âI donât know whatâs wrong with him getting thinner . He just doesnât have that much of an appetite these days⌠Well, thatâs not something to be too happy about either, I guess . I think itâs that Elsa whoâs affecting his mood . He seems to get crankier when sheâs not around . As for me⌠Iâm sorry, but I donât want her to become my stepmother, it feels weird knowing that my future stepmother is the same age as me . â
Reinhart canât resist the urge to laugh upon hearing such unrestrained words .
âAll of your sisters are married, and if you were to find a husband, Karen⌠then the marquis wonât be talking about his own new wife, right?â
âBut no man will ever good enough for me in my fatherâs eyes . Reinhart does come from a fine lineage, thoughâŚâ
The first to react to that is Belche .
âIâm afraid thatâs not possible . Reinhart is my husband . â
Belche glares at Karen while holding Reinhartâs arm tightly .
âHahaha! I know, I know . I donât go taking peopleâs husbands or anything like that . The same goes for Jin, okay? Donât worry Saki, I wonât take him away from you . â
Hearing that, Saki gets unusually flustered in denial .
âKa⌠Karen! Jin and I donât have that kind of relationship!â
âOh, is that so? Then, wonât you become my husband, Jin? Youâd eventually become the marquisâ successor . â
Karen laughs mischievously . It doesnât look like sheâs serious, but Jin still plainly refuses .
âIâm sorry, but I have no interest in political power and things like that . â
âOh, how rare! If thatâs what the Honorary Magi Craftsman says, if he wants to continue to be a commoner, maybe your father can accept him . ⌠Saki, wonât you come back home?â
Karenâs words, calling Sakiâs father a commoner, remind me of him .
âThis is where I live now . Please tell that to the marquis . â
But Saki doesnât seem to want to go back to the marquisâ state . Karen looks a little disappointed .
âRight, just as I thought . But do remember that that place is still your home . You can count on us in case something goes wrong . â
âYeah, Iâll consider it if anything happens . â
Karen rounds up the conversation with Jin and Saki in order to go chat with other people .
âWell then, see you later . Good grief, greeting everyone sure is not an easy task . â
After Karen leaves, Jin asks a nearby waiter for some fresh juice . He then drinks it in one gulp .
âOh, are you tired, Jin?â
Says a smiling Saki .
âYeah, Iâm a little tired . This many people in one room is too much for me to bear . â
âHmm, right, right . Thatâs why I wouldnât want to become a noble myself . â
Saki gets the same fresh juice Jin had earlier, and drinks it slowly .
At that time, they hear something being said in a low but clear voice .
âHmph! Even though heâs not a legitimate child, they go and give him territory . âUpon hearing that, Saki literally flies towards the man who said those words .
âWhat did you say!? Say that again!â
âWha⌠what do you mean?â
The man had been taken completely by surprise due to Sakiâs rush attack, but he soon composes himself .
âHmph! Thereâs nothing wrong with saying the truth . His three brothers are legitimate children, but isnât that guyâs mother is nothing but a mistress . â
He laughs scornfully as he replies .
A sound echoes through the room . Saki had slapped the man with all of her strength .
âWha⌠whaaat?â
âWhat do you know? Lord Wolfgangâs former wife, Lady Sophia, gave birth to Leonhart at age sixteen, Wilhart at age nineteen, and Elhart at age twenty-one, then passed away when she was twenty-two years old . Lord Wolfgang thought about remarrying for the sake of his young sons, and hoped to take Lady Sophiaâs younger sister, Lady Isolde as his second wife . But to Lady Isolde, the position of âlegitimate wifeâ only ever belonged to her sister, so they decided to live in concubinage . Then Reinhart was born . You speak as if you knew everything, but you know nothing . â
The other man seems impressed by Sakiâs words . HoweverâŚ
âHmph! Iâm Gunther Kirhoff Von Dust, Viscount Kirhoffâs heir, you know? Are you sure you should be talking to me like that?â
The man waves his social position around just for the sake of offering some sort of resistance to Sakiâs words .
âOh, I see, youâre the son of Viscount Kirhoff . Ho ho! Now that you mention it, Iâve heard the viscount say that his son is quite the rascal . â
âWh⌠what?âThen, Saki follows with a broad grin, and continues:
âYouâve given out your name, so Iâll do the same . Iâm Saki Theoderic Von Silva . â
Saki introduces herself using her name given by the marquisâ family side . Gunther is completely taken aback .
âThe⌠TheodericâŚ?â
He goes pale after hearing that family name .
âOhoho! Thatâs right! Your family branches off mine!â
âI⌠Iâm terribly sorry! Please forgive my continuous ranting!â
He jumps down as if throwing himself from two meters high, and dives his head on top of the floor while getting on all fours . Saki fires off in a cold voice:
âIâm not the one you should be apologizing to . You should be apologizing to everybody here . Understood?â
âY⌠Yes!â
Gunther lowers his head again .
âE⌠Everybody! I deeply apologize for my thoughtless words . I spoke of things I do not know of without thinking . Iâm very sorry!â
After saying that loud and clear, he leaves the room .
â⌠Hmph!âSaki watches Gunther leave and lets off a sigh . The first one to approach her after that is Karen .
âSaki, that was impressive! Yes, be sure to speak your name clearly when youâre like that . â
The next one is Jin .
âSaki, you were so cool there! You looked⌠how should I put it? Handsome?â
âHey, Jin! Is that how you praise a woman?â
Jin canât help but laugh .
âAh, ahahaâŚâ
Then the last ones are Reinhart and his mother, Isolde .
âSaki, thank you for speaking up in my stead . â
âI donât mind what he said about me, but⌠Saki, Iâm glad you got angry because of the things he said about my son . Thank you very much . â
âOh, itâs⌠itâs nothing . â
Now Saki is scratching her head and feeling shy .
Jin is impressed by Saki, seeing how furious Saki had become, to the point of using the name she hates in order to protect both Reinhart and his motherâs honor .
At the same time, his view of Saki as a truly reliable person intensifies .