“Hmm, what’s wrong?” Clyde asked again, in response to my silence and my weird expression.
…Can I ask for a ti out??
“Co on, just tell this uncle~”
I gulped. Whoa, now I’m sweating.
I wish life is similar to visual novel gas, where I now should be able to see so options that I can pick as my answer…
Because I’m drawing blank here.
“A…”
Just as I was about to tell whatever pops to my mind…
“Huh, Lyra, Clyde, what are you two doing over there?”
…Dad’s voice!!
Ohhh, he’s coming here!!
My savior!!
I decided to run towards my dad and gives him the best jump plus hug combination I can give him.
Obviously, my dad is surprised by my unusual behavior. Yes, I never ran with all I had and leaped to hug him! Usually, Dad would be the one to walk quickly towards and proceed to hug and carry around.
“Uwooo, my Lyra is acting so cute!”
I can hear Dad’s whisper close to my ears as he cradled in his arms. He looks slender but his arms are unexpectedly sturdy, as he didn’t even falter due to my full-speed ambush!
“Ahaha, hi there, Cyan-san! She was wandering off all alone, and she was so easy to spot being the only child below 6 years old here, so I thought I should be greeting her. When she turned around, I realized that she’s indeed the rumored daughter of Hartmann family!”
“Oh, right. Putting aside the fact that Lyra wanders off alone, I think introduction should be in order then. Clyde, this is my daughter, Alrescha Lyra Hartmann. We usually call her Lyra. Lyra, this young man here is Clyde Horace Loera.”
…
??????
Clyde Horace what?!
Loera?!
Since when…?!
I don’t have to use a mirror to see what kind of expression I have right now. My confusion is evident enough. This is a major fact that totally contradicts what I know in my past life!
Is this really a parallel world, then? There have been so many similarities I thought this was the sa world!
“Ahaha, as I thought. Cyan-san, your daughter asked before regarding why was I wearing Loera-thed clothes although I was from Grabberton house.”
“Huh? Is that so?”
Now, Dad is also looking at in confusion.
Uh-oh…
“Hmm… have I ever told you about Clyde? Is that why you know that he was from Grabberton family?”
…
Oooooh!!
Dad, you sparked a good idea to !
God, Thou hadn’t forsaken yet!!
Thank you, little spectre of light!!
“Uhm… yeah, but you didn’t tell Lyra much… so Lyra… ish confused?”
I tried to act as cute as I can and tilted my head. They say that won or children who tilted their heads in particular angle would look cuter than they usually are… so…
“Khhhhh!!” Dad is sohow holding back from his usual spoiling responses. Could it be because we’re in public, and Clyde is watching?
“Ah, so you have ever told her? No wonder she knows! I am so surprised that it was the first thing she asked of ! And she also knew my first and middle given nas!”
…Clyde, please, please be rciful to and stop making my dad more confused!!
He never really told anything about you, and that is a given why he cannot rember he has ever told about you!!
“Whoa, you really can rember all that, when I can’t even rember what I have told you! You’re so great, Lyra!” Dad patted my head.
Sohow… I feel guilty?
But I gotta shake it off and smile! Laugh!! Your big brother can laugh almost all the ti, so as his sister, you should be able to do it, too, Lyra!
…perhaps my smile ca out awkward, but whatever.
…Now that all the tension has left , I can feel another sensation. Yes, I wanna pee… if I were an ordinary 3 years old, I’d wet myself at this mont.
Then again, a 3 year-old normal girl wouldn’t get caught up in this kind of situation in the first place.
“Pleased to et you, Clyde-san!” I bowed my head in a hurry, so that he won’t see my awkward smile and doubt again.
“Ah, nice to et you, Lyra. As they said, you are really adorable!”
Dad’s hugs got tighter in that instant. I can feel he kinda tensed up but I can’t figure out why, since there doesn’t seem to be sothing wrong with Clyde’s words, except I must admit that he flattered .
“Uhm, so, how did you…?” I timidly voiced my question.
After all, I still want to pursue answers!!
“Ah… it’s true that I was from Grabberton family. But, I am not the heir of the family. My younger half-brother, Domi-kun is the heir. Also, as to why I beco Loera… It’s because I married the only daughter of the Loera’s main family. As they still had no heir at that ti, I was adopted as the heir, so they didn’t need to adopt soone from their main family and the likes. Therefore, I adopted their surna instead, while my wife still has her maiden surna intact.”
In cases of a noble family only having daughter(s) as their only children, to keep the surna going, they need to have one of their son-in-laws to adopt their surnas instead. It’s not that won are never an heir to a family, but since there is a tradition that surnas are passed from males, it would be quite troubling to have a female heir. That is why most females are at disadvantages in cases of competitions to be the heir.
…………………………………….eh, wait, what?
My half-brother is married?!
,,,It’s not weird considering his age… but for , it’s still weird.
Last ti I saw him, he was still 13.
Last ti he saw , I was his sa age half-sister.
It doesn’t feel so real to see him all grown-up like this.
And... the only daughter of Loera’s main family? Isn’t she… Cheryll Nicole Loera? Co to think about it, Clyde and Nicole were often seen together. I rember they were so friendly to each other… So, they were also close. Also… Nicole… often invited out and talked to , even when nobody else bothered to interact with at school if it wasn’t for any importance. Nicole often talked about insignificant things with … She was a friendly girl. Now I get it. She was trying to get close to because she was interested in Clyde…? She might have thought that she should also be close to as his sister.
One mystery (regarding why Nicole wanted to befriend ) has been solved, yup!
Domi-kun is the rightful heir of Grabberton, so there shouldn’t be any problem in marrying Clyde off to the Loera family. Instead, the Grabberton family would have a stronger connection to the Loera family. It’s a win-win solution.
“So, did you co here with your wife?” Dad asked.
“Ah, no, Nicole is busy taking care of our son.”
I gasped and looked at Clyde’s face.
What is this? Clyde, he didn’t only get married, but he’s got a son?!
“Oh, that’s right. Your son should be around one year old, right?”
“Haha, yeah. He is adorable. He takes after Nicole so much!” Clyde’s expression turned gentle when he talked about his child.
Uh… compared to his condition... as for ... instead of having a child, I beca a child myself!!
If I were still alive as Reinst, would I already have a child myself at his age?
But that is a future that I can no longer imagine.
“Co and see him so ti! Oh yeah, what about betrothing my son and your daughter?” Clyde said, almost jokingly. But I sensed a little glimpse of seriousness in his eyes.
Naturally, I was surprised at Clyde’s suggestion. At the sa ti, Dad hugged closer and tighter. When I notice it, he is still smiling, but there’s sothing else in that smile.
“Lyra is still 3. And your son is still 1.” Dad said with a cold voice.
Whoa, hey there, Dad…?
I am positive he is just joking around...?
And that maybe Clyde would discuss the idea further if you were to accept his half-joking suggestion.
“Hahaha, I’m just kidding!!” Clyde laughed it off and approached us. I can feel Dad’s tight hug started to loosen. He also didn’t step back.
“Well, I’ll make sure to co for your debut party as well, Lyra,” he patted my head.
Back then, I never got to be patted by him. But now, I can tell that his adult hand is warm and comforting.
After Clyde has walked quite far from us…
“…….that Clyde! There’s no way I’d give Lyra away!!!!”
…Dad, you’re totally being overprotective here! In the first place, you are supposed to be marrying off to other nobles eventually…
Just right at that mont, we heard the door opening, followed by a ruckus.
“…The king?!”
“He decided to attend?!”
“I thought he was going to be absent for this party, as well!!”
…eh?
The king himself, in flesh?!
Upon glancing at the source of the others’ stares, I found a young man who looks to be at the sa age as Dad. His short light brown hair hasn’t changed, and his green eyes are looking more mature. He wears a luxurious golden-white suit, covered in a red robe. The royal family emblem is stitched in the middle of his chest, holding up his robe. There are also a few gallant-looking guards standing beside him.
Dad walked to approach the commotion while carrying . Mom followed Dad from behind after she held Altaire’s hand and soon, we finally got to face the king.
“Sorry for being late, there were so urgent issues coming up at the castle!” The king said.
“No problem, we are glad about your arrival alone, Your Majesty.” Dad said, as he bowed down, followed by Mom.
“Please enjoy the party, Your Majesty,” Mom said, as she tugged Alt-nii’s hand that she was holding.
“T, thank you for coming Y-Your Majesty,” Alt quickly realized Mom’s signal and bowed down, as well. I slightly bowed my head down, as well.
“No problem, I’ve been planning to co here ever since Cyan there gave an invitation. Anyway, do you mind if we speak alone?” asked the king, still with his casual tone.
…does this sll like a trouble?
We entered another room near the hall, leaving the other nobles to enjoy the party. I notice myself getting all tensed up especially the mont the door closes. I bet the atmosphere here will soon turn tense, as well… My family must also be nervous with this developnt. For the king to request a private audience, there must be so issues he’d like to talk with us. Perhaps, it’s regarding the Hartmann’s governance, or other things, as I rember that both my parents are already working at the Royal Castle, in spite of their role in East territory’s managent.
I braced myself to look at Dad’s expression. I should be able to notice if he’s tense, despite the fact that he might cover it up with his usual business smile… and yeah, there he is, smiling… but he doesn’t look tense at all…?!
I quickly turned my gaze at Mom. Nope, she isn’t tense as well!
I desperately turned around to see Altaire-nii, he’s all smiling! No sign of nervousness!
W, what’s wrong with my family?! Why am I the only one feeling tense?!
“What’s up with that grand entrance, Your Ma-jes-ty~?” Dad said in a teasing tone. He seed a little... irritated?
Huh?!!
GWAAH?! Wait Dad, what are you thinkin—
“How many tis do I have to tell you to cut all the formalities off when nobody is around, Cyan?!” The king seems irritated, as he crossed his legs and put one of his hands on his chin.
…This situation… doesn’t seem like an audience between a king and his subject or his subordinate… Rather, it’s like… a casual talk between close friends?!
“Hahaha, it’s my little payback for gathering the audience just now, causing us to be all formal and nervous! Not to ntion the fact that we have to think and act fast before others call us as rude towards the king! This whole play of being formal in presence of others and being casual when there are no one is quite tiring, I admit.”
“Well, I told you there were so urgent matters coming up! I didn’t intend to be late and make that kind of entrance to the party!”
“Okay, okay… So, how was it? Do you need my assistance for that ‘urgent matter’?”
“Nah, I don’t think we need that for now. Just continue your usual work. I’ll make sure to summon you if I ever need that.”
“Alright then. You know you can always count on , Titus.” Dad said as he patted the king’s shoulders. The king laughed it off and the two of them fist-bumped each other.
Mom and Altaire are watching the scene unfold as if it’s natural...
So, am I the only one left in blanks?
I desperately tried to make anyone look my way, so that they can see a desperate confusion on my face.
Luckily, I managed to get their attention, and they tried to explain the whole thing to ...
--Please wait for the long explanation intended to a child to end so that Lyra can conclude everything and retell the whole explanation curtly—
Back then, Mom worked as a Royal Magician in the Magic Court, and soon beca the Head of the Royal Magic Court, where she is famously known as “The Sky Magician—Ophelia”. And Dad served under Mom as a Royal Magician… plus handling underground activities like uncovering the frauds and mistreatnt especially his family did, directly under the king—who was still the crowned prince back then. Obviously, he made use of his illusion and transformation power as a Hartmann for doing his work as a spy.
Upon gaining the responsibility as one of the Four Dukes, Dad stopped working as a Royal Magician, but he’s continuing his work directly under the king’s order! He is the king’s trusted right hand, working as a spy countless tis. He can be given the title of “The Royal Spy”!
As for Dad’s relationship to the king...
Dad has always been good friends with the current king ever since they were still teenagers, since they t at the Harmonia Academy, to be exact. That explains the king’s trust and friendliness to my dad, and vice versa. anwhile, Mom, as the Head of the Royal Magic Court and one of the people who needs to work directly with the king, who sotis aids in underground missions, also beco used to talking with him and soon beco friendly, as well.
According to what they said, there are also other people who are close to the king. The king wants the people working directly with him to be friendly and close as comrades, instead of being stiff like a robot that has to watch everything they say so they won’t be charged with lèse-majesté or being a hypocrite, trying to fawn over the king.
Also, also!!
Apparently, at first, Dad refused to continue the Hartmann family’s reign. However, the king wanted no one but him to be one of the Four Dukes because of reasons (mainly because the Four Dukes are like four pillars of the kingdom so it must be important for the king to have a close relationship with the dukes), and so he skillfully manipulated the conditions and appointed Dad as the Hartmann family’s head, and continued Dad’s engagent to the Sanctuaria’s young lady, who is none other than Mom.
The king gained a lot of profit with this kind of setting, I see!
--And that concludes Lyra’s report!—
“So, are you going to the castle again, Alt?” The king turned over to Altaire.
“Yes, Your Majesty!” Alt-nii answered with a bright smile.
…wha? Again?
“Yes, as Altaire is already 6 years old, I would like to reconfirm his magic affinity and then proceed to check his mana capacity. Perhaps he would need to co to the castle more often with from now on,” said Mom.
I stared in another confusion. Noticing this, Mom told .
“Ah, Lyra, you’ll also co to the castle with when you’re 4 years old, so you can get your magic tested in the Royal Magic Court. Alt has done that, too, when he was four… his result was amazing, so I want to recheck it together with his mana capacity check…”
“Amazing result?” I pondered. What affinity might be categorized as amazing when Mom can do the rare attributed magics?
“Hehe, guess what?” Alt-nii is grinning wide.
I reflexively hold my breath in anticipation.
“Surprise, the attribute that I have the most affinity with, is… Void!” said Alt-nii.
…ARE YOU KIDDING ?!
I am very surprised that I beco speechless. My face right now might be similar to the emoticon [O_O]
[Void] is even considered as a mythical elent!
To think that my brother is the one possessing such an amazing elent?!
The king and my parents talked a bit more after setting up Alt-nii’s magic test for tomorrow, mostly about their work and about past days, before they finally went out and socialized with the others at the party. The party finally ended at around 9 p.m., and obviously nobody dared do go back before the king stepped out… unless it is an ergency.
After a lot of mind-blowing revelations today, I feel very exhausted. If I were to wake up and realizing this was all a dream, I’d believe that right away. I just want to hop in my bed and sleep…
However, being a good child and rembering the pain from the tooth cavity when I was Reinst, I decided to go to the bathroom and brush my teeth before I sleep, without having the others reminding .
As a result, I was praised by them. Alt-nii sulked a little because he planned on skipping his tooth-brushing routine today, and now he has to brush his teeth because his little sister did that without being ordered to.
Uuu, sorry, Alt-nii! But it’s for your own good! Honestly, tooth cavity is so botherso!! Since the external surface of a tooth, the enal, is not a living tissue, so a healing magic cannot influence the cells to repair itself, therefore we have to go to the dentist to get it fixed with another hard material as its replacent. Healing magic can actually stimulate the second surface of the tooth, the dentin, to heal, but the hard material to replace the enal functions better to protect the teeth in the long run!
Not many people can use complicated healing magic, so obviously we still have doctors and dentists. I believe Mom can recover the dentin should we get a deep cavity, but eventually we still have to go to get the protective hard material to replace the broken enal. There are also other procedures that cannot be accomplished with healing magic, such as transplanting cells to heal incurable illnesses, such as genetic illnesses. It would be so ideal to have a magic that can quickly change your genetic formation and replace the cells with healthy ones. I wonder how much mana must soone have in order to do such a feat?
Just a few minutes after getting a touchdown with my beloved bed, I fall asleep imdiately. My brain needs a lot of ti to process all these absurd information, so when I wake up the next day, everyone says that I’ve been asleep for half a day already, without being bothered by any noise they made.
For the first ti in my life, I skipped eating a complete breakfast.
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