Chapter 3

“Now, be honest and confess. You haven’t told me everything yet, have you?”

The voice belonged to a wolf-clan girl wearing the uniform of the Royal Academy—my younger sister Caren. I was seated in an old, wooden chair, while she was standing accusingly over me with her hands on her hips. The smile on her face was precious—I would have loved to record it to an orb—but her eyes were shifting from their usual dark brown to violet, and I could sense the powerful pulse of her mana.

“I’ve already heard that you’ll be staying on as a private tutor, and about the incident with Lydia,” she continued. “I can’t say I’m surprised—I know how you are, and I can’t fault you for it. That said...” Her eyes narrowed in an expression of intense suspicion; it looked like I might not be able to deceive her completely. “Why did the headmaster himself summon you today, the first real day of classes now that new student orientation is over? It’s inexplicable. Simply, utterly inexplicable.”

Four days had passed since the entrance ceremony, and that morning, I had received a summons to the Royal Academy. I had informed the Leinsters that I would call on them at lunchtime and set out for the academy at once, only to find my visibly disgruntled sister waiting for me at the front gate. She had marched me straight to the student council office whether I liked it or not. I had specifically asked the headmaster to keep my visit secret, but he never made things easy.

As planned, we had discussed Frigid Crane, Duchess Rosa, and the diary the day after the entrance ceremony. The headmaster had been reluctant at first, but after some coaxing, cajoling, and a threat—I mean, an offer to put the whole matter in the professor’s hands, he must have realized the severity of the issue.

“All right, I’ll cooperate,” he had finally conceded. “But I want you to help me with something as well. I’ll give you the details in a few days. It won’t be a long-term commitment—the ducal houses of Leinster and Howard have warned me about tying you down—but why should I be the only one to suffer— Oh, excuse me. Slip of the tongue.”

Setting aside the rest of our conversation, that had been a worrying statement. What could involve not only Lisa and Duke Liam, but Duke Walter as well...?

Damn that twisted elf. He must have gone out of his way to tell Caren that he’d called for me. What did he have to leap straight to revenge for? He must have known that—

A point-blank view of Caren’s face interrupted my thoughts. Her eyes were turning an even deeper shade of violet. “Are you listening to me?!” she asked, distinctly enunciating each word.

“I’m listening,” I assured her. “It sounds like I’ve worried you. Sorry.”

“I wouldn’t say I’ve been worried,” she demurred after a pause, making a show of crossing her arms and acting aloof. She wanted me to know she was angry.

We had planned to return home together during the spring break if I passed the court sorcerer exam. I hadn’t had the opportunity for a proper talk with her for some time either, and I had even reneged on my promise to join her for lunch after the entrance ceremony. She must have been lonely. I wasn’t much of a big brother to be causing her so much concern.

“Don’t worry,” I said. “I’m not in any danger...I think.”

“You ‘think’?” she repeated. “You’re always, always like this! Spare a thought for how much you make me worry every time you—” She suddenly paused mid-sentence. “F-Forget I said that. I-I’m not worried about you. I-I mean it.”

She looked adorable shaking her head in vehement denial; no one could argue with that. Her beret came loose and fell to the floor, revealing her silver-gray ears. I rose to pick it up, and as I did so, I noticed that it bore the silver insignia of a wing and staff that marked her as vice president of the student council. I couldn’t help smiling at the badge, which was proof of all her hard work. I dusted off the beret and replaced it on her head.

“Honestly...” she grumbled, pursing her lips. “I already had enough on my plate dealing with Lydia, and now your students are at the academy, one placed highly and the other top of her class? And Lynne enrolled with them?!”

“It must be fate,” I remarked. “They’re wonderful students, and I enjoy tutoring them. You know how capable Lynne is, and Tina and Ellie are extremely talented as well.”

At that, Caren fell silent for a moment. “Wait a minute,” she said.

I didn’t hide my confusion. What had brought this on? Caren was frowning and pressing one hand to her forehead. Did she have a headache?

“What did you just say?” she finally asked.

“They’re wonderful students,” I repeated.

“After that.”

“You know how capable Lynne is, and Tina and Ellie are—”

“There!” she exclaimed. “That’s it!”

I was nonplussed. What was so odd about— Her rapidly converging mana interrupted my thoughts. Crackling flashes of violet lightning shot through the room.

“Why are you calling them by name?” she asked after a long silence. Her eyes were unfocused, and her voice was low. “Lydia, Lynne, and I are the only girls close to your age whom you address so casually. You always called those two ‘Her Highness and her maid’ in your letters.” She paused again and then said, “Tell me, what’s going on?”

This was not good. Caren could be intensely dependent on me in a different sense than Lydia, and she was especially sensitive to girls in my life. She wouldn’t even introduce me to her friends in person.

Oh dear. Her eyes are violet and...her tail is standing on end? She might blow away the whole room if she casts a lightning spell of that magnitude in here.

“They’re both my students, remember?” I explained, laying a hand on her beret-covered head. “Of course I call them by name.”

“Is that all?” she asked after a tense pause.

“That’s all,” I assured her. “They might not throw tantrums like you do, though.”

“I-I’m not throwing a tantrum!” she protested.

“Are you certain?”

“Qu-Quite certain!”

“Oh really?”

She gave a little gasp as I withdrew my hand. Her eyes cried out for affection, and her tail drooped limply. She was so needy, but also so indescribably charming that I couldn’t help hugging her.

“A-Allen?!” she exclaimed. “I-It’s not even dark yet. Is this really the time?”

“What?” I asked. “I was just thinking that I’ve got the cutest little sister in the whole world.”

“I-In the whole world...?” she repeated. “Do you really mean that?”

Caren had been stiff with surprise, but she soon went limp in my arms. Her tail seemed in a good mood, and her eyes had returned to normal. There, there. I ensured that she received her fill of affection and then released her.

“That wasn’t fair, Allen...” She looked up at me with flushed cheeks while clinging to my sleeves.

“Don’t blame me for having such an adorable sister,” I said.

“That’s just what I mean!”

“Yes, yes.”

“One ‘yes’ is enough!”

“Is that a fad of some sort?” I asked. “Lydia and Tina said it too.”

“A-Anyway,” she stammered, “stop seducing girls when Lydia and I aren’t watching! It causes so much trouble!”

“I’d hardly call it ‘seducing,’” I said. “You know that I’ve never been lucky in love.”

“That’s the one thing you’re oblivious to,” Caren muttered under her breath. “It’s one of your few faults—or is it a virtue, since it benefits me? I certainly hope you keep it up.”

“Did you say something?” I asked, confused.

Just then, the door flew open, and a girl rushed into the room.

“I’m sorry, Caren,” she said. “My last class ran late. What did you want to— Huh?”

Her long, platinum hair tinged with pale blue was styled in a braid and adorned with a finely embroidered blue ribbon tied at the back of her head. She was slightly shorter than Caren, with a well-proportioned figure in which I could glimpse the beauty unique to an adult woman emerging from the chrysalis of childhood. Her beret bore a silver badge embossed with the wing-and-sword insignia that marked her as student council president. At her waist hung a slender sword and a short wand, both of exquisite workmanship.

I nodded to the girl, who goggled at me and then returned an enthusiastic bow that sent her beret flying. Her long, beautiful hair dazzled me.

I knew her name, but this was our first face-to-face meeting.

“I-I’m Stella Howard,” she stammered. “M-Mr. Allen, I presume? I-I’ve heard so much to your credit, and you’ve done so much for my sister. Th-Thank you very much!”

“I ought to thank you,” I said. “I’ve learned far more from Tina than she has from me. Oh, your beret.” I picked it up, dusted it off, and handed it to her. “Here you are.”

“Th-Thank you very much,” she responded, a lock of her hair curling up as she blushed, just like someone else I knew.

“Please feel free to...” I began before stopping and correcting myself. “I suppose I ought to watch my manners. My humble apologies, Your Highness, Lady Stella Howard.”

“I don’t need that kind of deference!” she exclaimed. “Never call me ‘Lady Howard’!” After a silence, she hesitantly added, “I’m, um, really no one special, so please don’t. I mean it.”

This girl, who seemed utterly earnest, was none other than Tina’s older sister, the future Duchess Howard. I had heard that she had rebelled against Duke Walter and applied to the Royal Academy despite his objections. Looking at the nervous, mild-mannered girl in front of me, however, I found that difficult to believe. She was the picture of a well-bred young noblewoman.

“Stella.” Caren addressed the student council president.

“C-C-Caren!” Lady Stella stammered, closing distance with my younger sister in a flash and shaking her by the shoulders. “Wh-Wh-What’s going on?! Wh-What is Mr. Allen doing here?! I wish you had warned me! I haven’t even done my makeup!”

Caren just allowed herself to be shaken; it appeared that they had forged a lovely friendship, although it struck me that Caren had never breathed a word of it to me.

“I mean...” my sister began to protest as she swayed.

“That’s no excuse!” Her Highness wailed.

“...I knew this would happen,” Caren finished. “Let me reintroduce you. This is my brother.”

Her Highness let out a wordless shriek and fell into despondency.

What an overreaction. She’s Tina’s sister, all right. Now, what’s this about?

“It’s just what it looks like,” Caren explained. “Stella idolizes you and Lydia, and as her friend, I couldn’t bring myself to shatter her dreams.”

“That makes sense,” I admitted after a moment. “Lydia is constantly threatening to slice people up, incinerate them, or both, while I’m... Well, just look at me.”

My sister was a caring friend, even if she could seem blunt at times. I was glad that she had grown up to be so kind.

“Besides,” she muttered, too quietly for me to hear, “I wouldn’t want to risk introducing a purehearted girl like Stella to you.”

I shot Caren a questioning look.

“Just talking to myself,” Caren said. “Stella, come back to us.” With a snapping sound, she struck her friend with a tiny jolt of violet electricity.

Her Highness let out a brief cry. “That hurt, Caren...” she mumbled.

“Allen, this is for you,” Caren said, ignoring Her Highness and handing me an envelope. Its front was blank, but opening it revealed a sheet of stationery inside.

“Did he say anything when he gave it to you?” I asked.

“‘I’m being watched. This doubles as a safeguard, just in case,’” Caren recited. “The headmaster explained things, although he kept me in the dark about the important parts.” She paused for me to respond. “Allen?” she asked when I didn’t.

“I told you; it’s nothing important,” I chided my sister, who was watching me with half-closed eyes, as I reread the paper.

It contained classified information. Prince Gerard showed no sign of repentance despite his suspension from duty. He had finally given up on Lydia only to shift his interest to...Lynne? And there was a significant chance that he would make a move during his suspension? The prince apparently failed to grasp the significance of his punishment. He just never learned.

The note continued:

“I’d like to take precautions, but I’m a busy man. That being the case, I want you to act as a temporary security guard-slash-instructor while I’m away from the academy. I’ll need you for about one month, and only for one or two days each week. That’s not much to ask, is it? Especially compared to the problem you foisted on me. I’ve already added you to the teaching schedule, so you have no choice but to accept. Heh heh heh... Think up some excuse to give the Leinster girl. You’re free to determine the content of your lessons, but don’t overdo it. That’s important, so allow me to repeat it for emphasis: don’t overdo it.”

Perhaps he and the professor were on such bad terms because they were actually birds of a feather. Still, if that was how things stood, I really would have to— Caren, don’t try to circle around and peek over my shoulder.

“Stingy...” she groused. “Are you going to accept the temporary teaching job?”

“I suppose,” I said.

“Then I insist you agree to teach other lessons as well—especially the ones I attend.”

“No.”

“Don’t you care about your sister?!” she demanded.

“What’s this?” I responded, partly poking fun at her. “I thought my adorable little sister was a good girl who doesn’t whine.”

Her tail drooped. “You’re so mean...”

“I’ve been told that a lot lately.”

“You always have been,” she told me and then turned back to Lady Stella, who had been watching our back-and-forth with evident enjoyment. “Stella.”

“Huh? Wh-What is it?” Lady Stella asked.

“My brother will be teaching here temporarily, just for the next month, and only the most advanced group of new students,” Caren explained with evident regret. “Would you show him the way? I have class. And, um...” She let her words trail off.

“What? Oh, of course. I don’t mind,” Lady Stella said. “And what else?”

“I’m sorry for not telling you,” Caren said hesitantly. “Will you forgive me?”

That must have been bothering her, although I doubted she had anything to worry about.

Lady Stella took both of Caren’s hands. “There’s nothing to forgive. I was surprised, but you thought I’d panic if you told me, didn’t you?” She giggled. “You were right about that, so don’t worry.”

“Thanks, Stella. I love you,” Caren said, throwing her arms around the young noblewoman, who let out a startled cry. I was surprised to see her acting like that with anyone other than our mother and me.

“C-Caren,” Lady Stella complained, “not so tight.”

You see how she is, but please look out for her, I told Lady Stella with a glance. You don’t need to bother guiding me; I’m an alumnus, so I know my way—

“Mr. Allen, allow me to take responsibility for guiding you on Caren’s behalf!” Lady Stella announced. She was so like her sister—once either one of them got an idea in her head, she ran with it without so much as a backward glance.

✽

Lady Stella led me on a walk through the academy’s well-worn corridors. The first-year lesson I had agreed to teach would apparently be held in a detached single-story classroom off the newly constructed east hall. We had barely said a word to each other since leaving the student council office on the top floor of the central building, and the only notable scenery out the windows was the towering Great Tree.

Lady Stella was walking stiffly ahead of me, looking just like Tina had at the entrance ceremony. I didn’t think she had any reason to be so nervous, but... Oh, of course; an adolescent girl would be nervous escorting a man she had only met that day, even if she had heard of him previously. And while Lydia would have been one thing, I must have been a disappointment.

“Um, Lady Stella,” I called to her, unable to bear the awkwardness.

“Y-Yes?” she replied.

“That ribbon is a lovely color. It suits you.”

“Thank you very much.” After a short pause, she added, “It’s a memento of my late mother.”

I was taken aback for a moment. “My humble apologies.”

“Please, don’t let it bother you,” she said. “I assume you’ve heard about me?”

“Somewhat,” I admitted.

“I’m so embarrassed. I left home with almost nothing but this ribbon, my sword, my wand, and the clothes on my back...but I don’t regret it!”

Lady Stella touched her ribbon and then tapped her sword and wand. Her eyes, which were as clear as Tina’s, were filled with intelligence, determination, and a hint of anxiety. I seemed to recall that Caren had gone through a similar phase of overreaching herself.

“My father opposed my enrollment in the Royal Academy,” the girl stated emphatically, clenching her right fist. “But I must inherit the Duchy of Howard. I still have a long road ahead of me, but I will become worthy of my name! Especially since my sister is working so hard as well.” She giggled. “Did you know that we’ve been exchanging letters this whole time, Mr. Allen? That’s why I was so startled just now; you’re just as she described you.”

“You must be great friends, then,” I said. “I’ll refrain from asking what she wrote—something tells me that knowing would turn my time tutoring her this weekend into something other than a lesson.”

“She always writes how mean her tutor is, and after hearing your conversation with Caren, I’m inclined to believe her.”

“Even you, Lady Stella?” I asked. “I’m quite a kind person, you know.”

“Are you now?” she chirped back playfully. She seemed to have relaxed, and that hint of anxiety had vanished—perhaps I had imagined it. “I trust my dear little sister and my best friend over a gentleman I’ve only just met.”

I returned her smile, and my hand reached toward her head—that bad habit of mine again—but I managed to withdraw it just in time. I can’t correct this habit fast enough, I thought as Lady Stella stopped walking and looked at me quizzically.

“How odd,” she said. “My sister wrote that you always give her a gentle rub on her head at times like this. She sounded so happy about it. Is that reserved for her, Ellie, Caren, and Lady Lydia Leinster?”

“I’m not certain that ‘reserved’ is the appropriate term,” I replied. “I have rubbed Tina’s and Ellie’s heads occasionally, hardly ‘always,’ and Lydia’s very rarely—I’m not devoid of common sense.”

I’m sorry. That was a lie. Even Lynne’s demands for head rubs had grown more insistent lately, to say nothing of the other two girls. I would have to be more careful. And Lydia? It was already too late for her—no amount of rubbing could spare me her wrath.

“Really?” Lady Stella asked. “But I was so certain.”

“Certain of what?”

“That you rub and pat lots of girls on the head, regardless of who is watching.”

“I do not,” I insisted after a long pause.

“Oh, really?” she said. “What a shame; I’d hoped that I could convince you to do it for me as well.”

“I’m sorry to disappoint you, but I’m not a professional head-rubber.”

I’m sorry again; I almost reached for your head just now. I really must do something about this habit soon. Lady Stella might be laughing now, but I’m sure she would have been confused if I had actually done it.

All right; I’ve made up my mind! I’m going to restrain myself and limit my head-rubbing to an absolute minimum. I know that I can do it. My resolve will see me through!

I almost thought I could hear Caren’s dispassionate voice saying, “Allen, maybe some things are just beyond you, no matter how determined you are.”

“You and Lady Lydia graduated from this academy in just one year, didn’t you?” Lady Stella asked excitedly as we descended the stairs. “I think I’ll manage to graduate in the standard three years, but I can’t imagine skipping any.”

“Lydia deserves all the credit,” I told her. “I was only allowed to graduate because she needed someone to keep an eye on her. She was quite a handful when she first enrolled here—from the day of our entrance exams, in fact. She used to wander around, slicing up whatever or whoever caught her eye.”

“I’ve heard rumors, but was it really that bad, even from your perspective?”

“It was,” I assured her. “She was already overwhelming when her sword was all she had, and she quickly became even more uncontrollable once she added magic to her arsenal.”

“I’ve met Lady Lydia once or twice, at palace balls that my sister and I attended. I only said hello, but my sister got a chance to talk to her; she was overjoyed at the time.”

“In that case, who told you about me?” I asked. “Don’t tell me it was the professor again.”

“I always looked forward to those stories,” she confirmed. “And after I came here, I got them from Tina’s letters.”

Damn that man! Does he never tire of spreading rumors?!

Fine, then. It wasn’t my style to take things lying down, and I had Duke Walter, Mr. Walker, and best of all, Lisa on my side. They seemed concerned that their old friend, the professor, was still single, so I could count on them to take action. Oh, I could hardly wait.

“You mustn’t put too much faith in anything the professor or headmaster tells you,” I told Lady Stella. “Take it with a grain—no, a whole spoonful of salt. They frequently embellish their stories so much that one can’t even guess at the original.”

“But the real you is so much more than the one I imagined,” Lady Stella muttered under her breath, too softly for me to hear.

“Is something the matter?” I asked her.

“N-Not a thing!” she stammered. “Oh, it’s straight through here. Do you mind if I sit in on your class?”

“If you can spare the time, I don’t object.”

“Great!” she exclaimed. “Thank you so much.”

I wondered if she was worried about Tina—they did seem to be close, so I could understand her desire to see how her sister had grown. I just hoped that Tina and Lynne weren’t fighting. The two of them were unduly sensitive to each other, perhaps because neither girl had ever had a friend her own age outside of her household. That made things difficult for Ellie. I would have to indulge her to make up for it—in some way that didn’t involve my hand on her head.

“Oh, I can see it now,” Lady Stella said. “That’s it.”

Her slender finger pointed to a large door engraved with the same plethora of sigils as the front gate. I had never been fond of such grandiose places—they reminded me of authority. Of course, I had been so busy getting dragged into all sorts of trouble by the albatross that I barely even remembered attending classes. Could this be a bit of kindness from the headmaster, then? I very much doubted it—a man given to gestures like that wouldn’t be the professor’s nemesis.

“I’ll open this for you,” Lady Stella said, placing a hand on the door. “I can hardly wait.”

✽

I entered the classroom and found more than ten fresh-faced first-years waiting for me. Being among the best students in their year, they were naturally sitting as close to the front of the classroom as they could manage. The classroom itself was designed like a small lecture hall, with a high ceiling and windows that admitted beams of spring sunshine. It ought to be safe for spellcasting as long as I erected a barrier.

The sight of Lady Stella and me brought doubtful looks to several students’ faces. Before they had a chance to speak, however, two exclamations of surprise and a shout of “Dear brother!” arose from Tina, Ellie, and Lynne, who had taken up positions in the front row.

“Class is about to begin,” Lady Stella warned them, undaunted.

“Y-Yes, ma’am!” all three girls chorused back as they hurriedly returned to their seats.

Lady Stella nodded to me and then withdrew to a position against the back wall—she was a model upperclassman.

Now, shall we begin?

I stood before the center of the blackboard and introduced myself. “It’s a pleasure to meet you. My name is Allen, and I will be serving as your teacher for the next month. I’m technically an alumnus of this academy, and I look forward to our lessons.”

Silence. Tina, Ellie, and Lynne were bright-eyed with excitement, but they were the only ones; all the other children expressed their doubts.

“U-Unacceptable! How can you be our teacher? I’d rather take lessons from the student council president!” a determined-looking girl with blonde ringlets protested from one side of the front row.

“So would I! We’re the most advanced class of our year; we don’t have time to waste learning from some young temporary teacher from who-knows-where,” a spectacled boy with dark brown hair added from the other.

They must have already been familiar with the Royal Academy’s faculty, which meant they were likely the children of influential nobles.

“In that case,” I replied, “what can I do to convince you?”

“You just said that you’re an alumnus,” the blonde girl replied. “How long ago did you enroll here?”

“Four years ago.”

“Four years ago?” she repeated. “Then, if you advanced to the university, you must still be studying there. A student is hardly qualified to teach, temporarily or—”

“I graduated this spring.”

“Excuse me?” The girl looked taken aback, and a hushed stir ran through the classroom. Still, I was telling the truth.

“Y-You’re lying!” the boy shouted angrily, pounding on his desk. “The Royal Academy is officially a three-year school, and the university takes at least four years on top of that. If you’re telling the truth, you would have had to skip years several times at—”

“I skipped three in total,” I informed him. “Although the original plan was for me to graduate from the university in a single year as well.”

“What...?”

“...Huh?”

The shock wasn’t confined to the girl and boy this time—the whole class seemed shaken, except for Tina, Ellie, and Lynne, who swelled with pride.

“I’m sorry to say that I don’t carry my diplomas everywhere I go,” I continued with an exaggerated shrug. “Do you have any other questions? I’ll answer any that I’m able to.”

“Yes! Me! I do!” A little hand shot up immediately, accompanied by a lock of hair that made its presence known from under its owner’s beret. It was Tina.

I’m glad to see you so enthusiastic, but I was really asking for questions from anyone except you girls.

“Yes?” I asked her after a brief pause.

“Tell me all about how you first met Lydia!” she demanded.

“No.”

“What?! But it’s important! Absolutely vital!”

“Tina Howard, please be quiet. Does anyone else have a question?”

“Humph! You’re so mean, sir!”

Good grief... Her Highness was being difficult. Did she expect me to relate such a terrifying experience? I couldn’t possibly. It was still light outside, for one thing, and it would make some of the children cry, for another. I wished that Lady Stella wouldn’t look as disappointed as her sister.

“By ‘Lydia,’” the girl with the ringlets began timidly, “d-do you mean Her Highness, Lady Lydia Leinster, the Lady of the Sword?”

The boy looked nervous as well. Lydia’s infamy had gotten out of hand, although I wouldn’t deny that I had been involved in the majority of it.

“Yes, we were in the same year,” I answered honestly by way of confession. “She’s the albatross around my neck.”

That brought on a major commotion.

“Is that all?” I asked with a clap of my hands. “In that case, I’d like to begin. You won’t use textbooks in my lessons; I intend to leave lecturing in the capable hands of your other instructors and instead focus on practical application. We’ll begin by going over the basics.”

I wrote the words “element” and “rank” on the blackboard in large letters. When I turned to survey the class, I saw that about half of them had shifted their attention to the subject at hand. The remainder, with the exception of the excited trio, remained skeptical.

“I hear that you’re the elite of the incoming class,” I said. “You may find this too simple for you, but fundamentals are important. Ellie Walker.”

“Y-Yessir!”

“Please come here. I’d like you to assist me.”

Ellie cheerfully joined me, suddenly all smiles. I could almost sense a big tail wagging behind her even though she wasn’t beastfolk—she really might have some canine qualities. Tina looked indignant, while Lynne maintained her composure, but their unruly hair expressed their shared displeasure.

“We’ll start with the elements,” I told the students. “How many elements are currently considered fundamental?”

The girl with the ringlets raised her hand. “Seven, but it used to be eight. Absolutely everyone knows that.”

“Correct. And what are they?”

“The common elements are fire, water, earth, wind, and lightning. The addition of light and darkness, which only a small minority use, makes seven. The eight classical elements also included ice, represented by the Ducal House of Howard.”

“That’s right. Now, is it possible for one person to use multiple elements?”

After a brief pause, the spectacled boy answered, glaring at me all the while. “It’s theoretically possible, and some experienced sorcerers do...but it’s difficult.”

Oh, so that’s still how they see it. I suppose that hasn’t changed much since my time here. In that case, I think I’ll surprise them.

“Ellie.” I addressed the girl who was standing at attention like an obedient puppy waiting for orders.

“Y-Yessir!” she responded.

“Would you use magic to make ‘flowers’ bloom for me? Only as many as you’re able to.”

“A-All right.” Ellie took a step forward, rapidly deployed her spell formulae, and then activated them.

“I-I don’t believe it...” someone exclaimed.

“Humph. I-I could do that too,” the head of the class protested weakly.

“What’s this? Are you still jealous?” the runner-up gibed. “You’re always so narrow—make that small-minded.”

“Wh-What were you looking at when you corrected yourself?! Y-You’re hardly one to talk, anyway—you’re even shorter than I am!”

“Th-The difference is negligible.”

Stop that, you two. You have to get along.

Lady Stella and most of the class looked on in wonder as beautiful flowers of fire, water, earth, wind, ice, and darkness floated in the air before them.

“Thank you. I see you’ve made a lot of progress,” I praised Ellie with a smile.

“Y-Yessir!” she responded and then giggled happily.

“I’ll fill in the remaining two elements,” I said, instantly producing flowers of light and lightning to float beside hers. All eight together made quite a sight.

I dispelled all the flowers with a snap of my fingers, causing the students to blink in surprise.

“I’m sure that your future lessons will teach you the same thing this young man just said—that controlling multiple elements is difficult,” I said. “You’ve just witnessed the reality. I can’t tell you any more—the great, exalted Archmage forbids it—but I urge you to have faith in your own potential and not to discard it without making the attempt. Next...”

Tina was giving me a look that said, “I’m next, right? Who else could it possibly be?!” She seemed liable to damage the furniture in her enthusiasm, especially as she apparently still had difficulty restraining herself.

“Lynne Leinster,” I said.

“Yes, sir,” Lynne crowed. She then paused to snigger at Tina, who stifled an angry retort.

Don’t provoke her.

Lynne approached me, trading places with Ellie. She still appeared composed at first glance, but the unruly lock of hair sticking out from under her beret was bobbing happily.

“Now that we’ve reviewed the elements, I’d like to touch on the ranks of magic,” I said. “Does anyone know what they are?”

“I do, dear brother.” Lynne answered before anyone had a chance to raise their hand. “In our kingdom, spells are classified as elementary, intermediate, or advanced based on their power and area of effect. There are exceptions, such as the supreme spells passed down in the Four Great Dukedoms, including my own House of Leinster, but their wielders are few. I have heard that the royal family possesses secret spells as well, but I know no more about them. I apologize for my ignorance.”

“That’s correct,” I told her. “You must have been studying hard. The royal family’s magic is classified, so I don’t know what it is either. The flowers that you just saw were an example of elementary magic. Now, I have a question for you—can anyone here cast an advanced spell?”

Three people raised their hands—Tina, Lynne, and Lady Stella, who must have been an excellent student. The rest of the class looked disappointed.

Don’t let it get to you, Ellie.

“There’s no need to worry if you can’t—your education is only just beginning. That said, it wouldn’t hurt for you to see what an advanced spell looks like. Lynne.”

“At once, dear brother! May I count on your assistance with barriers?”

“Don’t worry. You may.”

“Thank you very much.”

Lynne drew her beautifully crafted sword and began deploying the advanced fire spell Scorching Sphere on its tip. Lady Stella looked nervous and reached for her wand, but I signaled her to stop with a glance. The students had fear in their eyes as well, but not one of them tried to flee; their gazes were all fixed intently on the advanced spell taking shape on Lynne’s sword point.

The massive fireball was complete, although the fire-resistant barriers I had surrounded it with contained its heat. Lynne’s construction lacked polish, but it was still good enough to stand up to real combat. I was impressed.

“This is an example of advanced magic,” I told the students, dismantling both the spell and the barriers with a wave of my right hand. “Deploying and activating a spell within a barrier you’ve set in place is also a highly effective technique in practice. I suggest you learn it—you run the risk of injuring yourself or your allies with such a powerful spell otherwise. Thank you, Lynne. You’ve made significant progress as well.”

“I’ll keep improving,” Lynne replied. “After all, I’ll have you here to learn from as well as my dear sister from now on, so—”

“Lynne,” I interrupted her, pressing my index finger to my lips.

All of the students appeared to be children of the nobility, so they likely understood that I was involved with the Howards and Leinsters, but I hoped to keep my tutoring position a secret. I wouldn’t want any more students on my hands. The clever girl showed her understanding with a nod. I wished that her sister would learn to emulate some of her tact.

Tina slammed both her hands onto her desk with a crash and stood up, brandishing her rod. “Sir! It has to be my turn next!” she shouted. “You’re only calling on Ellie and her—it’s not fair! It’s favoritism! Unmistakable bias! I must protest!”

“Tina Howard, please be quiet,” I told her. “This is your second warning.”

She fumed, puffing up her cheeks and stamping her feet in frustration.

“Dear me,” Lynne said. “Are you going to bother Mr. Allen at school as well, Miss First Place?”

“Shall we settle things?” Tina asked after a tense pause.

“I suppose we—”

“What are you waiting for? If you won’t make the first move, I will!”

Tina vaulted over her desk with a shout, in a display that was hardly ladylike. She landed with her rod at the ready and began weaving spells. Her redheaded target saw what she was doing and threw her arms around me.

“Eek,” Lynne said, giving an unnatural, wooden performance. “Dear brother, Miss First Place is bullying me. Please, come to my rescue.”

Tina looked taken aback.

“Lynne, you’re disrupting the lesson,” I said after a moment of silence.

“Get away from her, sir!” Tina shouted. “At once!”

I wish these two would save their roughhousing for their mansions, I thought as I peeled the red-haired young noblewoman off of me and felt a sudden blast of cold. The temperature in the classroom was plummeting rapidly. There was frost on the windowpanes and a growing number of ice crystals fluttering in the air. I noticed that Tina had raised her rod above her head and was in the process of weaving a spell. The problem, however, was the particular spell she had chosen.

I can’t believe she’s skipping straight to Blizzard Wolf... I thought, covering my face with my left hand. Honestly, I’d like to give whoever taught her a piece of my—

Fresh screams rang out in the classroom, interrupting my thoughts.

“I-I don’t believe it,” one of the students spluttered. “Th-This can’t be real, can it?! Wh-What is this mana?!”

“I-It can’t be...” breathed another. “M-Mana like this just isn’t possible. I-It shouldn’t exist... I-Is this what the Four Great Dukedoms are capable of? A-Are they that far beyond us?! Was that rumor that she c-can’t use magic a lie?!”

“No. It can’t be...” Stella said under her breath. “That’s...”

The students’ reactions didn’t surprise me. They didn’t know what Tina was trying to manifest—although Stella might have guessed—but they could still sense her mana.

The whole building would collapse if Tina’s spell activated, so I intervened in her spell formula and disassembled her Blizzard Wolf before it was fully formed. I also suppressed the fluttering ice crystals while I was at it. I then approached Tina with a sigh and brought my fist down on her head, prompting a startled cry from her.

“Please don’t try to cast spells like that,” I told her. “That wasn’t very nice of you.”

“B-But...” Tina whined.

Lynne laughed. “Don’t you even know right from wrong, Miss First Place?”

“What?! The nerve of you!”

“Lynne, come here as well,” I told the girl who was taking every chance she got to goad Tina. Lynne walked over to us, looking startled, and then let out a little cry when I gave her a rap on the head as well.

“You’re at fault too,” I said. “You were always such a nice girl, but I’m sad to see that you’ve turned to mischief and decided to make trouble for me.”

“Y-You’ve got it all wrong, dear brother,” Lynne stammered. “I-I was just...”

“Listen.” I knelt down and pointed to the silver crescent moon and shooting star insignias on their berets, which marked them as first and second in their year, as I slowly lectured them. “The two of you are among the most gifted of your generation, and your talent comes with responsibility. Remember our conversation in the carriage. Now, what do you say when you’ve done something wrong?”

“Sorry...” both girls answered dejectedly.

“Very good. Now, go back to your seats.”

“Yes, sir.”

They obediently took their seats.

Good.

After surveying the classroom of dazed students, I took out my pocket watch and checked it—we still had more time. All three girls had done their best, so it was my turn to follow suit.

“I hope you found that firsthand experience of the elements and ranks of magic useful. Please don’t mention that last spell to anyone. Next, I’d like to show you something amusing. Learn what you can from it.”

✽

This time, I wrote “compound activation” on the blackboard.

“The spells that your two classmates just showed you were examples of independent activation,” I explained. “I doubt you’ll have many opportunities to interact with any other type of spell in your classes, but there is much more to magic. For instance...”

I closed my right hand and cast an elementary spell, then opened it again and allowed the result—a flame within a sphere of water—to float free. I had gotten a lot of use out of this trick on the rivers back home—one could even catch fish with it.

To my embarrassment, the trio praised my display effusively.

“W-Wow!”

“I-It’s so pretty.”

“Magnificent, dear brother.”

The other students were equally enthusiastic. Some even applauded.

“Compound spellcasting like this is possible with a little practice,” I continued. “This is an application of spellcasting within a barrier.”

The girl with the ringlets suddenly raised a hand. “I-I have a question!” she interjected. She certainly had a lot of those.

“I’m all ears,” I encouraged her, dismissing my spell.

“C-Could you do that with other elements as well...sir?” she asked, adopting a more respectful tone. “With light and darkness, for example? They’re supposed to be the most difficult to combine.”

“I can give it a try.”

A simple repeat performance wouldn’t be much fun. Hmm... Oh, I’ve got it!

I closed both hands, activated my spells, and then opened them to release floating globes of light and darkness. “This will darken the classroom,” I warned the students, “but have no fear; it’s harmless.”

I used a darkness spell to dim the light in the classroom and then merged the two globes into a single sphere dotted with points of escaping radiance that shifted position over time. I spun the sphere, projecting patterns of light and shadow on the classroom ceiling and lending the space an air of mystery. A hearty round of applause suggested that my performance had gone over well.

The spell was purely for entertainment—I had only invented it because Lydia begged me to, and I had never expected it to see the light of day. It had no offensive applications, so it was even safe for children. I enjoyed the spectacle for a while, then dismissed the spell with a snap of my fingers.

“What did you think of that?” I asked the students. “I’m sure you’ll all learn to do at least this much while carrying on a conversation. Please abandon the idea that it’s just beyond you. I know a girl who had put more effort into her swordplay than anyone else her age in the kingdom—perhaps even in the whole continent—by the time she began her studies at the Royal Academy. As a result, she was able to slice through advanced spells with ease during her entrance exam. There’s always a way as long as you keep trying.”

I may have dressed that up too much... I bet she’d tease me if she were here—either that or turn her sword on me to cover her embarrassment.

The students were all enthusiastically taking notes. They were good kids. As I surveyed them, my gaze met Lady Stella’s...but she quickly looked away. Perhaps I had offended her with too many silly tricks.

“I have—” the spectacled boy began, his hand grudgingly raised, but then he stopped and corrected himself. “May I ask another question, sir?”

“Of course you may,” I replied.

I doubted that his sensibilities were particularly twisted, especially as the interview portion of the entrance exam was supposedly designed to weed out children with an overinflated sense of their own destiny. And despite having a personality as troublesome as the professor’s, the headmaster would never be unfaithful to his motto: “Come if you have talent; this academy cares not about status.” He had apparently even refused admission to Prince Gerard. “Your Highness” and other honorific styles were also generally banned on campus, much to my relief, although not even that was enough to eliminate prejudice—I had still been the recipient of more than my fair share of envy.

“I read in a book that experienced sorcerers can create living creatures by magic,” the boy said. “Are you able to do that too?”

Well now. He must be interested if he knows that at his age.

Unsurprisingly, the other students—with the exception of Tina, Ellie, Lynne, and Lady Stella—didn’t quite seem to grasp what he meant. I supposed that a demonstration would do them no harm.

“Front row, please back up a little,” I said, prompting a mass retreat of students to the back row, although there was really no need for them to move that far. Only Tina, Ellie, and Lynne remained, looking cheerful in contrast to their anxious classmates. The whole class—even the students who had initially objected to my presence—was staring intently at my hands, determined not to miss a thing. I approved of their attitude, regardless of what motivated it.

I slid my left hand through the air, deploying eight spell formulae, then repeated the gesture with my right. Finally, I brought my hands together and activated the spell on the desk in front of me. Magical orbs of eight colors—red, blue, brown, green, violet, azure, white, and black—began to change shape. I had managed to make some progress of my own alongside Tina and Ellie, although I still wasn’t certain if elementals existed.

There. That ought to do it.

The students gasped.

“These are magical creatures of all eight elements,” I explained. “I gave them the forms of birds and wolves, and they should persist until roughly the end of this lesson. Feel free to touch them; they can’t harm you. Pick them up and see for yourselves, but be gentle with them.”

Palm-sized magical creatures were frolicking on the desktop. I was pleased to see that they had come out looking adorable.

Tina and Ellie immediately snatched up a wolf cub of ice and a little bird of wind, respectively. They moved fast, possibly because they had seen me do much the same thing at the Howard mansion. Lynne was a little slower to clasp a small bird of fire. The other students also hurried over and began hesitantly reaching out to touch the tiny creatures. I smiled at the ensuing chorus of surprised exclamations.

Lady Stella, there’s no need to hang back. Feel free to join in. It’s fun.

“It’s not hot...” Lynne said quietly after a moment. “But I sense the fire element. Dear brother?”

“That’s the way I made it,” I said. “You’ll be able to do the same soon enough.”

Lynne stroked the little bird in silence. Perhaps she was concealing her reaction. Her willful sister would have jumped straight to a Firebird in this situation, but Lynne was both gentler and more prone to holding things in.

“What? Didn’t you believe our teacher?” Tina gibed at her before I had a chance to say anything—presumably in payback for Lynne’s earlier taunts. “Even though you’re always shouting ‘dear brother’ this and ‘dear brother’ that? Simply unbelievable.”

“Th-That’s not it at all. I could never doubt Allen,” Lynne protested, snapping out of her reverie. After a pause, she added, “It’s not fair how you just swooped out of the blue to snatch up my— Never mind. Please forget I said anything.”

Tina harrumphed. “If you have something to say, why not just come out and say it?”

“I will not.”

“Tell me.”

“I refuse.”

“F-Fine, then! Be as pigheaded as you like, Miss Second Place.”

“That’s right,” Lynne said, speaking as though she had just had a revelation. “I am in second place. Do you realize what that means?”

Tina looked confused. “You’re just bluffing to—”

“It means this,” Lynne interrupted her, pointing to the silver pin on her own beret. Tina looked questioning for a moment before the realization struck her and she stumbled backward a few steps.

“Y-You don’t mean you...match?!” she exclaimed, aghast.

Lynne laughed. “That’s right. Allen was second in his class when he enrolled, and you’re first. That means that his pin was different from yours!”

“Th-That... Th-That can’t be...” Tina stammered, slowly turning her head to look at me. “S-Sir?”

Indeed, my silver pin was a shooting star as well.

Tina’s shoulders slumped. “I-I should have realized...” she said after a moment of silence.

“I’ll let you have first place on the exam,” Lynne remarked, continuing her taunting. “As long as I graduate at the head of the class, I’ll match my dear brother and sister!”

“W-Well, I can do the same by graduating second in the class,” Tina said, struggling for a retort.

“You mean you’d neglect your studies?” Lynne asked mockingly. “What would Allen think of that?”

“H-How dare you!”

“The Leinster family motto is ‘the final victor is the true victor,’ and I’m going to claim victory over you.”

“I-I won’t let you!” Tina declared and then paused in consideration. “B-But wait—if I beat you, then he and I won’t match.”

What a relaxing conversation; peace really is best, I thought as I watched the pair. This is peace, isn’t it?

Ellie got my attention with a reserved tug on my left sleeve. She seemed to have passed the bird of wind on to another student—a girl who was currently prodding it timidly with a finger. What could be the matter?

“Um, e-excuse me, Allen, sir,” the maid said. “I’d like to make these myself.”

“Hmm. That might be a little difficult for you,” I replied. “Give me your hand.”

“Huh? Oh, y-yessir.”

“Just relax and picture Anko.”

I set about ever so slowly constructing the spell, focusing on the element of darkness, with which I had demonstrated the process for her before. The formula was of my own invention, with plenty of blank space, and I had improved it so that it was easier to understand. A tiny black cat materialized in my closed hand and leapt onto Ellie’s shoulder, provoking a cry of surprise.

“Th-Thank you so much,” Ellie said.

“It’s less powerful than the one I made at the Howard mansion, but I hope it helped you grasp the process,” I replied. “We’ll practice this weekend. Given your mana, I have high hopes for your creations.”

“Y-Yessir.”

She was such a good student. I reached out a hand to— Oh! That wouldn’t do. I’d only just sworn to break that habit. Caren would be upset with me, and surely Ellie wouldn’t want her head rubbed in public either.

“Allen, sir,” the maid said, removing her beret and moving half a step closer to me.

I suppose I’ve got no choice, I thought, trying to convince myself that this wouldn’t count against me. I gently stroked her head, earning myself a delighted smile that no one would be able to resist. The nearby girls blushed, while the boys gritted their teeth and pounded their fists on their desks. I wasn’t without sympathy for their position—Ellie was adorable.

Ice crystals and plumes of flame surrounded me.

Oh dear.

“Sir?” Tina asked through gritted teeth.

“Dear brother?” Lynne added. They were both staring daggers at me.

I winked and dismantled the wolf and bird they were constructing with a snap of my fingers.

Ha ha ha! No one’s had more experience forestalling supreme spells than I have in the past four years! Ah... What an awful thing to have gotten used to... I thought sadly, feeling that I had lost something important along the way.

“Sir! Dispelling is cheating!” Tina exclaimed indignantly. “And if you’re going to do that for Ellie, then do it for me too.”

“Dear brother, my head is as bare as hers,” Lynne chimed in. “Is this coincidence? No! This is destiny. Please feel free.”

“You two do realize that class is technically still in session, don’t you?” I said. “Now, return to your seats.”

“Humph! Very well, then. Who needs you when I have this little guy to keep me company?” Tina stormed off with her wolf cub.

“I’ll ask you again later.” Lynne likewise withdrew with her little bird.

“Th-Thank you very much.” Ellie giggled and also returned to her seat.

I checked my pocket watch again. I was just thinking that I might as well end class on the early side, given that the next period was lunch, when a fair, slender hand quietly rose into the air. It was Lady Stella.

“Mr. Allen, I realize that I’m not a student in this class, but please permit me to ask a question,” she said. “What level of magic are you, um, capable of using? Have you mastered supreme spells, by any chance?”

Tension shot through the classroom. Lady Stella’s gaze was absolutely serious—the spells that Tina and Lynne had attempted must have aroused her concern. That might have been a consequence of her position as heir to a ducal house. Even Lydia had been seriously concerned about her mastery of supreme spells at one point, so it might have been a more pressing issue than I realized. That said...it was an easy question to answer.

“You overestimate me,” I said with an exaggerated shake of my head. “I probably have the least mana of anyone here, and intermediate spells are the best I can cast. I lack the mana for advanced spells, so while I can construct their formulae, I’m incapable of activating them.”

A room full of shocked expressions greeted that revelation.

“But even with that limitation, I was still able to graduate from the Royal Academy and the university,” I continued. “Both schools demand more of their students than their quantity of mana or the number of elements and spells they have mastered.”

“But—” Lady Stella tried to interject.

“What matters is the endurance to simply continue applying oneself without losing heart, without becoming arrogant, and without comparing oneself to others. That’s equally true in swordplay, sorcery, and academia. That’s what I believe, and I reckon I’ve held to that principle.” I paused for a moment before adding, “Of course, I doubt that carries much weight coming from the likes of me.”

“That’s not true at all,” Lady Stella persisted. “But... But I...”

I may have underestimated this young lady’s issues.

“E-Excuse me.” The girl with the ringlets spoke up. “I’m terribly sorry to interrupt, but I think it’s high time you told us.”

“Told you what?” I asked.

“Mr. Allen,” the girl said, “are you the Lady of the Sword’s partner, by any chance?”

“You seem to be on good terms with...Tina Howard, as well as Lynne Leinster and Ellie Walker,” the spectacled boy added, giving in to curiosity and struggling not to use the girls’ titles. “Could you be the person she mentioned at the entrance ceremony?”

I surveyed the classroom and saw that the three girls looked delighted, while the rest of the class was bursting with curiosity. I decided to dodge the question.

“Who can say? Oh, would you look at the time. That’s all for today’s lesson. I’ll be teaching you another three or four times, and beginning with our next lesson, I’ll be asking you to show me what you’re capable of. I wish you all good fortune in the battle to claim seats for lunch.”

I would never give a clear answer; spreading myself any thinner than I already had would inevitably lengthen Caren’s lectures and earn me plenty of bullying courtesy of the albatross. I erased the blackboard and decided to hurry to the Leinster mansion for—

Hm?

The girls were clinging to the hem of my coat, and even the other students were gathered around me.

“Sir, it’s time for lunch!” Tina announced.

“I’d love to eat lunch with you, Allen, sir,” Ellie added.

“This is a perfect opportunity, dear brother,” Lynne chimed in.

“I really shouldn’t...” I tried to refuse, but Tina and Lynne smiled wickedly and began to speak loudly so that the other students would be sure to hear them.

“I still haven’t heard the story of how you met Lydia!”

“And I would love to hear all about your adventures with my dear sister!”

That certainly got the other students’ attention.

“T-Tina, L-Lynne,” I protested weakly.

“A-Allen, sir, would you, um, please t-tell us?” Ellie asked, staring up at me. The other students had their eyes on me as well. It was too much!

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Lady Stella bow her head and leave the classroom. I hoped she would be all right; I would need to let Caren know.

Another bout of tugging on the hem of my coat distracted me.

“Sir!”

“A-Allen, sir.”

“Dear brother.”

It shouldn’t be difficult to guess what became of me after that. My students were getting better at manipulating me by the day. I was uncertain whether to rejoice at their growth or lament that I was so easily swayed, but I resigned myself to a Firebird in my future.

✽

That weekend would be my first spent tutoring the girls since they had begun attending the Royal Academy. We were in the inner courtyard, not of the Howard residence, but of the Leinster mansion. The profusion of spring flowers did much to soothe my battered soul.

The girls, who had been practicing with enthusiasm until mere moments before, were nowhere to be seen—they were taking their afternoon break. The courtyard was empty except for me and the mastermind behind the situation, who was lounging in a chair beside me and reading a book.

I had a feeling this might happen. Does she even realize she’s supposed to be undergoing punishment?

“What?” Lydia asked, glaring at me. “I know I’m lovely, but that’s no excuse to stare like that.”

“I’ll admit that you’re lovely,” I said, “but isn’t this rather high-handed?”

“Oh really? And who exactly broke his promise to me first?”

I bowed my head in silence. In the end, on that day when I had been roped into teaching at the Royal Academy, I hadn’t made it back to the Leinster mansion for lunch. I had concluded my lesson without incident and was on the verge of returning posthaste when the girls—and even my other students—had detained me.

“We want to have lunch with you!” they had said. “Please tell us about the Lady of the Sword’s exploits!” I had been unable to refuse their wide-eyed enthusiasm. Since I was at the academy, I had hoped that Caren would join us, but she had been unavailable—student council business must have kept her busy.

Lydia had given me quite the talking-to. “What’s this?” she had said. “You’re more interested in little girls than you are in me? Well now. I completely missed lunch, you know. I spent the whole time waiting for you to show up. It’s not a big deal. I’m really not bothered. Not one bit.”

She had gone on and on like that. It had seemed as though she might never stop. Only after a series of concessions on my part did she finally relent.

“I’ll accept your temporary teaching job,” she had said, “especially since it’s partly for Lynne’s sake. The next time I see that half-witted prince, I’ll...” Her words trailed off into ominous laughter. “In exchange, I want you to do all your tutoring here until my suspension is lifted, and to let Lynne join in while you do. You ought to thank your generous mistress for letting you off so lightly!”

Did she realize that I hadn’t been given a choice in the matter? I was just glad that Tina and Ellie had agreed to the change of location without much of a fuss. That said... I looked down at myself and cradled my head in my hands.

“Lydia, must I really put on formal wear every single time?” I asked the willful noblewoman, who was now whistling out of tune. It couldn’t hurt to try, I supposed.

“You must,” she said.

“N-No matter what?”

“No matter what. I fixed that suit—and even made a spare—so you’re going to wear it. Now, turn the page for me; I’ve finished this one.”

So, there was no room for negotiation. As I reached over and turned the page, a faint citrus aroma made my heart beat faster. I couldn’t help it.

Sh-She almost never wears perfume.

The young Lady Leinster in her scarlet dress smirked at me.

So, she noticed. Hey! Personal space!

“Come closer,” she commanded.

“Why?” I said. “The girls will be back soon.”

“Just do it!” she snapped. “While you’re here, you’re not just a private tutor; you’re also my butler. And don’t you forget it.”

“Yes, yes.”

“Only one ‘yes’!”

The moment I approached her, she yanked me closer by the necktie.

Ugh.

“I’ve grown tired of reading,” she said. “Read aloud to me.”

“Excuse me?” I asked her after a moment of disbelieving silence. Wasn’t that the latest popular romance novel she had there? I glanced down and speed-read the page. The heroine seemed to have just reunited with her lover, from whom she had been separated due to the difference in their social status, and the two were reconfirming their love. D-Did she seriously expect me to read this aloud...?

What was I to do? The look in her eyes said that she was in earnest. I racked my brain, but I couldn’t come up with an excuse that would get me out of this predicament.

Wh-What a dilemma!

I didn’t think I had been in straits this dire since that nuisance of a Hero had proposed to me. That had been a nightmare in its own right. She had only asked me because I’d just happened to be there when she’d decided that she “wanted to know about love.” Her naivety belied her—

Another tug on my necktie interrupted my recollections. “Hurry up and read,” Lydia said. “I don’t have all day.”

“G-Give me a moment,” I protested. If, by any chance, the girls overheard me...

I detected multiple presences. Maids under Anna’s command must have been lying in wait, alongside more under Mrs. Walker’s! So, this was what it meant to be at one’s last extremity! I wished that someone—anyone—would come to my rescue.

“Ah! I knew it!” Tina shouted as she raced toward us carrying a tea set on a tray.

Oh! A fairy has come to aid me!

My familiar sense of déjà vu proved justified as she let out a startled cry and seemed in danger of falling. I knew it, I thought as I slipped free of Lydia’s wicked clutches and caught her.

“Please don’t lose your head like Ellie does,” I said to Tina. “Are you hurt?”

“I-I’m fine,” she replied. “Th-Thank you, sir.”

I was holding the tea tray in my right hand and supporting Tina with my left—not exactly a comfortable position. Tina had been curled up in my grasp until, without warning, she turned her lips toward me and closed her eyes.

Oh dear. This might be the death of me.

I sensed incredible bloodlust emanating from behind me, and with both my hands full, I was helpless to defend myself. There were multiple spells and flames ahead of me as well. W-Was there no escape?!

“Um, excuse me, Allen, sir, Lady Tina, but...I don’t think you ought to behave like that!” Ellie cried.

“Dear brother, please get away from that presumptuous woman as quickly as you possibly can,” Lynne added. “Don’t dawdle!”

Oh, Lynne sounded just like Tina and Lydia for a moment there, I thought as a potentially lethal gout of flame closed in on me from behind. I evaded it while clutching Tina, who still had her eyes closed, then looked behind me—and immediately regretted it. Lydia looked beautiful in her dress, smiling with her sword drawn, but...I couldn’t keep from tr-trembling.

“I see you’d like to get some sparring in,” Lydia said. “Very well. I’ll oblige you.”

“Wait,” I pleaded. “Th-This was entirely accidental! Y-You saw what happened!”

“You could have caught her with a levitation spell,” she countered. “Don’t expect me to believe that you couldn’t have cast one fast enough. How could you be so eager to touch a younger girl, especially when you hardly ever lay a hand on me? As your mistress, I suppose I’ll have to beat some sense into my servant. Besides, I still have a few questions for you. Now, stop dawdling and prepare yourself. I won’t accept your surrender without a fight, so entertain me with the best resistance you can manage.”

Did you mean to say all that out loud?! Your true, sinister motives are showing! Anyway, if I did touch you, you’d get angry at me for that too. And you have questions for me? Wh-What could those be about...?

I was caught between the Lady of the Sword behind me and her sister, along with a maid readying more spells than I could count, in front of me.

Tina, open your eyes and step away from me.

“No!” She clung to me even tighter.

This might be the end for me.

I hope that I may be allowed to omit what became of me thereafter for the sake of my honor and dignity.

Mom and dad back home...your little Allen may now be unfit for love as well as marriage.