to request a retrial of the Konrad massacre from 13 years ago.”
Good heavens. I wondered what kind of sudden dream of a law student it was, but it was a reason I could never have imagined.
“I really want to defend my father myself and clear his name.”
That day.
Ryan cried.
He was so moved that he actually cried.
"Hehe."
Anyway, that's the end of our family's uneventful update!
It is currently breakfast time, when the whole family is gathered together in harmony.
“Dad, I want some fun...”
"Call me Viscount."
Ryan said firmly.
"Ha."
"Aren't you tired of it?"
This human, it has been fifteen days since Nike gave him a heads-up.
“Yeah, not yet!”
Rivan clicked his tongue as he slid the jam towards me instead.
"Yeah, it'll be tomorrow!"
Ryan didn't back down and retaliated.
What he means by this is...
“His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is planning to personally visit Belzer to confer a title upon you. Since there are no low-ranking titles among the officials responsible for managing the Imperial Household’s assets, it is necessary to elevate your noble rank to maintain the dignity of the Imperial Family.”
When I came to see Ratan with the professors fifteen days ago, Nike told me.
So, he just became a Baron simply because he had a Ratan.
We didn't do anything.
Ratan has been in our house for a long time!
He snatched the Viscount title for free!
Ugh.
Merchen rubbed his cheek vigorously, perhaps recalling a bad memory because of Ryan's self-deprecating remarks.
On the day he received the news from Nike, Ryan... as if he had gone mad, showered Merchen’s cheeks with kisses.
Tick-tock, tick-tock, tick-tick-tick-tick-tick, singing away.
"It’s not very good."
“Oh, like that.”
The poor prince, who had to endure a kiss on the cheek from a mysterious, dark-skinned man the moment he woke up after Ratan had been sent away.
It was a huge shock.
“Prince, it’s painful, so let’s stop the crackling sound. I think my ears are broken from all that crackling for fifteen days.”
“Tap, tap! Tap, tap!”
Oh, really!
I'm going to get a self-made neurosis.
***
The next day.
The imperial carriage is entering.
“What? Is that all?”
Ryan was taken aback when he saw the only carriage.
Of course, me too. Since it was the Crown Prince's procession, I naturally imagined a long line of cars following behind.
"As expected, it looks like the conferment of the title was just an excuse, and he just came to talk."
The Crown Prince must have a mountain of things he wants to share with us, such as Ratan, the current status of the regime, Basenberg's movements, and the issue of sorting out Ryan's course.
Originally, Ryan was supposed to go to the Imperial Palace to receive the title, so that must be the reason the Crown Prince came here in person instead.
I was expecting a really spectacular awards ceremony for our lion, but what should I do?
I looked up to the side and saw that Ryan's face clearly showed disappointment.
A carriage was standing in front of the gate.
The first to arrive was Nike, dressed in his usual handsome uniform.
Next came two knights, a messenger carrying a silk cushion with a beautifully placed scroll of imperial edict, and finally, the Crown Prince.
“...”
The Crown Prince paused as soon as he got off.
Hmm, he can't help but be surprised.
My family, plus twenty private soldiers of the Belzer family. They are all lined up in formation, fully dressed in expensive, newly tailored clothes.
"I greet His Royal Highness the Crown Prince."
Ryan ran over in one swift motion and greeted him respectfully.
In the strange silence that had settled, the Crown Prince nodded, and his gaze fell upon me, who was standing behind Ryan.
'...What?'
For some reason, it was a burning gaze.
He soon picked up only the decree on the cushion held by the messenger and gave an order.
“Stand at the entrance. The Third Prince will escort me.”
Then, even the carriage carrying the two knights and the messenger sped away.
"Th-th-how could this be?"
The Crown Prince, who hadn't even noticed Ryan in shock, approached and spoke.
“Is this your home? Let’s go in.”
“...”
“Sir Ryan?”
“...Ah, yes. However, Your Highness, I am not well-versed in this matter, but considering this is the procession of the Crown Prince, why is the procession so modest? I ask this out of concern that it may have tarnished Your Highness’s dignity during your long journey.”
Wow!
Ryan asked very politely and courteously why my expected title conferment ceremony wasn't as spectacular as he had hoped!
"If you're talking about a line, it's waiting at the entrance. Is it really necessary to come all the way here?"
"Yes?"
It looks like he brought them along!
“You know why I came to Belzer instead of summoning you to the palace, right?”
Once again, the conferment of titles is merely a pretext!
The Crown Prince, who urgently wanted to talk now that they were openly in the same boat, skipped all the procedures of the splendid conferment ceremony that Ryan had expected.
"Take this."
He suddenly thrust the decree forward as if handing over a toy.
Oh, what should I do...
Ryan was about to receive the decree with trembling hands, but stopped.
The Crown Prince tilted his head.
“Even so... how could I possibly dare to receive Your Highness’s imperial decree in this manner...”
"It's fine. Don't worry about it."
“...”
No. That's not it. Ryan has something he wants to do.
“That... wouldn’t it be alright if I did that just this once? If I kneel...”
Ryan suddenly knelt on one knee in front of the Crown Prince. At this, the Crown Prince sighed and looked around at the quiet surroundings.
He wore an expression of incomprehension, unable to understand why on earth they were going to such lengths when the purpose wasn't a ceremony, this wasn't the Imperial Palace, and no eyes were watching...
Still, he unfolded the edict and began to read it aloud.
"Imperial Decree. Of this Empire… (rest omitted)."
Aaaaaaaah!
As if wanting to drop it and get straight to the point, the Crown Prince rolled up the scroll again and handed it to Ryan.
We all watched the poor lion with its mouth tightly shut, with pitiful expressions.
Drooping eyebrows on both sides.
Lips sticking out, trembling slightly.
He's going to cry at this rate!
“Sir Ryan?”
"Your Highness."
Just then, Nike, who had a feeling that she had spent some time with Ryan, whispered something into the Crown Prince's ear.
The Crown Prince paused for a moment, ran his hand through his lips, cleared his throat, and unfolded the imperial decree again.
"I was about to read it properly... but paused again."
He looks around the desolate surroundings where no one pays attention except for the Belzer people.
“...Right. I was short-sighted.”
The Crown Prince, having folded the imperial decree back up, personally helped Ryan stand up and speak.
"I'll make sure to do it properly when I leave."
Phew...
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