Homecoming
The end of the Sabbath Festival meant one thing for the students: the approach of a long-awaited event.
A few days later, in the academy's grand auditorium...
[Ahem... Now, I understand it's vacation, but I urge you all not to become complacent. Use this time to work on your weaknesses...]
[That concludes the Headmaster's inspiring words! Everyone, have a wonderful vacation!]
[Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!]
The Vice-Headmaster's declaration cut off the Headmaster's two-hour-long speech, eliciting a roar of cheers from the students.
Following the designated order, they began to file out of the auditorium.
Rudell and Leje also stepped out...
"What are you going to do during the vacation?"
"Huh? Me? Well, I have to go home, obviously."
Rudell responded to Leje's question with a look that suggested it was the most natural thing in the world.
He had to check on his viscounty, greet his parents, see Kyle after a long time, and possibly recruit some talented individuals...
The list of things to do was literally a mountain high.
"What about you?"
"I'm going home too, for now. And then... maybe I'll visit your viscounty again?"
"Please refrain from that..."
Knowing the burden Leje's visits placed on the viscounty staff, Rudell couldn't simply welcome her with open arms.
It was like the saying, "A carelessly thrown stone can kill a frog."
That's exactly how the people of the viscounty felt about Leje's visits.
"Hmm... Then how about you stay at the Dukedom this time?"
"Me?"
"Yes, Father said he'd like to meet you."
"Me? The Duke wants to meet me?"
Rudell's eyes widened in surprise.
What was this?
Was this real life?
With such thoughts swirling in his mind, Rudell stared at Leje, who giggled at his reaction.
"But... why me?"
"Well... you're my only friend, and he's never met you before."
"...Hmm."
It was the most plausible reason under the circumstances, but somehow, Rudell felt that it wasn't the whole story.
Just then...
"Ah! Alma!"
Leje waved and ran off with a cheerful voice.
Turning his head, Rudell saw a carriage bearing the Dukedom's crest.
And a woman with striking ruby-red eyes and glasses perched on her nose.
Alma, the head maid of the Dukedom and Leje's personal maid.
She had come all the way here to pick her up.
"It's been a while, My Lady."
Alma bowed slightly towards Leje, who approached her with a welcoming voice.
"It's been so long! How have you been!?"
It had been almost half a year.
It was no wonder she reacted that way.
"I've been well, My Lady. You look healthy as well."
"Yes! I've been incredibly well!"
"It's been a while, Alma."
"It's been a while, Young Master Weinstein."
Rudell approached Alma and bowed, and she greeted him with a faint smile.
And then...
"Young Master, please accept this."
"Huh? What is this?"
Alma pulled a small envelope from her bosom and handed it to Rudell, who accepted it with a puzzled voice.
A small envelope bearing the Lagrind Dukedom's seal.
The moment he saw it, Rudell's expression hardened.
"It's an invitation from the Duke, addressed to you."
"F-from the Duke...?"
"He also specifically asked me to tell you that he expects you to visit without fail."
Alma crushed the last shred of Rudell's hope with her answer.
This was what despair felt like...
If Leje hadn't hinted at it earlier, he might have collapsed on the spot.
Rudell lightly pressed his forehead.
"Well then, I'll take that as a yes. I'll be going now!"
"I'll see you later, Young Master Weinstein."
Leaving him behind, Leje and Alma boarded the carriage, and soon, their figures began to disappear into the distance.
"Sigh..."
A short sigh escaped Rudell's lips as he watched them go.
***
Two days later, Rudell returned to his viscounty.
"It's been a while..."
He murmured, feeling a renewed sense of nostalgia as he gazed at the familiar landscape outside the window.
The scenery of his viscounty, unchanged even after half a year...
As he was looking at it...
"Huh...?"
He couldn't hide his puzzled expression at the sight before him.
"W-what is this...?"
A bewildered voice escaped his lips.
The viscounty he remembered and the one he saw now were completely different.
The town, which had been little more than a large village, was now surrounded by a proper, albeit small, wall.
The number of buildings had also noticeably increased compared to his memories.
But the most striking change of all was...
"W-why is there a castle...?"
A massive castle stood where the Viscount's mansion used to be.
It was smaller than the Duke's castle, but it was still a grand and impressive structure.
"H-hey, mister!!"
"Yes? What is it, Young Master?"
The coachman responded with a puzzled voice to Rudell, who was leaning out the window and shouting.
"W-what happened here!? Is this really the viscounty?! It doesn't look like it!"
"What are you talking about? If this isn't the viscounty, then where is it?"
"Huh...?"
Rudell was dumbfounded by the coachman's reaction, as if he was speaking nonsense.
What in the world had happened in just half a year?
As he was pondering this...
"Don't tell me you haven't heard?"
"Heard what?"
"After you entered the academy, the Lagrind Dukedom decided to invest heavily in the viscounty."
"What...?"
A low groan escaped Rudell's lips.
This was something that hadn't happened in the original story, so the coachman's words were incredibly confusing.
However, there was no other way to explain the current situation.
"Huh..."
Judging by Leje's silence, she hadn't known about this either.
That meant it was the Duke's decision...
But why?
As Rudell tried to organize his chaotic thoughts, the carriage continued down the neatly maintained road...
Passing through the unfamiliar streets, they arrived in front of the Weinstein Viscounty's mansion—no, the castle.
"Welcome back, Young Master."
As the carriage came to a halt, a young man with neat butler attire, black hair, and red eyes greeted him as he stepped out.
It was Kyle.
"It's been a while, Kyle. Everything alright?"
"Yes, the viscounty has been peaceful."
Kyle bowed and responded to Rudell's friendly question.
Rudell smiled in satisfaction at his answer and took in the changed scenery of the mansion.
The mansion looked completely different from his memories.
As Rudell observed the unfamiliar surroundings with a strange feeling...
"Rudeeeeeeeeeeeeeel—!!"
Suddenly, a strange cry echoed from afar, and his father, Carlos Weinstein, came running towards him and embraced him without warning.
"Oof—!?"
Caught off guard, a pained groan escaped Rudell's lips.
"Goodness! Have you lost your mind!? What if you hurt the child!!"
"Ugh!?"
His mother, Maria Weinstein, who had been chasing after him, smacked Carlos on the back of the head with her fan.
"F-father...! I can't... breathe...!"
"Oh my! I wasn't thinking!!"
As Rudell let out a strained voice, Carlos jumped back and released his grip.
"Th-thank you...!!"
Rudell gasped for air, finally free.
He wondered how such a slender body could possess such strength, but he quickly shook his head.
In a world with magic and monsters, anything was possible.
"It's been a while, Rudell."
"I'm home, Mother, Father."
Rudell bowed slightly to Maria, who spoke with a gentle smile.
Maria looked at him for a moment, then, like Carlos, approached and embraced him gently.
Feeling an indescribable warmth, Rudell stood there for a while.
And after some time...
"Well, we can't just stand here forever. Let's go inside. You must have a lot of questions."
"Yes, Mother, Father."
He needed to ask why the viscounty had become such a large city, and he had a mountain of other questions as well.
Rudell nodded at Carlos's words and stood up...
"Kyle, please take care of Rudell's luggage."
"Yes, Count."
"...?"
Kyle nodded in response.
And at that moment, Rudell couldn't believe his ears.
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