A room at an inn, separated from the hustle and bustle of the royal capital.

　There, the time after breakfast was flowing slowly.

　All I could hear were the voices of Father Nord and Mother Erna chatting amiably with each other.

　I'm relaxing on the top-of-the-line sofa a little further away from them.

　In my mind's eye, what shall I do today? I've been thinking about how I can make use of yesterday's spinning magic tool.

　Speaking of spinning, I think I can make a panel without a magic tool. I'm sure you can make one if you have a piece of string and some wood. It's a good idea to have a rotating magic tool built into it if you have the time in the future to make something similar to the toy tops that existed in Japan.

''Here you go, the famous tea of the royal capital has arrived.

　I was slumped over, and with a graceful motion, the tea cup is offered to me.

'Oh, thank you, Meena.'

　When I thank her, Meena, the maid, bows her head and refrains from going to the wall.

　If Saara had done it, I wouldn't have felt any different.

　It's a good thing that you're able to get a cup of tea made ahead of time when you're thirsty or just want to take a break.

　You're not going to be able to do that.

　After I said that, she went to make it, and even sugar, "Wouldn't you rather make sweets than put them in your tea? And so on.

　Today, she's neat and neat without saying such stupid things.

　But it's only Meena. When I bowed my head, my gaze went to my pocket.

　I still can't hide my true nature.

　Meena has been like this ever since she did the magic trick of taking the cookie out of her pocket.

　I don't know how my stock has risen in Meena, but I don't know how long I'll be able to keep this up.

　Well, it's Meena and she'll be back soon.

　I sipped my tea while thinking about that.

"...delicious.

　As I was savoring my tea in King's Landing, I heard Father Nord and Mother Erna stop talking and put their teacups down.

'Al, we'd better get going, okay?

Where?

'You told me yesterday. We're going to your grandfather's house.

　Oh, I remember saying that before I went to the mage shop.

　But I hadn't even asked him what he was going to do.

''Yes, wait a minute.''

　I pulled a cookie out of my pocket with spatial magic, took a bite and poured the tea down.

　Meena's eyes lit up when she witnessed this, and with more respect, she helped me prepare for our departure in a worthy manner.




　We rolled the carriage north from the inn, which was probably about twenty minutes away.

　The carriage stopped in the middle of a beautiful town.

　There is not so much carriage and people come and go as the main street, and the streets are stylish and somewhat calm atmosphere.

　People's clothes are clean and good quality, and their expressions seem happy.

　Some people were holding a tea party in the garden with lush greenery in the mansion.

　I see that this is an aristocratic town.

　The buildings are generally large and lined with many small mansions on the street.

Al, this way.

　I'm just admiring the view when Nord Dad beckons me over to him.

　In that direction was a two-story mansion with a large garden. An iron fence stood around it.

　I had heard that Erna's mother's family was of a merchant family. I wondered if it was a big enough trade association to be able to build a mansion of this size.

　There were a lot of flowers and plants in the garden, but there were a lot of red-colored flowers.

　I wondered if this was also the grandfather's hobby.

　As we entered the grounds, a servant-like man came out of the mansion and showed us around.

　I'm not sure if he is also the guard of this place from the physical appearance.

　It has an atmosphere that makes you think so.

　When I was led into a room that looked like a living room, there was a smiling woman who looked to be about thirty years old and an uncle who stood up from his chair with a bang.

　These were Mother Erna's mother and father, but they were very young.

　Grandma had the same chestnut-colored hair flowing in bunches, and she looked very calm.

　She doesn't look old at all, she looks really young.

　It's not strange because in this world the adult is fifteen years old and married early, but I still feel too young to call her Grandma, and it's hard to call her Grandma.

　I think I would normally call her mother.

　The grandfather also has some wrinkles around his eyes, but they give him a mature and cool look.

　His hair is also brown and full. He seems to be still in good health.

　But the first thing he said was this.

"Is Elinora here?

　He shakes his head in a somewhat loud voice.

　And if I can't find him, he comes up behind us to check.

"Elinora isn't here today, father-in-law.

Don't say that, stepfather!

Calm down, Grandpa. You know that Alfried is the star of the show today?

　The old lady hushes the old man as he eats at Father Nord.

　Then he gets up from his chair and comes towards me.

'You're Alfried, aren't you?　Nice to meet you, I'm Elena, Erna's mother, Elaina.

　Looking at this soft smile, I can tell that she is still Mother Erna's mother. Her face looks just like hers, too.

''It's nice to meet you, Grandma Elaina.

　I replied cheerfully, but Grandma Elaina looked straight into my eyes and said, "Hmm.

'Yes, yes, she has a bit of a naughty look in her eyes, but she looks fine.

What?

　Hey, what the hell is that supposed to mean?　Tell me more about it.

"I know you're tired after your recent visit to King's Landing, but you should take it easy today. We'll talk more slowly later, okay?

　Grandma Elena smiled at me and patted my head to comfort me.

　No, it's already been four days since I came to the capital and I slept soundly yesterday, too.

　I wonder if my eyes are that tired....

　While everyone else took their seats, I stood there alone, stunned.

　My grandfather's big hand wagging my head seemed to be telling me to cheer up.





By the way, it's the Nord," he said. I'm sure you've been coming to King's Landing less and less often lately.　Isn't that why Elinora doesn't come here? I suppose it's important to keep up with her as a nobleman?

　Grandpa Lazares, mother Erna's father, said, folding his arms.

　Probably 30% of my thoughts are about my father Nord and 70% about my sister Elinora," he said.

　It is true that we are a baronial family. It's probably because of their low status among the nobility that they have to rise above the rest. However, Nord Dad rarely goes to the royal capital to attend the parties held by the nobles. It's also because our fiefdom is too far away from King's Landing and other fiefdoms, but the world of aristocrats shouldn't be so naive as to allow that to work every time.

　Of course I attend the surrounding noblemen's social gatherings and important events, but I also think that I spend too much time in the territory.

''Your father-in-law, and--''

Don't call me Father-in-law!

Stepfather?

No.

...Dad?

What?　Have you learned to make jokes like that before you've seen me in so long, Nord?

　This surprised me too. I didn't know that Nord Dad would call Grandpa Dad.

　I don't know if it's the usual thing about this exchange, but Mom Erna and Grandma are normal.

　They are having a friendly conversation on the sofa like good sisters.

　However, Nord Dad is being bullied by Grandpa.

Well, that's okay. Are you okay with what you just said?

Yes, our territory was a rural one, and I myself tried not to get involved in such things. I have some backing. But lately, there seems to be a movement to pay attention to us...

　So Dad Nord glances at me. Grandpa catches it and takes a glance at it, too.

　He glances at me, and Grandpa catches his eye.　We are certainly richer and can afford it, but we still fit into the rural area, didn't my dad say?

So this is the amusement prize you sold to that upstart trading company. Citizens and noblemen alike are enthralled by him.

　No disrespect to this man. I have the honorable name of Alfried, you know?

　It was Dad Nord who officially sold it.

'What are you talking about? You've been bragging about it ever since it arrived.

Shut up!

　Grandma's voice sounded dumbfounded, and Grandpa returned it with a scornful smile.

　Grandma didn't seem to care about it and went back to the conversation.

　There's something so peaceful about that.

'Although you should have signed a contract with our trade association anyway.

No, we have a connection.

'Well, it's straight up over there, for better or worse. Not bad, though.

Excuse me.

　As if to change the air that has become a little heavy, Grandpa mutters.


''Haha, I can't wait for Elinora to join the Order. Then she will live in King's Landing, so she can live in my house.

'It's not possible, since the Knights are required to sleep in their quarters.

'Nuh-uh!　That's where the barons come in.

We don't have that kind of power. Even if we did, it's impossible to interfere unless it's a rare occurrence. Naturally, it seems that you don't get many days off right after you join the club.

　Grandpa, who had been smashed to pieces where he expected to be, plopped down on the table.

　Ho, you don't have many holidays when you join the Order? That was a good thing to hear.

　In other words, he couldn't even go back to the village of Coriat, far away from the royal capital.

　Does this mean that from now on you are promised a graceful life without fear of natural enemies?

　I'll be nice to Elinora sister when I return. And when the time comes, I'll give her a grand send-off. I'll be so embarrassed the next time I come back.

　Yesterday was the second day of our stay at Grandpa's house. There were only two days left until the party.

　The party is going to be for two days anyway, and we plan to stay for some time after that, so it's not a problem. It's okay. Even if there's an emergency, I'll just go see the play, even if I have to use transfer magic to see it.


　× X X X


What are you doing, Al?

　I was chipping wood in the yard and my grandfather was talking to me.

　He's wearing a white shirt with a kind of indigo vest and long brown pants underneath.

　He is surprisingly stylish.

'I'm making a panel out of wood,'

　I replied, and I used the rotating magic tool I set up on the ground again to rough-cut the frame.

　I put the polishing stone on it and spun it at high speed with my magic power, and it instantly smoothed out the unevenness of the panel in the blink of an eye.

　At the same time, a not-so-loud sound rang out.

　Then Nord Dad and the rest of the guys came over to me as if to see what was going on.

　I think they probably heard the sound of my roughing it and came over.

　Now they were doing some precise and dangerous work. Perhaps sensing this, no one spoke to me, but I felt somewhat uncomfortable because everyone was staring at me.

　In such a situation, I carved the central part of the carving after arranging the shape of the carving for the most part.

　It would have been quicker if I had fixed the panel and pressed the blade against it, but I was short of tools, so I gave up. I used a tool like the one Mr. Ehrman gave me to carve.

　My gaze changes to a suspicious one.

By the way, what's the purpose of this thing, anyway?

　Grandpa asks on behalf of me.

　Does this look like food to everyone?

...Of course it's meant to be turned and played with, right?

　Grandma smiled happily as I replied, and Mother Erna and the rest of the family looked at me in disgust.

　My Nordic father held his head down to try to hold back his headache.

　It's a bit awkward and might not turn properly, but let's give it a try.

　He moves from the grass to the stone pathway and wraps the cord around the frame.

　Grandpa was the only one who followed me curiously.

　I let go of the string as if to throw it, with a curious grandpa watching me.

　The sound of dry wood and stone rubbing against each other.

　Then the frame slid and rolled away.

　With a caracara sound, he retrieved the ugly spinning frame.

　It's embarrassing to suddenly fail to throw it and just fail to throw it.

'That's it?'

No, it was just a bad throw.

　I carefully wrapped the string around it again and checked the throwing motion.

　Yeah, the shaft I stuck in the middle looks fine.

　Then I pulled the string again.

　The panel was unsteady at first, but then it started to turn like a man holding his own.

It's turning!

'Oh!　You're spinning so nicely!　Interesting!

　We frolicked while watching the spinning frames

By the way, is this thing just going to turn?　Still, it's interesting, but isn't there any other way to play it?

Now it's just a matter of bumping the tops against each other in a tight ring. Some people are so good, they make you pass the string.

'We're going to bump into each other!　That sounds interesting!　Here, give me another one!

No, there's only one.

You could have made one. I want to see them bump into each other.

　What does this old man say with a straight face? What did he see in the work he just did?

　Oh, if you want to see them bump into each other so much, let's just improvise.

Then do you have a piece of paper as thick as a card, a skewer and scissors?　Because that's all it takes to make an impromptu panel.

　With that, Grandpa ran into the house and brought them out.

　I cut the thick, cardboard-like paper I'd brought with me into a circle and stuck a shortened skewer through it.

'It's done,'

Is this how you spin it?

　As you can imagine, it's impossible to turn an improvised panel on the stone road, so we move to the table at home.

'Pick here and turn it like this ... see?'

　I show him what I'm doing, and he turns it around with a mysterious look on his face.

'Oh!　Oh!　We're turning!

Come on, let's get out of here.

'Ah!　What are you doing to my panel!

We're supposed to bump into each other, right?

Bastards!　Next time they'll pop it!

Hey, why is Al's panel so sharp?

To win, okay?

　That day, Grandpa had been spinning the panel all day long.

　He was getting creative with paper to win. I was trying to do something different, like making flower-like panels and making them brightly colored with paint.

'Hey, sell these to me.

'Oh, yes, yes. I'll give it to you now, do what you want...