One more painfully long and uneventful chapter left... Next chapter in either 4-12 hours or otherwise like 24-30.
Year 7446, Month 4, Day 28
In front of the fence that surrounds the house there's a large stable and on the other side of there's plaza that also acts as the training place for the squires. Even further in on the other side of the plaza is three storehouses that have been there since before I was born. From a position where we can see the plaza on the left side of the stable is the main building of the house that hasn't changed at all. In the back of the main building there should be the small storage room that I lived in for a period connected to it. Beyond that in between the storehouses and storage room is a bit of a plaza and that acts as the training place for the squire children under 10 years old to swing their swords. How nostalgic.
"What the, if you're going to come home you should say something. We haven't prepared anything."
Brother said that while smiling and welcoming me. It seems when he was patrolling around in the village he caught sight of us and came running back on his horse. He detoured around the gate of the house and waited for us.
"Sorry, brother. But, I wanted to return once now while I still could. There's something I want to talk to father and mother about as well."
I exchanged greetings with brother while putting my horse into the stables.
People came out of the house as well. It's father and mother. The two of them were smiling. I left Angela to take off the harness while I approached my parents with big steps accompanied by Miduchi and Gwine.
"I've heard from everyone. You're Chizumagurol-san right?"
Mother smiled seeing Miduchi.
It was the same that time with sister-in-law Shani-san, she shouldn't become an unpleasant mother-in-law.
"Yes. It's nice to meet you, my name is Midu~ritto.Chizumagurol. Sorry for the rudeness of not changing."
Miduchi unfastened her helmet with her left hand and held it under her arm as she stretched her right hand out to mother, it seems she was able to properly talk without biting her tongue.
She's grown a bit as well I see.
"Has this child been causing any trouble for you?"
"No way! I've always been in his care. Also, the other day Shanleid-sama and Milhaia-sama even prepared armor for me.."
"It looks good on you..{Status Open}."
Mother took Miduchi's hand and smiled while checking her status.
I thought there wouldn't be any problems but this is a relief.
"Who's that?"
After greeting Miduchi, mother asked while looking at Gwine.
I guess it's no longer necessary, to introduce her.
"U..Umm, M..My name is Gullinel.Akdam. I'm always in the care of Al-san~"
..Why are you biting your tongue.
While we were exchanging harmonious greetings, an ear-splitting high voice echoed around ruining the atmosphere.
"Becky-sama!!!"
It's the voice of a boy.
"Uwaa~n!! Big brother hit me seriously again~! I'll tell father on you!!"
"It's training so it can't be helped right!! Here stand!!"
So Zetto and Becky were in the middle of training...
"Those kids~! Sorry, I'm going for a bit. Al, sorry but look after my horse!!"
After saying that brother pushes the reins of his horse over to me and ran off between the stables and the house.
I made a bitter smile while asking my parents, "Just now was that Zetto and Becky?"
"The first voice was Al. Those kids, no matter how many times we tell them they start doing make-believe practice matches all on their own. Unlike you kids they're hopeless prankster brats. No, I guess Mill was like that as well huh?"
Father said while shrugging his shoulders. Al? Al is..Ailad huh! Come to think of it he was the same age as Zetto and Becky. Though I say that they should still be 6 years old. Have they already started training with the sword? Ah, No, in the past, since I said great-grandfather gave advice around when Mill was 5 years old, so I guess they're still continuing that...Isn't that my fault.
"Sister was intense but I think she properly obeyed the things she was told."
Remembering my respected older sister's pitiful chest I felt just a bit bad so I defended her.
"Father-in-law, mother-in-law, I'm truly very sorry.."
Sister-in-law Shani was making an apologetic expression while lowering her head deeply. She must be feeling responsibility. Come to think of it I remember hearing that when sister-in-law Shani was in the knight group she was quite arrogant as well. That, isn't it sister-in-law's genes?
I can hear the breathing from the horses that were pulling the carriage. We were forgetting about the congestion of the three carriages we left near gate. We keep the carriages parked in the area between the stable and the fence. The squires were making bitter smiles. After lowering her sister-in-law starting leading the horses and carriages. Since the carriages were almost completely empty, while we were standing around right near the entrance of the gate the squires were untying the carriages from the horses. A carriage that's close to empty can be pulled with just human power.
Asking the squires that started putting the horses in the stable, Angela who finished putting away the harnesses came forward and knelt in front of my parents to greet them.
"It has been a while, great master."
Father calmly nodded as Angela turned to mother to greet her as well.
"It's nice to meet you, great madam. I'm my master Alan Greed-sama's combat slave, Maruso.Angela. Pleased, to meet you."
"It's fine if you don't humble yourself that much in our household. I'm Shirley. Shirley.Greed. Call me Shal."
However, Angela just said, "I understand." without changing her posture and then stood up as politely as possible before taking one step behind me while keeping her head lowered without making eye contact.
Umu, that's good, Angela. It's a greeting that shows you've properly been disciplined. Mother is saying something like that but it's not that sort of problem. As expected of her having spent several years by my side. Mother might just be a madam that lives in a remote region now but in the past she was in a position where she was the grandchild of Duke Sandak in the capital. She should be used to seeing slaves that were properly disciplined. Father is nodding to himself as well.
"..Nn? I guess it's just a bit big huh...Well, I guess that's just right for now.."
Father whispered while looking at me.
Excluding the fact that the new model of rubber protectors that sister-in-law Shani brought were just a bit big, they fit perfectly on my body. Just in case I also brought along my old suit as well. Since my old protectors were a just right match to the physique of Jesu (Jesutasu.Manzokki), I took his sizes intending to request some small adjustments.
"That's right! Thanks, father. This armor, I really like it."
I forgot to say thanks to father for treating me to the protectors I received. Even though it should have been the first thing I said.
"Nn..It looks good on you. By the way, what's going on today? Did something happen?"
"Ha ha, it's not like anything has happened but it was just stopping by for a bit when I came to fulfill a promise...Also, some boots, I thought I'd like to make some proper ones for all of my allies and slaves...That's right, it's about this though. Ah, Yeah, I'll convey the improvements for them and I'm sure it'll take a reasonable amount of labor but I think they could be sold for a high price as a new type of military boots. A shoe maker, you hired one right...Also, I saw Kerry's wife's armor last year but I thought that model might be good for adventurers as well. I thought if I used this Angela, since she's a Dog-person, she might be just right for making adjustments to the model."
..I can't trick them with this sort of excuse.
"..Right now, we're stepping foot on the 8th floor on the dungeon in Baldukk...And, we've got good prospects for making it to the 9th floor. However, whether or not we can make it, whether we can surpass his majesty George Rombert the First or not, I don't know. It feels like it's just~ a bit dangerous as well. I intend to take responsibility and protect my allies and slaves with all of my power. I won't let even a single person die. Of course, I have no intention of dying even more so. But..But, I just wanted to see everyone's faces once more now when I could."
Mother's hand twitched as if she was going to embrace me. But, she pulled it back right away.
Thank you, mother.
While we're staying in Bakuddo, Miduchi and I were staying in the guest room, while Gwine and Angela were lodging in the house of the Ryogu family. If I think about it for a bit the maid in our house Sonia, she's living in the Ryogu family house with her grandfather, and the other members of the family Rozural, Wendy, Dianne, and Luke are all in the capital so there's rooms leftover.
We changed in the guest room and when we sat down at the table for dinner Zetto and Becky were making strange faces seeing two unknown adults like Miduchi and I. They were two and a half years old when I left the house. It's not unreasonable that they don't remember me.
It was when brother introduced us saying, "Here, you two, greet them properly. It's Alan. My little brother and your uncle. And also this is Miduchi-san." Putting aside their uncle who suddenly appeared, they must have been creeped out by the woman with light purple skin and white hair.
The two of them were sitting on both sides of sister-in-law Shani but when they saw us enter the dining room, their eyes went wide as their attention was focused on not me but Miduchi. It can't be helped though.
"Hel..Good evening. I'm Zerulotto."
"Rebekkana..Hey~ why are you that strange color?"
This brat~! Don't say things like that to my woman, she'll get depressed!
Faster than I could reflexively glare at Becky sister-in-law who was in between the two kids slapped Becky. As expected of a Webdos Knight. That was beyond just having fast hands.
"Hey!! What kind of things are you saying this child!! Apologize to Miduchi-san!!"
"Bugyaaa~!! I..I'm schhai~ii~! I'mmsshowwry! U~uu...hikku"
"No..No way! It's fine! I don't mind it! It can't be helped..I'm sure you were surprised right? I'm sorry for surprising you, Rebekkana-chan."
Miduchi was the one who got a lot more flustered and she quickly ran over to Becky to wipe her tears as with a handkerchief as she cried in a loud voice. Father, mother, and brother all apologized to Miduchi as well. Even Sonia who prepared the food and was bringing it ended up doing her job with an apologetic face.
Zetto was peeking out from behind sister-in-law Shani's back to get a better look as it was his first time seeing a dark elf. I couldn't do anything but make a bitter smile on my own but honestly speaking, I felt a bit sorry as well.
After the uproar calmed down, we properly exchanged greetings and everyone sat down at the table. After all it seems that Zetto and Becky were curious about the dark elf as they were glancing at Miduch occasionally. Every time Miduchi noticed she would smile. Sorry about that. At the very least I'm sure it wasn't a good feeling.
While having dinner(obviously it wasn't anything luxurious but it seems the menu was improved quite a bit) we talked about various things. About sister, our adventures in the dungeon, and then baldoggie. It seems that the baldoggie father ate when he came last year was conveyed with quite a bit of exaggeration added to it. This time, we had sister-in-law eat it as well but she made just a slightly complicated face, even then she said it was good but I still felt something was a bit strange, so that's what it was.
It seems Zetto and Becky got used to Miduchi while we were having dinner and they started badgering her for stories about the dungeon and Baldukk. By the time we realized it the time had passed 6 pm. It seems that today is the day for women to enter the bath so sister-in-law Shani told the kids(In Bakuddo up until they formally started training with the sword or farm work at 7 years old, both boys and girls are put into the baths every day) to go and get ready to enter the baths and invited mother and Miduchi as well. Miduchi was looking forward to the baths as well so obviously there's no way she'd turn it down. Becky seemed to want to go to the baths while holding Miduchi's hand so Miduchi happily held her hand as they left.
Probably Gwine and Angela should be going to the baths about now as well. There's no way Gwine would miss her chance at the baths and I already told them that in Bakuddo even slaves enter the baths so Angela shouldn't hold back either.
After father, brother, and I took showers in order, we were drinking some alcohol.
"Are Zetto and Becky properly using magic?"
Close 1.5 years has passed since the two of them started magic training. Zetto's MP is 318 and Becky's MP is 330 with just a small difference but judging from the fact that they have a considerable amount I can already tell they're training properly. It seems Zetto can use earth and water while Becky can use fire, water, and wind. Their skill levels have already reached 3.
"Yeah, they're doing well. They have a high amount of mana after all. Their growth is fast as well."
Brother said that while nodding.
"It's good that the two of them seem to be blessed with talent. We're properly having them train with the sword as well. If it's possible then we'd like for both of them enter the first knight group."
Father said that in a good mood while tilting his alcohol cup filled with premium vodka I bought in the capital.
If they're being worked hard by brother and sister-in-law then won't they be fine? If their skill with magic is good then just like sister they might pass from just that though.
"Father, stop with that. It's because you're always spoiling them like that they even tried to do a make-believe practice match today. It's still too soon for them."
"Farne, I've said it countless times but I already know that when Mill was around that age she was doing make-believe practice matches against you. Even if they end up getting hurt a bit that's good training for healing magic as well."
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