Chapter 7: Social Reasons

As it’s the social season, I’ve been invited to more evening parties. Since I’m still a student, I decide which parties to attend after discussing with Mother. Because I don’t have a fiancé, the parties I can attend are limited. I’ve also been going to daytime tea parties with Mother more often, though. At parties I attend with family, I often get introduced to young heirs, which can be exhausting. Even if I try to slip away quietly, I’m warned by my family not to be alone. It seems social events are also a place for matchmaking. I’d heard rumors, but it’s true. I can’t help but wonder if I’ll meet a wonderful man in such a setting… While talking with an introduced heir, he suggested we go somewhere private to talk… I was horrified. I signaled my discomfort to my parents with my eyes, but the heir’s parents just said, “We’ll leave the rest to the young couple.” The heir took my hand and said,
“Let’s go over there and talk slowly.”

How old is this man, exactly? He’s not that young, is he… That’s when Father stepped in to stop him.

“Oh my, isn’t that Lord Hudson? Good evening.”

Mother greeted him, and Jay-sama approached us.

“It’s a lovely evening, isn’t it? Viscount Rosen, Madam.”

Jay-sama greeted them with a constant smile and turned to me.

“Hey, Rubina-chan. Am I interrupting?”

He smiled while looking at the hand the heir was holding.

“Good evening, Jay-sama.”

“Do you remember our promise from last time? I came to ask you for a dance.”

A promise? I tilted my head.

“I thought I’d see the results of your practice.”

He whispered in my ear, sending a shiver down my spine… My face is probably bright red right now.

“Haha, you’re adorable with your ears turning red too. Pardon me, but she has a prior engagement with me. Could you let go of her hand?”

At that, the not-so-young man (sorry, I forgot his name) let go of my hand with an awkward expression. I was glad I was wearing gloves. Thanks to Jay-sama’s arrival, I was able to part ways with that man and his family. Phew.

“Father, Mother, I wish you’d helped me sooner… Please stop doing this kind of thing.”

By “this kind of thing,” I meant these matchmaking introductions.

“We’ve been declining them… But I thought it’d be rude not to at least greet someone who approached us. Still, it seems there are persistent men out there, so be careful.”

Father glanced at Jay-sama, who returned a gentle smile. Some kind of adult greeting I don’t understand?

“Now, as promised, Rubina-chan, shall we have one dance?”

He extended his hand.

“…Yes.”

“Then, Viscount Rosen, I’ll be spending a little time with your daughter. No need to worry.”

“I understand. Please take care of my daughter.”

Father… why? When I asked him later, he said that since Jay-sama properly asked for permission to take me out, nothing improper would happen. Lord Hudson isn’t the type to do such things—he’s someone who follows proper etiquette… Is he really that casual? He always speaks to me so easily, and his attitude doesn’t change no matter who he’s talking to, right?

“I came to see you directly because you didn’t reply, Rubina-chan.”

“I haven’t spoken to Father yet… I’d like to go, but I don’t think Jay-sama and I have the kind of relationship where you should go to such lengths…”

What kind of relationship are we? Not friends, not even acquaintances… really.

“…A relationship, huh. Want to deepen it?”

Jay-sama casually said something strange.

“…? Are you teasing me?”

Jay-sama winked, so I furrowed my brows in annoyance. He really is a casual person! Is he enjoying teasing me? That’s in bad taste!

“Hey, your angry face is cute too. I’m not teasing you. When I’m with you, Rubina-chan, I just… feel like I want to take care of you, or I get this restless feeling. Honestly, I enjoy it.”

“Do you say that to everyone? Jay-sama, you’ve been kind since we first met, but when you invited me to the play, it felt like you were used to inviting people… like you’re accustomed to approaching others…”

“What! That’s how you saw it? That’s a shock…”

“…Is that not true?”

“It’s a misunderstanding. I was raised to believe it’s natural to help a lady in trouble, but I don’t approach just anyone… I’m sorry for reminding you of something unpleasant, but seeing you wait outside for hours looked so earnest. You said you’d never been to a play, so I wanted to show you one. And you’re always getting entangled with someone… I wonder why.”

“? Are you saying I attract trouble?”

True, he’s helped me out. That time, and this time…!

“Haha, a trouble magnet, huh? That’s interesting. If that’s the case, just call me, and I’ll come to your rescue anytime.”

“…No, thank you.”

“Now, then. When should we schedule the workshop tour? I’ll get permission from the viscount for you to go out.”

Huh? Somehow, I’m being swept along at Jay-sama’s pace again. And before I knew it, we’d finished dancing a whole song. When did that happen? Jay-sama had already gotten permission from Father for the outing.

“My nose feels strange.”

Today, I visited the workshop with Jay-sama. The person making the perfumes was a woman, and after smelling various scents, my nose started feeling off. It’s like the smells won’t go away… I was amazed by the artisans. Even with roses, different varieties have different scents, and I learned that balancing and blending them is very complex—it felt like being a scientist.

“Artisans are amazing, aren’t they? A slight difference can create something completely different. Creating something from scratch is truly incredible.”

“Jay-sama, you have a calm, pleasant scent too.”

“…It’s embarrassing to have my scent noticed. I’m glad you think it’s a calming fragrance, Rubina-chan.”

“…Oh, I said something unnecessary.”

(I understand now. Being close enough to smell his scent might mean…! Oh, wait? When I smell the perfume Jay-sama gave me, it reminds me of him… Being enveloped in that scent… What a foolish thought… I’m too inexperienced with men, and my thoughts are going in a strange direction…)

My cheeks felt hot, and I covered my face with both hands.

“Rubina-chan, your emotions really show on your face… I heard you like violets, so I thought it was perfect timing. I truly think it’s cute how you react so freshly to things. When we first met, you seemed so fragile, but your cautious side is like a kitten. That former fiancé of yours compared you to a dog, but you’re a cat… yeah. I mean, you’re human, of course. But the way you hiss and bristle when someone reaches out feels very cat-like.”

“Are you mocking me? I’m a human.”

Hmph. I turned my face away. I was annoyed at being compared to an animal.

“My metaphor was poor, I’m sorry. I want to get to know you better, Rubina-chan, and I want you to know I’m not some flirtatious man. I was away from this country for a long time, so I might not be used to the young ladies here…”

“…Where do you live, Jay-sama? I was unsure when sending the letter. Your shop is a workplace, so I wondered if it was okay to send a personal letter there…”

I sent the reply to the shop as he’d instructed, but I don’t even know where he lives.

“Oh? Are you curious? I live in the western district. It’s the former Durand count family’s estate. The castle is truly beautiful—I begged my father for the title just to get it.”

“Hehe, you chose it because you wanted the castle?”

“Exactly. Is that strange? There were titles with land too, but I want to succeed in business, and I couldn’t manage a territory with that mindset. The people under such a lord would suffer.”

“I think it’s fine to have different perspectives. It’s the path you chose, Jay-sama.”

“Thank you. You sound like my father. He wanted me to take a title with land, but in the end, he told me to do my best since it’s the path I chose. It was the same when I studied abroad. Hearing you say that, Rubina-chan, I feel like I have to keep working hard. I’m still relying on my family a lot, though.”

It doesn’t seem that way to me; I think it’s just how Jay-sama feels.

“By the way, isn’t the academy festival coming up soon?”

“Yes. You’re well-informed.”

Preparations for the academy festival had started.

“My family donates to the academy, so I’m invited. What’s your class doing, Rubina-chan? I wasn’t a student here, so I don’t know much, but my brothers did things like plays or art exhibitions.”

“My class is running a café. We’ll all wear matching outfits and serve customers. We’re borrowing the academy’s cafeteria and making handmade snacks, so everyone’s really motivated. I’ll be in charge of brewing tea on the day.”

“Rubina-chan will personally brew tea for me? I’ll definitely come.”

“I’m just brewing tea, nothing special, but the proceeds will be donated to an orphanage, so I’d be happy if customers come.”

“I’ll definitely come.”

“I’ll be waiting for you.”

I’ll be preparing for the festival starting tomorrow, so I’ll do my best.

“The tea Rubina-san brews is delicious.”

Our class decided on roles, and I’m in charge of brewing tea. The others in the same role seem to have practiced at home.

“I learned how to brew from Onii-sama. He’s skilled at everything, and I love the tea he brews the most.”

“How wonderful, Rubina-san’s Onii-sama. Cynthia-oneesama is lucky.”

“Cynthia-san also said she loves the tea Onii-sama brews. By the way, this tea has a wonderful aroma. You brought it, right, Sophia-san?”

“We dry fruits from our territory and blend them into the tea leaves. I’m glad you like it.”

We prepared several types of tea and are choosing which leaves to use. Sophia-san’s tea is quite popular.

“This sugar is lovely! I’ve never seen it before.”

The sugar is shaped like a rose! It’ll melt when you put it in the tea. So luxurious!

“It seems Ingrid-san provided it. As expected of a marquis family, the things they use are different.”

“When you add it to fruit tea, it leaves a refreshing sweetness in your mouth. This is luxurious. It’ll definitely be popular!”

“Now that we’ve decided on the tea, let’s head to the cafeteria to make snacks. Everyone’s already moving.”

We’re borrowing the cafeteria to make tea snacks. The tea foods served in the cafeteria are popular among the young ladies. We can’t make many varieties, but the cafeteria chefs will teach us how to make them. We’ll prepare the snacks the day before, and the chefs will check them afterward. In baking, timing and heat are the most important, so for inexperienced people like us, having the chefs supervise ensures we don’t waste ingredients.

“Add the butter and mix until it becomes creamy. It takes some effort, so do your best. Add the granulated sugar in several portions and mix.”

They said we’re making simple cookies, but baking takes a lot of energy. My arms are starting to hurt. Everyone else is working hard, so I’ll endure the pain and keep going.

“Next, add the beaten egg in two portions and mix.”

More mixing. I need to mix it so it doesn’t separate.

“Add vanilla essence and mix further.”

More… mixing. Did I mix this much when I made cookies with the maids at home? Oh, that’s right. I only did the cookie cutting! I’m embarrassed for thinking I’d baked cookies when all I did was press the cutter… They praised me for being good at cutting, but I just pressed the cutter…

“Are you getting tired? Just a little more for delicious cookies. Mix the sifted flour with a rubber spatula and combine it into a dough. Next, shape it into a log.”

Mixing with a rubber spatula, huh. My arms are at their limit.

“Good. Now roll it on this granulated sugar to coat it thoroughly. Well done, you’re finished. We’ll chill the dough in the refrigerator, so take a break.”

After chilling the dough, we cut it into pieces. Some people were using a knife for the first time, and the chef watched nervously. We lined them up on a sheet and left the baking to the chef.

A few minutes later.

“Wow, it smells amazing.”

Everyone was delighted to see the cookies they made.

“They turned out well. Next time, try to make them more uniform in size so the heat distributes evenly—it’ll look better. They’re still hot, but freshly baked cookies are delicious. Shall we taste them?”

Tasting the cookies I made myself. The sugar is crisp and sweet—it’s really delicious. We’re allowed to take the leftovers home, and everyone said they’d bring them as souvenirs for their families. Tomorrow, we’ll learn to make chiffon cake.

“Onii-sama, shall we take a break?”

I returned home and went to Onii-sama’s study.

“Rubina, you’re back? Welcome home.”

“I’m home. May I brew some tea?”

I heard from Onii-sama’s maid that it’s about time for him to take a break!

“You’ll brew it for me, Rubina? I’d appreciate that.”

Today’s tea is the fruit tea Sophia-san shared with me. The leaves are unfurling, and it smells wonderful. It’s almost ready.

“Here you are.”

I served the tea along with the cookies I made at the academy today. I’m nervous.

“Thank you. It smells wonderful. This is my first time having this, right? And this sugar is unique. It’s very nice. Where did you get it?”

“The tea is from Sophia-san, and the sugar was given by Ingrid-sama.”

“You’re running a café at the festival, right? I wish I could go, but I can’t make it. These cookies are delicious too.”

Yes! He said they’re delicious.

“These cookies are what we’ll serve at the festival. We practiced as a class, and we were allowed to take home what we made, so I wanted Onii-sama to try them. When I told Sophia-san that Onii-sama couldn’t come to the festival, she shared the tea, and Ingrid-sama, who overheard, gave us the sugar. What do you think of our class’s event?”

Onii-sama couldn’t come because of other commitments, so Sophia-san suggested sharing the festival spirit with him.

“Thank you, I’m really happy. Please tell them I was delighted. The cookies you made are delicious, Rubina. It must have been tough, right?”

“Yes. It was my first time baking from scratch, so my arms got sore. It takes hours to make, but it disappears in an instant once you start eating. I realized that cookie cutting was the easy part. But making snacks with my classmates was so much fun, and when we tasted the baked cookies together, I forgot all about my sore arms.”

We talked about our sore arms during the baking time, but the moment we saw the finished cookies, it turned into joy.

“Hearing your story, Rubina, I can picture how much fun it was. Are you enjoying the academy?”

“Yes, very much. Onii-sama, I’ll be baking chiffon cake tomorrow, so look forward to it.”

“That sounds exciting. As a thank-you for today’s wonderful tea and sugar, how about giving them some strawberry jam? The chef made a lot for you this year. I’ll have it prepared, so give it to them tomorrow.”

When strawberries are in season, the chef makes jam. It’s delicious in tea or on bread. The chef’s strawberry jam is my favorite, and since Mother uses it as a gift, I think it’s a jam we can proudly share.

The next day, when I gave them the jam, they were delighted. Today, we’re learning to make chiffon cake. The ingredients are simple, but it uses a lot of eggs.

“Mix the egg yolks with a little sugar until it turns pale. Then add the oil and mix.”

My arms, which were overworked from yesterday’s cookie-making, are starting to hurt again.

“Sift the flour and mix it in.”

More mixing.

“Prepare another bowl, add the egg whites, and mix. This is a tough task, but it’s important, so do your best. Once it becomes white and fluffy, add sugar and whip until stiff peaks form. This is called meringue.”

Meringue, huh. I see. Stiff peaks—what does that mean? How long do I have to mix… My speed is slowing down. Phew.

“Add the meringue to the egg yolk mixture little by little, mixing by folding.”

Folding? A new way of mixing! Fold, fold…

“Good job, well done. Pour it into the mold, smooth it out, and bake it in the oven.”

Phew, finally. I mixed twice as much as yesterday. Everyone looks exhausted. Baking is a test of endurance. I understand now why so many bakers are men.

“It looks like it’s done baking. While it cools, let’s make whipped cream. Mix the cream while chilling it over ice water. Add sugar and vanilla essence, and keep mixing.”

More mixing! I’ll definitely have muscle pain tomorrow. While mixing the cream with Sophia-san, some of her cream splattered onto my cheek.

“Eek! Rubina-san, I’m sorry. My hand slipped.”

“It’s fine, Sophia-san. Look, some of the others have cream on their faces too.”

“Oh my, how embarrassing. Hehe, this is fun.”

“Yes, it’s fun.”

The chiffon cake turned out perfectly. It looks fluffy and delicious, but baking enough chiffon cakes for customers might be too much for us.

“Good work, everyone. You all worked hard yesterday and today. I think you’ve realized how tough baking can be. Even so, I take pride in making people happy with delicious treats. When you asked me to teach you baking, I thought you young ladies might give up halfway. But not one of you gave up, and you all enjoyed baking—thank you for that. We’ll have you make the cookies for the event, but the kitchen staff will help with the chiffon cakes, so let’s work together and enjoy it until the end.”

It was tough, but does this mean we passed?

“By the way… cupcakes are relatively easy to make, so let’s add those too. With different toppings, the possibilities are endless, and they’ll look great.”

Even after graduation, I’ll probably remember the festival season and think, “That was so much fun.” I hope I can make lots of happy memories like that. That’s how I felt.

The academy festival has arrived.

“So many customers came. We might run out of snacks.”

Our class is bustling with voices like that. The baked goods we prepared in abundance are selling well, and the café is crowded.

“Rubina-san, let’s take a break soon. You want to check out the other classes’ events, right?”

“Yes, let’s go. I’m looking forward to it.”

I was talking with Sophia-san while folding my apron.

“Shall we visit classes we don’t usually go to?”

Saying that, Sophia-san and I headed to the knight course building. It’s my first time stepping into this area, and I feel a bit nervous.

“It’s crowded with so many people.”

It’s clear that this area is popular with both boys and girls.

“Oh! That blond person over there—I heard he’s an elite in the knight course and very popular.”

“Wow, he’s surrounded by young ladies.”

The knight course was showcasing a demonstration of their skills, and I could hear the excited squeals of the young ladies. To join the knight order, you need to excel in both academics and martial arts, so the knight course has a lot of top students. I think in the last test, five of the top ten ranks were knight course students. They train physically and study—when do they even sleep?

“You two, I haven’t seen you before.”

A senior who looked very much like a knight course student approached us. Knight course students are different from others in our class—they’re much bigger.

“First years? You’re both cute. Want to explore the festival with us? It must be fate. Let’s have fun together.”

“I’m sorry, but we’re on a break and have to return for our shift soon.”

Sophia-san firmly declined. Impressive.

“Judging by your outfits, you’re from the class running a café, right?”

The knight course seniors kept talking to us persistently.

“Um…”

“Hm? What?”

I couldn’t leave it all to Sophia-san, so I spoke up.

“We need to head back now. We have to return.”

As I reached out to hold Sophia-san’s hand, it happened.

“No need to rush, right? We’re in the middle of talking. Oh, how about we escort you to your classroom?”

My arm was suddenly grabbed tightly.

“Eh? Eek!”

I let out a small scream, startled by the sudden action.

“Let’s go, shall we?”

The knight course student smiled while holding my arm. I tried to pull away, but I couldn’t match a knight course student’s strength.

“Let go of her hand.”

Sophia-san firmly told the knight course senior to stop.

“Why don’t you come along too?”

Another knight course student touched Sophia-san’s shoulder. What do we do? If we make a scene here, it’ll cause a commotion… I looked around, but no one was paying attention to us.

I was pulled forcefully. What do I do? I’m scared.

“Hold on a second!”

The voice belonged to someone with sweat glistening on his forehead—he seemed to have rushed over to help.

“Jay-sama!”

“Who are you?”

The knight course student looked at Jay-sama with a suspicious expression.

“I’m her acquaintance. Let go of her hand. She has a prior engagement with me. And you over there, could you let go of her too? You’re… the heir of the Solio count family, right? You look just like your father.”

“How do you know—”

Jay-sama smiled with confidence.

“My name is Jay Hudson. I’m the third son, so I won’t punish you for not knowing me.”

“From the Hudson marquis family… My deepest apologies!”

He bowed deeply, his face turning pale as if the blood had drained from it.

“You’re not the one you should apologize to. I don’t know if you’ll be forgiven, though.”

The count’s heir apologized to Sophia-san.

“By the way, how long do you plan to hold her arm?”

Jay-sama twisted the arm of the heir holding me.

“Ouch…”

“You’re aiming to be a knight, right? This shouldn’t hurt, should it? It’s just a light touch from a civilian.”

Jay-sama was smiling while twisting his arm. He looks so calm—surely he’s not using much force, right? When Jay-sama loosened his grip and whispered something in the heir’s ear, the heir’s face turned pale, he fell to the ground, and then ran away. It all happened so quickly.

“I heard you were on a break when I went to your class, Rubina-chan, so I was wandering around the academy. How did this happen?”

“…Thank you for helping us.”

Sophia-san also thanked him and introduced herself to Jay-sama.

“No need to worry about it. Those heirs won’t bother you anymore, so you can relax. It seems there are some strange students at this academy. They’re a disgrace to knights.”

…What did Jay-sama say to them?

“We managed to avoid trouble this time, but… what should we do… Sigh.”

Jay-sama muttered with a troubled look, and our eyes met. He’s always saving me. I’m the one who should be wondering what to do.

“Lord Hudson, would you like some tea? You have a promise with Rubina-san, right? I’ll go ahead and prepare things, so we’ll be waiting in the classroom. Rubina-san, take your time since it’ll take a while to set up.”

Sophia-san waved and left.

“She said to take our time, huh. Will you show me around the academy? It’s my first time here, so it feels fresh.”

“Sophia-san… Preparing things before Jay-sama even replied. Jay-sama, you really came. I don’t know the academy that well, but I’ll guide you.”

It’s nice that Jay-sama came to my class, but saying “we’ll be waiting” before he could reply doesn’t seem like Sophia-san, does it?

“I promised last time we met, so of course I came. Now, where will you take me?”

I ended up giving Jay-sama a tour of the academy, but my range of movement here is pretty limited!

“Are there any snacks left?”

Sophia hurried back to the classroom, recalling that there were only a few left before the break.

“We’re down to just cookies, but there are some left.”

A classmate in charge of serving answered, so Sophia secured the cookies.

“Sophia-san, you went on a break with Rubina-san, right? Where’s Rubina-san?”

It was Deborah-san and Rachel-san.

“Lord Hudson came and saved us from some knight course students who were bothering us! He’s with Rubina-san now, and they’ll be here soon!”

“Eek!”

How wonderful, how wonderful—the three of them got excited. Then the teacher came to check on the classroom and said,

“We’ve almost sold out of snacks, so let’s close up and invite family or guests to relax. You can use the space freely now. Good work, everyone, you did great.”

With the shop closed, we were allowed to invite guests to the classroom.

“Perfect timing!”

“We have Rubina-san’s cookies!”

“Everything’s ready!”

Rubina’s support team of three was full of energy.

~Jay’s Perspective~

“Is this Rubina Rosen-chan’s class?”

I asked a student at the reception desk in front of Rubina-chan’s class.

“Yes, that’s right. Rubina-san is on a break right now and won’t be back for a while. Would you like to wait inside until she returns?”

I glanced at the café. Other young ladies were brewing tea.

“No, I’ll come back later. Thank you.”

…On a break, huh. Bad timing. The reason for that was the headmaster’s long speech. Since my family donates to the academy, they were eager to treat me well. I wasn’t a student here, so they explained the academy’s history from the beginning. Still, it’s a large campus. The gardens are beautiful, and there’s an impressive library. There was a sign that read “Knight Course Ahead.”

“Shall I take a look?”

In the country where I studied abroad, the knight course was very popular, and there were a lot of muscular guys. They’d say, “You won’t be popular with women unless you bulk up!” Even those not in the knight course trained hard. The theater troupe members were slim but had toned muscles, but in that country, rugged, muscular men were the most popular. Their arms were as thick and hard as tree trunks, their uniforms were tight, and that was considered manly and cool. Nostalgic memories. I trained with my friends too, but I didn’t want to bulk up, so I only trained moderately—ladies didn’t even glance at me. While training, I learned that even big guys have weak points, and I figured out how to handle them with moderate strength. I also learned that everyone has their strengths and weaknesses. I was more interested in conversations with theater troupe members or the work of artisans. I didn’t talk much with women privately, and unless it was work-related, I didn’t interact with the opposite sex much. It was a shame that so many talented people in the arts weren’t appreciated enough. I invited those artisans to my country, which led to where I am now. The knight course students here are all slim and slender. Thinking of my bulky, muscular friends, I couldn’t help but notice the difference. So this is the knight course… A group of young ladies was surrounding a blond heir. He’s what they’d call a handsome guy in this country. I could hear their excited squeals. But in a certain country, he wouldn’t be popular. I mentally warned him—he’d be called “too skinny” there. They’d say that about both men and women. Nostalgic times. It seems they were doing a demonstration of their skills here, but I missed it. Too late. I was about to head back when I heard a faint scream from a girl.

A scream? It’s different from the excited squeals… Wait, Rubina-chan!? Why is she being bothered again! I rushed to help. I didn’t use much force since they were students, but they let go easily, even though they acted like it hurt. I might have been a bit immature, but oh well. I was sure he was the Solio count’s son, and when I mentioned the Hudson marquis name, he apologized quickly… The Solio count family serves the Hudson marquis family. I’ve known the Solio count since childhood, so I recognized him immediately. And the other guy—the heir of the Banded count family. The second son of the Banded count… I think he was violent toward his wife and has a lot of debt? Does he take after his brother in being violent? Should I report him to the guards? I said that while lightly twisting his arm.

“Don’t ever come near my companion again, got it? Tell your friends too,” I said before letting go, and his face turned pale. The Banded count family seems like it’d have plenty of dirt if you dig. It’s a bit pathetic to rely on the marquis name in times like this, but I’ll use what I can.

“Is this where you usually have lunch?”

As we walked toward Rubina-chan’s class, we passed a courtyard. There were flowers and herbs blooming, a nice breeze, and tables and benches in the shade.

“Yes, I usually spend time here. Once it gets colder, I’ll probably eat in the break room or classroom. The cafeteria is crowded and far away.”

“Even though you’re so cautious, why did you go to the knight course area?”

“I thought I’d visit a place I don’t usually go to. I wouldn’t go there without a reason, and since it’s a festival…”

I can understand that. It’s a festival, after all. Plus, only invited guests can attend the academy festival, so she probably felt safe. She was with a close friend, so it can’t be helped. To knight course students, Rubina-chan must be quite appealing… Her silver hair makes her look delicate, triggering a “I want to protect her” instinct? It makes sense. I can’t help but feel restless myself. She might be attracting trouble like bait…

“…Be more careful from now on. I can’t always help you on campus, so it’s best to stick with friends.”

As I walked with Rubina-chan through the academy, some of the heirs looked surprised. Rubina-chan didn’t seem to notice at all.

“Jay-sama, what’s wrong?”

“Nothing, I was just thinking how fresh this feels compared to the academy I attended. So, what kind of tea will you brew for me? I’m looking forward to it.”

Before I knew it, we’d arrived at Rubina-chan’s class.

“Oh? The sign has been taken down. I wonder what happened.”

When we opened the classroom door, a few groups were seated inside. Someone peeked out from behind.

“But there are people here.”

“Yes.”

“Oh, there you are, Rubina-san! We closed up for the day, but the teacher said we can use the space freely, so we’ve been waiting. Lord Hudson, please, come this way.”

As Rubina-chan and I sat down, a young lady who seemed to be Rubina-chan’s friend pushed a cart over and said,

“Rubina-san, please brew the tea. These cookies were made by Rubina-san. Please enjoy them. Take your time.”

She bowed with a smile and left. Rubina-chan brewed the tea as a thank-you. It was a blended tea with a fruity aroma, and it was delicious.

“You’re good at brewing tea.”

When I said that, she puffed out her chest and said, “Of course!” Oh, I see. She must have chosen this course as part of her bridal training… That thought made my heart ache.

~Diet’s Perspective~

“Hey, why don’t we go to the class running a café? It’s in a different building, so we don’t get many chances to go there. It’s like a garden full of girls!”

My classmates were making a fuss. A café at the festival? We don’t need to go out of our way when the cafeteria is enough…

“They say the young ladies brew tea right in front of you, and it’s super popular. The snacks are handmade too.”

Snacks? Guys don’t need to eat that stuff—it’s just sweet and makes you thirsty. Brewing tea should be a given for girls. They don’t have much else to enjoy besides tea parties… The guys who went to the café and came back all said in unison,

“The matching outfits were insanely cute! And that building smells so nice, totally different from ours! Having a young lady brew tea for you is pure bliss… If I had a fiancée, I’d definitely want her to brew for me! They were all cute, and their little clumsiness was even cuter.”

Is it really that great? Rubina always brewed tea so naturally, and I never thought much of it. I just assumed that’s how it was supposed to be.

“…Hey, don’t young ladies usually brew tea?”

I couldn’t help but ask.

“Hm? Normally, the servants brew it, right? Some might do it themselves, but that’s rare, isn’t it? Viscount Rosen’s daughter was popular and got a lot of attention. The other young ladies were cute too…”

They told me I messed up big time, Diet. Is brewing tea not a normal thing? Rubina did it so naturally that I thought it was standard, but now that I think about it, I’ve never seen my mother or sister do that.

“…Oh, I see.”

“They said the cookies they served were made by them in the cafeteria. If cute girls like that made cookies, I’d eat them every day. The lady’s course is amazing… It felt like there was a glow around them. Like a different world or heaven. The atmosphere is completely different from our classroom.”

My classmates spoke happily.

“You guys don’t usually eat sweets, right?”

They’re the type to eat hearty meals. I can’t imagine them eating sweets—I’ve never seen it.

“No, we do. We get invited to tea parties sometimes, and we don’t dislike it. There’s nothing tastier than snacks eaten with cute girls. You adjust to your company.”

I never ate the snacks Rubina offered me. She never complained, though… That must mean she really liked me, right? Maybe it’s time to take back the engagement annulment. With that thought, I headed to Rubina’s class during break time.

—Rubina was walking with a man, just the two of them!

And she looked like she was enjoying their conversation! That cheating woman! What is she thinking! The first day of the festival ended, and after cleanup, everyone was dismissed. I caught Rubina as she parted from her friends and was alone on her way home.

“Hey!”

“…Eh, Diet.”

It’s been a while since I last saw Rubina face-to-face. She looks a bit less childish now.

“Come with me.”

“Eh… wait—”

I grabbed her arm and dragged her behind the school building.

“Who was that guy?”

“…What are you talking about?”

Rubina glared at me, but it wasn’t intimidating at all.

“The guy you were with today!”

“That’s none of Morrison heir’s business.”

…Rubina talked back to me? How cheeky! She always obeyed me before. And calling me Morrison heir?

“Women should be obedient. That’s what you were taught, right? Why did you even choose the lady’s course? You picked it to support me. Are you that desperate for attention…?”

That’s it. She wanted my attention and was trying to make me jealous, right?

“…What are you saying? I’m leaving, so let go.”

“Fine. I’ll take back the engagement annulment.”

“…What?”

What kind of face is that? Women who lack charm aren’t cute.

“Let go of me!”

I covered Rubina’s mouth with my hand so she wouldn’t call for help.

“Someone! Mmph, mmph—”

Rubina struggled to get away from me, but she can’t match my strength. Resisting just wastes her energy—what an idiot. I need to take her deeper into the building and make her understand. She needs to learn her place. Rubina should stand half a step behind me. As I tried to lift her while she kept resisting, she grabbed my thumb and squeezed hard. Taking advantage of the moment I flinched, Rubina escaped. I never thought Rubina would fight back! She was always obedient and never resisted before—this must be the bad influence of her new friends! I chased after her as she ran. She can’t escape me with those short legs of hers! I can’t let her get to where the other students are heading home!

“Wait!”

Rubina closed her eyes, thinking I’d catch her. I was just about to grab her when someone interfered, stopping me from reaching her.

“Gah!”

It was a busy time with students heading home near the carriage pickup area, so there were a lot of people around. I seemed to have tripped over something, and when I looked, the blond elite from the knight course had stuck out his leg.

“You should head home quickly.”

The blond knight course student said that to Rubina while pointing at me.

“Thank you.”

“Damn it!”

When I finally stood up, the other students were giving me cold looks. Chasing a fleeing girl with a desperate expression… Just as the rumors of me being a verbal abuser had started to die down, now I’m being labeled as a stalker and violent man.

~Diet’s Father’s Perspective~

“Call Cecil for me…”

A letter of protest addressed to Diet’s father had arrived, of course. I’d been thinking about what to do if this happened again, so the decision was made quickly. Holding my head, I called for Diet’s younger sister, Cecil. Cecil, still a bit childlike at 10 years old, knocked and entered the study after I gave permission.

“Father, you called for me?”

Cecil doesn’t have a fiancé yet. If Diet’s actions ruin her chances for a good match, that’d be unfair to her—that’s what I’d been thinking.

“Cecil, I want you to think of your brother as no longer existing… I seem to have failed in raising Diet. I’d like you to take over the family from now on. I’m sorry for the burden, but for the future of the viscount family, will you do your best as the heir…?”

I’d at least planned to let Diet graduate from the academy. Attending the academy is a status symbol, and I hoped he’d change his ways during his time there, but expecting anything from that foolish son is pointless now. Viscount Rosen said he didn’t need compensation and that covering future construction costs would suffice. If Diet were to inherit, I’d have made him pay for it in his generation, but since Cecil will take over, I can’t burden her with that. So I informed the viscount family that I’d pay compensation. With Diet’s disinheritance and the compensation, I gained Viscount Rosen’s forgiveness. How did my son become such a foolish man…? He’s the one whose engagement was annulled, so why does he interpret things in his favor? It’s baffling.

“Understood. I just need to clean up the mess Onii-sama made, right?”

Cecil answered clearly and decisively.

“Are you sure?”

“Yes. When Mother took to her bed, saying Onii-sama was hopeless, I prepared myself for this possibility. Fortunately, I’m much younger than Onii-sama, so by the time I enter the academy, this incident might have faded a bit—I can only hope.”

Cecil, at 10 years old, is so composed.

“Besides, Onii-sama… no, I’ve been calling him trash, so if he’s no longer my brother, I’ll keep calling him trash. I really liked Rubina-sama and dreamed of her becoming my Onee-sama, but that trash ruined it.”

“Trash, huh… Say, Cecil, when did Diet become such a man…? Did we go wrong in raising him…?”

I started showing weakness to my 10-year-old daughter.

“Trash has always been the type to slack off when no one’s watching. I’ve seen him scoff at Rubina-sama’s efforts. His core is rotten. He got conceited because he’s somewhat good-looking, but his awful personality is starting to show on his face more each year.”

…I’m speechless. Cecil realized this early on, but I only saw the surface. How pathetic.

“He put on a good face for the teachers, so he must have been two-faced. He looked down on me too. Trash hates effort, so he probably resents people who work hard.”

Cecil, I wish you’d told me sooner… But I can’t say that. I should have noticed it myself. Hearing Cecil’s words, I no longer felt any hesitation about disinheriting him. Her teachers always praised how mature she is for a 10-year-old.

“Understood. Cecil, I’m counting on you to take care of the viscount family. We’ll start looking for a fiancé for you, but if you don’t like someone, just say so. I won’t force you into an engagement with someone you dislike.”

“In that case, I have a request. I refuse any engagements with someone like that trash—someone with controlling tendencies, who’s verbally abusive, violent, delusional, a stalker, or full of misunderstandings.”

Cecil’s right—Diet can’t just be discarded anywhere. He’d cause trouble as oversized trash.

“I’m planning to send Diet to the estate where your grandmother is. He’ll do construction work or farm labor there. We can’t let him use his head—giving him too much knowledge would be problematic. He’ll do physical labor, sleep when he’s tired, and eat when he’s hungry. That kind of life.”

After my father passed, Mother has been staying at the estate. She raised me very strictly. She was kind to her grandchildren, but she won’t forgive Diet for causing this mess, so I’ll have her discipline him strictly. If he sees me or my wife, he’ll just act spoiled, so he’ll stay at the estate. He’ll live in a small detached house on the viscount estate and do everything himself—cooking, laundry, everything.

I’ll keep him within the estate, and if he finds a woman he likes, he can save up money, become independent, and marry… I’ll pay him for his work, so all that’s left is to wait for him to grow as a person…

“Understood. As the future head of the Morrison viscount family, I’ll do my best. I look forward to your guidance.”

I wish I could make Diet drink a potion made from Cecil’s wisdom… Diet, it seems your younger sister is far more suited to be the heir.