It was the end of winter in the second year of school life.
　The exams at the end of the semester are over and the school is about to start its spring break.

Mabel, are you sure you're going to be able to move on?
"Something.
We all worked so hard.

　I can hear these conversations from the girls as they walk in front of me.

　After the spring break, which starts tomorrow, we'll be in our third and final year of school.
　The last year of elementary school. It's time for everyone to start thinking about the future.
　Will you go on to high school and choose the path of research? Or will they graduate and live on their own? I'm sure many students are pondering this question.

　For my part, I had almost decided to become an adventurer.

　I also wondered about teaching. Teaching children academically, as I did in my previous life, would not be a bad idea.
　But if I wanted good treatment, I would inevitably be employed by an imperial institution like this school or by a wealthy nobleman.
　I knew very well that such a thing was not in my nature, and most of all.......I wanted to avoid being near powerful people as much as possible.
　Even if they wielded power, I didn't want to end up being eyed.

　This world is run by cunning people who cannot be confronted with the strongest violence and the truth of the world.

　It's a heavy burden to deal with such people.
　I'm not going to be able to do anything about it.
　I have a promise to Amu.

　So, I should have never had to deal with the worries of the future, but....
　But now, I'm feeling a little overwhelmed for other reasons.

　........it can't be helped.
　He sighed and opened his mouth with an intention.

'Amu. Can I have a word?

　Amu, who was walking in front of me, stopped and looked back.

'What. Oh my goodness.
Actually, I need a favor.
Please?
Why don't you come over to my parents' house and meet me?
...What?
I want you to meet my family or something.
'What?　Na, na!

　Amu's eyes widen and he says with obvious dismay.

'Oh, no, you're not, what do you mean by that?　Oh, it's not like we're in a relationship...
No?
No, you can't. It's too late!　Or, you know, I need time to think about it, I mean...
That too. I'm waiting. But I want a good answer as soon as possible.
'~~~!

　Next to Amu, who was blushing and rolling her eyes, Yifa was saying something with tears in her eyes.

''Amu-chan........I, Amu-chan, will be fine. Congratulations.........
What are you talking about?

　And there.
　Mabel, who's been looking around at us, nods her head and opens her mouth.

"....wooing?
Hmm?　No, no, no.

　I chuckle and reply, "I got a letter from my parents.

"I got a letter from my parents. It's a very good idea to have a good time with them. I've heard rumors that there is a magician in the academy who is a first class all-attribute swordsman.

　There would be a gag order regarding the stories of the brave, but it wouldn't stop the students from sending letters to their parents' house or even the stories of souvenirs from their return home. It seems that some rumors about Amu are spreading.

I'm sure that as a person involved in the study of magic, you're curious about this...maybe. It's a good thing that you're not going to be able to get your hands on any of them. That's why, Amu, it would be very helpful if you could come with me.
..........

　I suddenly noticed Amu, who is frozen with his mouth open, and said, "Did I mislead you?

"Did I mislead you?
'Huh!　No, of course not, you idiot!　You'll really get your ass kicked!

　Why do I have to be blown away?

　I ask again to Amu, who sighs tiredly alongside Yifa for some reason, "So what do you think?

"So, what do you think?
'Hmm...?　Well, okay. I didn't have any plans to go home for spring break and I'm free. But I don't know much about the etiquette of a nobleman.
''Don't worry about it. I'm just a distant country nobleman, so I usually don't care about manners. Ah........but I'll teach you later, just in case.

　As expected, it's not a good idea to be rude and have a partner........

''Yeah, if you want, Mabel can come too?
"Me?
'The Baron Crane family has a lot to be involved in the Society. I'm sure your father would be delighted if your daughter were to show her face.
Well I'm going to go.
Good. In that case, I'll send a letter with a quick horse as soon as possible.

　Okay, okay.
　It's better to have a head count. I might be able to get out of it.

Hey, Seika.
Hmm?
You said something about family and stuff.
What?
Is there anyone else?
'Uh....'

　I look away from Mabel and answer, "Your brother's fiancée is here, I think.

"Your brother's fiancée's here, I think. And maybe some of his relatives or guests. Who knows, maybe they just happen to be there. If they are, well, we'll have to say hello. You see, Mabel is now a noblewoman, you know?
I don't know.
Oh, yeah?　But that's just the way it is.
"Hmm........that's why you said you were going to teach me manners just now. I'm starting to feel a bit heavy handed now.... Do you understand that kind of thing Yifa?
'I'm a slave I didn't sit with you or talk to you. I will do so again this time.
Well, I guess I can't do that either, can I?
'Of course not. Uh ... well anyway, that's why!　The carriage will be leaving in three days, so everyone be ready to go. I'll see you then.

　I said goodbye and started to walk away on the way to the boys' dormitory.


****


Huh....
You look dreadful, Mr. Seika.

　On the way to the boys' dormitory, Yuki says above my head.

''Do you really hate going back to that mansion so much?''
Well....

　There are people I don't want to see, a couple of them.

'Then you could have just said no, like you always do.
It doesn't work that way, you know.
Why not this time?
Actually there's a pretty important man at the mansion right now. He's the one who wants to meet with Amu and me.
''Haha..... I thought it was odd that two years have passed since the daughter of a brave man entered the school and I received a letter asking me to bring her to the school after all this time, but that's the reason, isn't it?
People are a pain in the ass. Status and power.

　When I said that, Yuki was silent for a moment and then muttered, somewhat unreasonably, "I don't understand.

''That's...I don't really understand, Yuki, but...''
"...?　What is it?

　When I urged her to do so, Yuki spoke up in a whisper.

It's called status and power, but in the end, you can usurp those things by force.
....
The Seika can have it whenever she wants. Why are you so puffed up with me? In that world, even the emperor of time respected Haruyoshi and treated him as an equal.

　I reply quietly to Yuki, who seems to be seething, "It's not that simple.

It's not that simple... for example, if you take away the position of a great nobleman or an emperor by force, then what do you do?　I'm not very good at politics and scheming, so when I'm in that position, people use me for their own advantage. They have their own struggles.
Well, if you have the help of the Seika-sama, that sort of thing is possible...
"Then shall we destroy our enemies by force?　But what kind of world is there at the end of such a politics of fear?　Nobles and merchants snitch on each other in order to kick others out of office, while the parliament is too scared of purges to even discuss the situation. With the wise men thrown out and their suspicions dashed, the polity will collapse, and eventually the country will be attacked and destroyed by another country, or even a popular uprising will ensue. At the very least, this rich country will be lost. Waiting on me is also ruinous.
....
There's a limit to what you can do with your powers, Yuki. "There is a limit to what I can do with my power, Yuki, and I can't do everything. I learned a lot of wisdom in the world, but I was never as good as a politician when it came to politics. The thoughts and activities of men are too difficult to understand.

　I had lived so long that I'd forgotten the obvious things I'd taken for granted.

I couldn't have foreseen it even a little bit. I couldn't have foreseen the fact that I would be involved in a battle for the throne a few decades later because of my close friendship with the poor young emperor. Or that the enemy's camp would turn on that little boy, seeing that they couldn't get their hands on a disciple.
....
It was a mistake to set foot in the world of politics, even if only briefly. To a politician, an uncommonly strong man may be just another pawn. In fact, even the strongest Yin and Yang master of all time was defeated like this and had to be reincarnated in another world. If they show their power and get their eyes on you, the same thing could happen to you in this world.
Then how do you think we should...?
So, live under the radar.

　I say, "Humble yourself in the presence of great men.

"Humble yourself to the highest bidder and blend in with one of the many. Even if you can't defeat them in the first place, just stay out of their way. "If you try to keep your power as low as possible, you'll be able to hide it.
....
'At the very least, you have to live that cunningly. Otherwise, you'll die without being happy again. But I've been a bit slack these days, though...
But then,

　Unusually, Yuki interrupted me.

But doesn't that mean... sometimes you have to give up?

　I stare back in disbelief.

Do you give up?　What?
'It's... it's hard to say, but... um, it's still nothing.

　After that, Yuki fell silent.
　I laughed and spoke to the specter on top of my head.

I'm sorry we've had such a boring conversation. Do you want something to eat?　The exams are just over, let's go into town to buy some more.
Then you'll want candied peaches.
You have a sweet tooth, don't you?

　You're a fox demon.