After we each finish introducing ourselves, we kids are led to our rooms where we will spend the duration of our stay.

　Eric and Luna led us up from the first floor of the mansion to the second floor. As we walked down the long corridor, there was a door that looked prestigious.

　Once inside, it's a spacious space, just like a room in a high-class hotel. There's about two living rooms in our house. From the way the room was built, they must have busted out two rooms to make one.

　If you glance at the window, you can see the beach and the ocean from there, and the view is very good. It's just like being in a tropical country.

You can see the sea, brother Silvio.

Really?

　I tell him so, and brother Silvio happily runs to the window.

'You know what, Alfried?　There's a lot of water in the ocean--

'Yes, yes, yes, it's not exactly water, it's salt water. I know, I know.

What the hell, did you know about the sea?

I know. So you can't try to get us to drink salt water.

Tsk, that's boring.

　Eric blatantly lets out a tongue lashing and looks somewhat boring.

　It no longer feels like it's a standard practice to make someone who doesn't know the ocean drink salt water.

''........Wow, so this is the ocean. There's an unseen amount of water spread out all the time!　It's great!　Al!

　As Eric and I were exchanging such an exchange, brother Silvio looked at the scenery with his pure eyes. His expression was very innocent, like a child who was given a toy for the first time.

''Eric, aren't you ashamed of trying to trick someone so pure?''

Don't tell me. I'm just now learning that the hard way.

　Seriously, Eric is a bad person for trying to cheat someone who enjoys the ocean so much.

'It's bad because you have such a personality to begin with. You can't blame me for judging my brother to be the same way.

　What a rude guy. Then I'm such a bad person that I have no problem being fooled.

"Luna, where is my bedroom?

This way.

　Sister Elinora must not be that interested in the ocean. I guess she got bored of looking at it from a distance, so Luna showed me around and went to check out her bedroom.

'Eric, where are me and brother Silvio's bedrooms?'

It's the room to the left of the hallway from here. Do you want to go take a look now?

'No, brother Silvio seems to be busy looking at the sea, and he's relaxing here now.

　As for the luggage, it looks like Meena and Eric's house servants are going to bring it in. It's not like I'm going to take a nap now, so there's no need to rush to the bedroom.

　Besides, more than anything else, it seems that brother Silvio doesn't seem to be willing to move from this place yet.

'Eric, make me a cup of tea. I'm thirsty.

All right, all right. I'll get a servant for you right away.

　I demand a cup of tea, and Eric rings the bell on the table.

'Can't you even make yourself a cup of tea?'

Why do you do it yourself when you have servants to take care of you?

　Oh, what?　Is that how it works?　I make the tea at my house as a matter of course.

　Of course, sometimes the maids, Meena, Saara, and Mel, brew it for me, but during the day when everyone is working or something, I'm basically called in.

　While I'm tilting my head, there's a knock at the door and Largo-san, the butler, walks in.

'Sir Eric, you wanted to see me?'

Bring me five cups of tea and an assortment of baked goods.

'I thought you might say that, and I've been preparing it for you. May I bring it in now?

That's my boy, Largo. Please.

'Oh!　You had already acted on the command that would be given to you by the Lord!

Hmm. Largo's good at what he does.

　When I compliment Mr. Largo, Eric gives me a proud look and Mr. Largo gives me a soft smile.

''No, no, this is the kind of thing you can do in a heartbeat if you think about the other person.

''Well I see, because when we're tired of traveling and we're sent to a room where we can relax, the next thing we want is a drink and a soothing sweetness.

　So you act from the other person's feeling. After all, the words of an elderly person are very instructive.

"Alfried-sama is very good at understanding the feelings of others for his age, isn't he?

'Wouldn't Alfried be better suited to be a servant than a nobleman?

It's disgusting.

　Don't do that for a second, because I think that's what I think. It makes me sad.

　As I'm in such a grieving mood, Mr. Largo puts down the tea and baked goods for the three of us and leaves.

　Let's switch off the gloom. I sit down on the sofa and have a cup of hot tea and baked goods for now.

　I take a break and sit down on the big sofa in the room.

　And as I picked up the teacup, Eric muttered as he rubbed his eyes.

The fact that the events in King's Landing have led to this kind of trouble, however. Why do I have to entertain you?

　Eric lets out a big sigh, but it's the same here.

　I didn't know that the Silford family and the Slowlet family were rumored to be on bad terms because of the fact that they were cut and tied with tongs. That's why I had to come all the way to a faraway place. 'Here's the one I want to sigh.

'Originally, it was Eric's fault for poking me.

'What do you mean? You tried to unjustly take the meat I was after.

No. Eric messes with you first.

"What?

　Us, sticking our foreheads to each other and kneading each other.

　We stared at each other for a while, but somehow felt empty and separated from each other without either of us.

　I honestly don't even remember which of us caused the tongs battle anymore.

''Well, it's over and done with, so what's the point of digging it up now?''

Yeah.

　We nodded to each other and then picked up our teacups and sipped our tea.

'Hmm?　Isn't that a royal feed?

　I tilt my head in the air at how different it is from the usual mellow, deep taste.

　It's a rough tea, but it's being pushed to the line of not-so-obvious by Mr. Largo's skill.　With all these skills, it's a shame that you can't brew a good tea.

''How can you buy such high quality tea leaves that can only be sold in the royal capital for pomp and circumstance?

'Really?　We drink it every day in our house, though?

　When I boast about my finances here and there, Eric looks frustrated.

I'm sure you'll be happy to know that I'm not the only one. It's not just a matter of time before you're able to get your hands on a new product or service. What is going on here?

　Yes, thanks to those goods, the Throwlett family has a fortune that is far beyond what you'd expect from a normal baronial family.

　Would you be surprised if I told you that I'm the one who is responsible for that large source of income?

　No, Eric doesn't seem to believe it for some reason, so I'll stop.

　After picking the baked goods and pouring them down my throat with my tea, I exhale and lean back on the couch.

　Then my weight is absorbed by the sofa - it doesn't feel like it's absorbing my weight, it feels like it's bouncing back somehow. And it's also vaguely thinly cushioned.

"...Eric, isn't this sofa a bit hard?

'You're an invited guest and you've been complaining about it for a while now. To begin with, all sofas are the same. As long as they have a certain amount of cushioning and you can sit on them, you're good to go.

..........

　I can't help but exclaim at Eric's words that tell me clearly.

''Oh come on, you don't think you're thinking the same way, even in bed, do you?　You wouldn't say that you just need a big enough space to sleep, would you?

What's happening?　Keep those dead eyes away from me!　It's creepy!

Just answer my question.

'Ugh!　Babe, the bed and the couch are the same. It's the same!　The couch is good as long as you can sit on it, and the bed is good as long as you can sleep!　If I had time to spend money on that, I'd eat a good meal!

　I can't believe it. I can't believe there are people who would pull off such nonsense when they are noblemen....

　I talk to Eric, who crosses his arms and turns away from me in a sincere manner.

"Eric. No matter how hard one works, one can only do something with concentration for an hour or so. After they've concentrated, they need to take a break. The sofa and the bed are the things that give people the rest they need. It's beyond wasteful and foolish to cut them off without getting involved in that, don't you think?

"...Oh?　Oh.

Let's fixate on the bed in particular. It's where we spend about a third of our day. If you repeat that for a year or ten years, you'll see how much time you spend in bed.　What would you do without pouring money into a place where you'd spend that much time?　

Ta-sure, when you think about it, you'll be spending a lot of time in bed.

'Right?　So it's crazy to think that all you have to do is sleep.

　That's how I kept preaching to Eric for a while about the wonders of couches and beds.