5. How To Spend a Day Off

Today was a day off for staff at the Royal Research Institute, and no one could go inside without special permission. Gina explained things to me while I ate my breakfast.

“Since you’re considered a member of the staff, please take the time to relax today.”

“What should I be doing on a day off?” I asked her, tilting my head.

Back at the Eucharis manor, the only days I could remember not working were when I was too feverish to move, or too injured from whippings the day before. After coming here, I hadn’t worked for the three days following my status ailments being cured, and then it was a few days more afterwards until Lord Ishel cleared me to get out of bed... So basically, I’d only ever rested when I wasn’t well.

“It’s my first time having a day off since I’ve been feeling okay.”

“I believe it would be best for you to do something you want to do...” Gina said, looking troubled.

“Something I want to do... Something I... Hmm...” I tried to think of something, but nothing really came to mind. “The only thing I can think of is wanting to thank the two of you for working so hard...”

Hearing my words, Gina and Martha brought their hands to their mouths, tearing up. Did I say something strange?

“Lady Chelsea, your feelings are all we need.”

“What you said now was thanks enough!”

They both shook their heads. I really couldn’t think of anything else... Oh no. While I was mentally groaning, Martha clapped her hands.

“Why not go for a tour of the facilities? You haven’t gone anywhere but the Royal Research Institute or the lodging house, have you, Lady Chelsea?”

“No, I haven’t.”

Martha smiled. “There are lots of different facilities within the citadel! You can make it a field trip!”

“That’s a good idea, coming from you,” Gina followed up. “It would be good for her to know where the Knights and Mage Order are.”

Martha puffed her chest out proudly, and in return, Gina lightly mimed slapping Martha’s stomach. They were so funny that I couldn’t help but grin. Seeing my expression, Martha looked really happy, while Gina looked like she was on the verge of tears again.

I could just hear Lady Medisina’s voice reprimand me. But at the same time, I remembered how Lord Glen had said to smile when I wanted to smile. I’d decided to believe him instead. He’d told me to forget everything I was taught as discipline in the manor, so I shook off Lady Medisina’s words from my mind.

“Lady Chelsea, your smile is cute enough to make everyone around you happy.”

“If you’re having fun, or find something amusing, feel free to smile!”

“Okay!” I replied, doing just as they said.

＋＋＋

While I was drinking my after-meal tea, Gina left the room. A little bit later, she came back in with a man I didn’t know. He was impressively tall, with broad shoulders and short black hair, and he had the same little yellow cape on his shoulder as the guards outside my door. He looked older than Lord Glen, but he might have been around Lord Tris’ age.

“I am the second son of Margrave Sargent, Marxfort, and Deputy Commander of the Second Order of Knights. Please, call me Marx,” he introduced himself with a bow.

“Nice to meet you. My name is Chelsea, and I’m the daughter of Baron Eucharis,” I rushed to reply, jumping to my feet and bowing my head. I still hadn’t learned how to introduce myself like a noble yet... I need to learn, quick!

“It’s an honor to meet such a lovely lady. Would you care to tour the citadel with me today?”

It looked like Gina had left to go bring Lord Marx here. I couldn’t help but wonder if someone as important as a Deputy Commander should be showing me around.

“Um, is it okay for someone like me to go with you?” I asked. He gave me a big smile, with teeth so white it was almost blinding.

“It’s because it’s you that it’s alright. Let’s get going.”

“O-Okay!”

Getting caught in his pace, I followed him out of the room. Outside, there were two knights I hadn’t seen before.

“These two will be your guards today. Treat them as if they aren’t there. You’ll have to become used to doing so as a noble.”

It’ll be hard to just ignore people who are right here... But if it was normal for nobles, I’d have to get used to it. I gave the two guard knights a little bow, and they gave me big smiles back.

“There are various buildings and facilities inside the citadel. The castle where the royal family lives, the royal castle itself, guest houses, the Knight’s guardroom, the Mage Order’s laboratories, the library, the gardens... The list goes on. Quite honestly, we could never tour them all in one day,” Lord Marx explained as we walked north from the lodging house. “Today, I’ll be mainly showing you the western side. We’ll go to the building closest to the lodging house first. To the immediate north is the guardroom for the Second Order of Knights. If you need anything, we will come running.”

As we walked north, there was another brown brick building beside the lodging house. On the wall by the entrance was a yellow banner with some sort of symbol.

“Yellow is the color of the Knights. The guards stationed outside of your room are knights as well. The Second Order’s headquarters is elsewhere,” Lord Marx said with another big smile. “Across from the Knight’s station and beside the Royal Research Institute is the library. You should be able to borrow and read anything you wish, Miss Chelsea. I hear that you’ve been reading botanical guides to go along with your Skill, but it may be good for you to read other, normal books as well.”

“I’d like that,” I said, nodding to him.

Back at the Eucharis manor, I’d snuck looks at a picture book to make sure that I could read properly. It was about a poor girl who transformed thanks to a mage. I used to dream of a mage coming to save me too... The book was taken away from me immediately, but I remembered having a lot of fun. To think, I can read like that again...!

Excited, I headed towards the library. It was a round and tall building, like a tower. Inside, books covered the walls, and it was shockingly dark.

“Sunlight fades the books, so they’re kept out of it. When you need to look for a book, you can either use the spell Light or borrow a magic tool.”

Since I couldn’t use magic, I borrowed a lantern-shaped magic tool and began aimlessly looking for a book to read.

“I’d suggest something from around here,” Lord Marx suggested helpfully, leading me to a shelf of stories. I picked a book titled “Fairy Story” that looked interesting. It was about a fairy born from a flower, who fell in love with a prince. What if a fairy was born from one of the seeds I create? It was fun just thinking about it.

The next place we went to was a big, well-maintained garden.

“This is called the Great Western Garden, and it’s frequently used for parties. It’s a strange spot. From the center to the north is off-limits because it connects to the royal family’s living quarters. There’s a barrier, so no one can even approach it without permission,” he told me, knocking his fist against the barrier. I couldn’t see anything, but it looked like there was a glass-like wall standing there. I was slightly relieved to know that I wouldn’t be able to accidentally enter uninvited.

“On the other side of the arch is a greenhouse. There’s a little space to take a break inside, so let’s head there.”

Following Lord Marx, we moved to the greenhouse. Inside were flowers of all colors.

“Wow... It’s so pretty!”

“I’m glad you like it. ...Oh, it seems I’ve forgotten something. Please wait here for a moment.”

“Okay.”

After Lord Marx showed me inside, he quickly turned and went back out. Since he asked me to wait, I started looking around at the flowers of various sizes. One certain flower caught my eye. It was light pink, with lots of petals. It was almost the same color as my hair. I wanna make this flower’s seeds someday.

As I carefully examined the flower and its stem, I heard the greenhouse door open again. I turned around, thinking that it was Lord Marx, but instead, it was my younger sister, Lady Margaret. She was wearing a showy red dress she used to wear back in the manor, and her hair was pulled into a ponytail. I was surprised, since she usually left it down at home. Looking a bit closer, I saw that her skin was breaking out, and her hair wasn’t as shiny as before.

As I was inspecting her, she was looking me over from head to toe too.

“Why is someone as ugly as you wearing such nice clothes!” she screamed, shaking with anger.

Ugly... Lady Margaret called me that all the time at home, but I hadn’t been called ugly once since I got here.

“Trade clothes with me! That’s an order!”

‘That’s an order’... Lady Medisina used to say that to me too, but this was the first time that Lady Margaret had.

“Why should I trade clothes with you?” Words I never would have said up until now slipped out of my mouth. “This dress was in my room. You were given a room just like mine, weren’t you? There might be something similar inside your walk-in closet.”

I hadn’t heard anything about the rooms for people with new Skills and control trainees being different, so she surely was getting the same treatment as me. Why wouldn’t she have a big room with maids, and a walk-in closet filled with clothes?

I just went with the momentum and kept talking. But Lady Margaret’s eyes just widened, her face going red with rage. She lifted her hand and charged at me. She’s gonna hit me like she did back at home! I shut my eyes tight and braced myself for impact, but it never came. Hesitantly opening my eyes again, I saw the guard knights standing between us.

“W-What!?”

“We’ve been ordered to eliminate anyone who harms Lady Chelsea,” one of the guards said, shielding me.

Hearing that, Lady Margaret’s face got even redder. “That THING is my older sister! I’m not harming her, I’m disciplining her!” Saying that, she tried to get at me by going around the knights, but it didn’t work. One of the knights grabbed her by the arm, twisting it up behind her. “O-Ouch! Let me go! LET. ME. GO!!”

But no matter how much she screamed and struggled, the knight didn’t soften his grip. While this was happening, Lord Marx walked back inside the greenhouse holding a basket. He frowned when he saw Lady Margaret.

“Sir Knight! Please, save me! I was just trying to discipline my sister, and these men grabbed me!” Lady Margaret screeched at him, seemingly not noticing his demeanor.

The knight who wasn’t holding her walked up to him and whispered something in his ear. In response, Lord Marx nodded a few times before completely ignoring her. Walking back up to me, he gave me another smile.

“I apologize for the wait. I’d forgotten to pick this up,” he said, opening the basket’s lid slightly to show me what was inside. Bagels and a bottle filled with a drink peeked out at me.

“Oh, it’s no trouble at all, Lord Marx. It looks delicious.”

Seeing me answer him, Lady Margaret screeched again, begging, “Your name is Lord Marx, Sir Knight? I am the daughter of Baron Eucharis, granddaughter of Marquis Ackroyd! Stop these insolent knights, please!”

Lord Marx heaved a great sigh before turning towards her. “I haven’t introduced myself to you yet, nor have I given you permission to use my name. Haven’t you been taught that it’s disrespectful to call a royal or noble by their name without permission?”

I couldn’t see his face, but I could tell from the low tone of his voice that he was angry. He’d been so warm to me, but it was scary how cold he was to Lady Margaret. She paled, looking away in silence.

Heaving another big sigh, Lord Marx turned back to me. But there was no anger in his face, only his bright smile from before. He scooped me up easily with the arm he wasn’t using to hold the basket.

“Uweh!?”

“Let’s get going. Hold on tightly so you don’t fall.”

He didn’t seem to mind the strange sound that came out of me. I clung to his neck just as he ordered.

Carrying me through the greenhouse, he came to a stop in an open area. There was a wooden table and chairs, so this must have been the break area he mentioned. He lowered me onto one of the cushioned seats, set the basket on the table, and then bowed before me.

“Though it was only momentary, my act of leaving your side resulted in an unpleasant experience for you. Forgive me.”

“Oh, no! I wasn’t hurt thanks to the guard knights. Please, don’t bow to me!” Flustered, I tried to get him to raise his head.

Really, between the daughter of Baron Eucharis and the son of Margrave Sargent, the latter was higher in rank. He shouldn’t be bowing to someone lower than him!

I was relieved when he straightened up, but he immediately bowed again. “And though it was an emergency, it was terribly rude of me to pick up a lady.”

“I-I don’t mind, it’s alright. Please, raise your head.”

Just as I was begging him again, we heard footsteps. Lord Marx shot up, standing ready. The person who approached was one of the guard knights, who walked up to him with a serious look on his face before quietly whispering something.

“...I see,” Lord Marx responded with an equally serious face, before the knight turned and left the way he came.

Turning back to me with another bright smile, he started unpacking the contents of the basket onto the table. When I tried to stand up to help, he stopped me. Setting some cups and the bottle inside on the table and leaving the basket open, everything was ready.

“I thought that the greenhouse would be hot, so I had some chilled fruit water prepared for us,” he explained as he poured the splendidly cool drink into the cups and set them on the table. “Let’s eat.”

“Okay.”

After saying a short prayer to the earth gods, I took a piece of one of the bagels, which had been cut into quarters. Lord Marx also grabbed one, and ate it by taking a bite out. I guessed I wouldn’t have to rip it apart like bread, so I bit into mine too. Inside was smooth cream cheese, salty ham, and lettuce.

“Salty food is always better after walking around a lot.”

“Yeah, it’s really good,” I said, remembering to swallow what was in my mouth before speaking. After eating only a fourth, I was already full.

“If you’re full, can I eat the rest?”

I nodded as I drank my fruit water, and he popped the bagel into his mouth.

Once we finished eating, Lord Marx looked to me.

“There are some things that I need for you to know,” he started. “First, just for confirmation, the girl from earlier said that she was your sister. Is that true?”

“Yes. We don’t look like each other, but I was raised as her twin sister.”

“Then I’ll get to it. Do you understand that you and your sister’s positions at the Institute are different?”

I shook my head no.

“You’ve come to the Royal Research Institute at the request of the country. In simple terms, you’re a guest of honor, Miss Chelsea.”

A guest of honor is a super important guest, isn’t it? And I’m one? I had a huge, wonderful room prepared, with my own maids and knights to guard me. Thinking more about it, I realized how well I was being treated.

“In comparison, that girl has come here to undertake control training as her duty. Which would make her a student.”

I could understand the difference between a student and a guest of honor. Huh? Then wouldn’t that would mean her room isn’t as big as mine? And that she might not have personal maids? That must have been why she was wearing one of her dresses from home, and was breaking out. I didn’t realize, but I said something horrible to her...

“Today, she tried to raise a hand against a guest of honor. Even if you are sisters, that’s unforgivable,” Lord Marx said with a grim look.

Back at the Eucharis manor, I was frequently disciplined by Lady Margaret with beatings. But this wasn’t the manor. We couldn’t act as we had at home here.

“From how she spoke, you were frequently abused under the guise of discipline, weren’t you? We’ll make sure that she can’t come anywhere near you anymore, so don’t worry.” He gave me another bright, teeth-flashing smile.