Chapter 105
On a holiday morning, at a ti when I would usually still be indulging in lazy sleep, I got up and t Sil, Severi, and Renato in front of the Military School gate, coming to Ransheen Fortress after a long ti.
Today, an envoy from Sleiran is visiting, and the handover of the Second Prince of the Kingdom of Srelan will take place.
Everyone is quieter than usual, and Sil, in particular, has been appealing to Severi with a tragic face, saying "My elder brother will scold " ever since we left the Military School. Seeing his figure overlap with myself during that exercise, I nodded deeply, understanding Sil's feelings well, while Renato, walking beside , tilted his head in confusion.
In stark contrast to the anxious Sil, Renato is his usual self, showing no sign of nervousness despite this being his first diplomatic negotiation.
Unafraid, quick to adapt to new environnts, and thinking logically about matters.
Thinking proudly of Renato as soone befitting royalty for these traits, I entered through the open gate of the fortress, where I saw my cousin dressed in military uniform.
"Roberto, my dear brother!"
At the Military School, I had seen Roberto in uniform, but seeing him now in the gray military uniform, I couldn't help but get excited and rushed over with a shout. Even though I should be used to seeing the uniform after his years at the fortress, I still felt moved seeing Roberto wearing it.
"Good morning, Celes. Haha, isn't it a bit much to bundle up so heavily just because it's still cold? You look all fluffy."
"Fluffy..."
"Did no one say anything to you... Ah, is this not just for today but how you usually are?"
"It's cold, so this much is natural. Roberto, are you here for training?"
"Yes, for training."
Attending Military School doesn't necessarily an one will beco a soldier. So attend to gain basic education, others to use the specialized knowledge learned at the school for business purposes, and for those living near the border like us, many co to learn how to fight in case of ergencies—there are countless reasons people attend Military School.
Including myself, many of us graduate from Military School in four years, but those aiming to beco soldiers stay an additional year, spending their fifth year as soldiers-in-training at the school. In that fifth year, they are rigorously taught more practical skills beyond what they've learned so far, and expeditions are conducted alongside active soldiers.
On weekdays, they're at Military School, and on holidays, they train as apprentices at Ransheen Fortress.
This continues for a year, and in the spring, they are assigned as new recruits to military units across various regions. It seems that before graduation, they choose their desired assignnt and submit it to the school, but Ransheen Fortress is highly competitive due to many applicants.
For that reason, I've heard that those from this town are given priority for assignnt to Ransheen Fortress.
"Normally, I assist the superior officers inside the fortress, but today I was tasked with welcoming the envoy from Sleiran."
"Are you handling this alone, Roberto? Where are the others?"
"Ah, considering their status, it might be rude for an apprentice like to be the one welcoming them, but in this case, they should be grateful just to be received at all."
They are envoys from another country, and among them is the Third Prince, a royal. Normally, soone of a high rank like a Colonel would be the one to greet them, wouldn't they? I frowned at the thought, and Roberto, pressing his index finger to the crease between my brows, smiled at Sil standing to my left and said, "Right?"
"Unlike my captured half-brother, my elder brother is a thoughtful person, so I believe he would be grateful just to be welcod."
"Yeah, indeed, he didn't make a displeased face and even expressed his gratitude."
"...Expressed...? Huh?"
"Your brother has already arrived. Co on, Grandfather is waiting in the guest room, so everyone, head inside the fortress."
With a wry smile at the lack of leniency toward royalty, Roberto patted the shoulder of Sil, who was too shocked to speak, and casually dropped a bombshell with a pleasant smile.
"I heard the envoys were supposed to arrive in the afternoon..."
Wondering if I had misheard the ti, I looked around, and Sil and Severi shook their heads, while Renato had a puzzled expression.
"Don't worry, you didn't mishear. It seems the schedule was moved up due to circumstances on Sleiran's side, and they've already arrived. So, I've been instructed to guide Renato as soon as he arrives. Renato, while we walk, there are a few things to confirm."
"Ah, yes. I've already coordinated with the Marshal beforehand, but has sothing changed?"
"Here's the docunt I handed over the other day, but they said to erase this part on the second page and replace it with this."
"Didn't the Marshal say that part might be a bit difficult to change?"
"Since the other party is the Third Prince, they decided to make the change, but the conditions they proposed are..."
Renato walked beside Roberto, looking at the docunts and discussing as they entered. Following behind them, I watched in admiration. Just a few minutes ago, he had a puzzled look, but he quickly switched gears and started conferring with Roberto, which made smirk, thinking how exceptional Renato truly is.
"Celes, you've got a weird expression on your face."
"...Weird expression?"
"Your eyes are drooping, and your mouth is like... this... kind of like this."
"What's with that strange face?"
"It's your face, Celes."
"There's no way I'm making a face like that."
"Sil, that weird face is just how she always looks."
"Always...?"
"That's a bit misleading, isn't it? It's more accurate to say it's always like that when it cos to the Second Prince... Wait, I didn't say that! If you're going to glare, glare at Severi!"
Seeing Sil pointing at Severi, I let out a sigh, and Sil grabbed my arm, protesting with "Why the sigh!?" It's good that Sil is finally back to his usual self, but what am I supposed to do about this? I raised my grabbed arm to show Severi, but he just glanced at it and walked ahead without saying a thing.
"Isn't this Severi's responsibility?"
"..."
"Wait, Severi."
"..."
Even shaking my arm doesn't make Sil let go, and calling out to Severi, who's supposed to be in charge of looking after him, gets ignored.
Honestly, I'd love to run up to Severi and make him deal with the sa thing, but I can't ss around inside the fortress, so I have no choice but to move forward with Sil still attached to my arm.
"Hey, Celes."
"...What is it?"
"What does my brother think of ?"
"What do you an by that?"
"I'm always causing trouble and worry... Maybe he's about to give up on ? Or perhaps he won't even scold and just refuse to look at ."
To Sil, who muttered weakly in a small voice, I replied, "Don't worry so much," and lightly tapped his forehead with my free hand.
Sil groaned and looked at resentfully, but I continued speaking.
"There's a high chance you've been causing trouble even before coming to this country."
"...Huh?"
"There's no way Sil would behave quietly in Sleiran."
"Behave quietly... Well, I did get scolded a lot, sure."
"So there's no need to worry. It's not 'about to happen'—he's probably already exasperated with you."
Patting his shoulder to encourage him, Sil said, "That's harsh," and finally let go of my arm. I quickly put so distance between us to avoid being grabbed again.
"Wait, normally, this is the part where you comfort and encourage , right...!?"
"This is my normal, and unfortunately, it's reality."
"Ugh... Severi...!"
"...Hey, it's hard to walk, so let go."
"But Celes is being an to !"
How can he call an when he's dragging along a guy taller than himself, slender but muscular, making him walk like this?
Hearing Sil making a fuss, Renato and Roberto turned back to see if sothing was wrong, but I waved my hand lightly to signal that everything was fine.
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