Chapter 38

When the carriage stopped and the door opened, Claude got off first, lifted Al and me and lowered us down.

We have followed behind Claude as he walked towards the entrance hall. The entrance hall opened and a butler came out.

「Welcome back, Dannasama」

「Yeah, has everyone gathered?」

「Yes. They are waiting in the office」

「I see, you two, follow me to the office for the introductions」

「「Ye~s」」

When we follow Claude just as said, we stop in front of a certain room. Claude opened the door and we have walked inside.

There were four people waiting inside, one who was sitting on the sofa stood up after seeing Claude and greeted him.

「Welcome back, Dear」

「Yeah, I’m back. I will introduce you at once, these two are……」

Claude who turned around in order to introduce us creased his eyebrows.

「Oy, what’s the matter? You…… look as if you have seen a ghost」

「「Ah」」

「Ah?」

「「Dear…… you are married!?」」

「What do you mean?」

「Iya~ I somehow thought you were a bachelor you see」

「Evan said that you are magic fool, so I thought you didn’t have interest in stuff like this」

「I’m the head of a ducal house, so it’s only natural that I’m married…… seriously…… once again, my wife Samantha」

Claude is apparently married, and his wife Samantha is a person with blue hair and light blue eyes. Rather than beauty, she’s cute.

「I’m glad to meet you, I’m Claude’s wife Samantha. Please treat me well」

「How do you do, I’m Albert. Please treat us well starting today」

When Al introduced himself, Claude was staring at him.

To be honest, I also wanted to do that, but self-introductions are important.

「Nice to meet you, I’m Felice. I will be in your care」

「My, I heard from Dannasama, but you are admirable for doing proper greetings」

While Samantha was interested, Claude addressed Al in bewilderment.

「Oy, Alberta, what’s up with you? The way you talk……」

「Don’t jest Claude-sama, I haven’t changed from the usual?」

When Al stares at Claude while grinning, Claude gave up and introduced the other people.

「Oh well, the one who welcomed us is the head butler Henry, next to him is his wife and the head maid Megan」

「I’m the head butler Henry. Pleased to meet you」

「I’m the head maid Megan. Please treat me well」

Henry is a silver-haired, blue-eyed man and Megan is a bright brown-haired, chestnut-color eyed woman, and the two bowed to us with gentle smiles.

「「Pleased to meet you」」

「Next, the butler guard Riley who will be Albert’s personal butler. And, the maid guard Olivia who will be Felice’s personal maid」

「「Guard?」」

「I’m Albert-sama’s personal butler Riley. Please treat me well」

「I’m Felice-sama’s personal maid Olivia. Please treat me well」

Riley has white hair and silver eyes, expressionless and handsome.

Both look to be in the latter half of the teens and unwillingness oozed from their greetings.

「「Pleased to meet you」」

「There are other employees too, but remember these four for now」

「「Yes」」

「Then, I will lead you to your rooms. You may go, Samantha. Henry and Megan, return to your work please」

「Yes, I understand」

「「Excuse me」」

While walking in the corridor guided by Claude, I felt sharp gazes from behind.

｛Say, Al…… we are being treated quite vigilantly, aren’t we?｝

｛Yeah. They have been training to appraise me since a little while ago. It’s making me suspicious instead｝

｛Me too. But it’s not like I can let them see｝

｛Nevertheless, just how much did Claude tell them? Our interaction will depend on that｝

｛Let’s ask later｝

｛Yeah｝

After a while of walking, Claude stopped and when Riley stepped forward to open the door we all entered inside.

「This is Albert’s room. The furniture has been arranged, but if there’s anything you need, I will prepare it. Arrange it however you like it」

「Thank you very much」

「Then, next room」

We left the room, Olivia opened the door to the neighboring room this time and we entered inside.

「This is Felice’s room. Please let me know if anything is missing」

「Yes, thank you very much」

「Anyhow, this should be enough for showing you the rooms. Is there something you’d like to ask?」

Because Claude asked, Al asked the question we have been thinking about a while ago.

「Claude-sama, how much did you speak about us?」

「I told them that I’m adopting you because you are excellent orphans」

「Is that so…… it would be better if these two would be excluded, but…… I can’t trust them」

「「What!」」

Riley and Olivia reacted to Al’s words, but Claude stayed calm.

「May I hear the reason?」

「Reason, huh…… in spite of the master’s orders, they display bloodthirst towards the people they should be guarding and fearlessly try to appraise us without permission. To be frank…… it’s unpleasant」

「b.a.s.t.a.r.d! How do you think you are talking to Claude-sama!」

Riley shouted and Olivia’s glare swelled with bloodthirst.

(A~h, if you do that, Al’s Ryuu switch will get turned on. Well, they must be aiming for that though)

I nonchalantly approached Claude and he addressed me when I set up a barrier around us.

「Sorry about that, Felice」

「Why are you doing it in such roundabout way?」

「These two have the ability, but their field of vision is narrow. I thought that even if I explained what Kokuryuu is, colliding head on and having a painful experience will make things faster」

「Painful experience, you say…… well, Al understands too, so I think he will go easy on them」

While we were talking, the atmosphere in the room became heavy.

The cause is naturally Al.

「Pretentious humans…… did you think that you could do anything to us with that meager power of yours!」

Even though the two fell to their knees after being struck by Al, they undauntedly stared back at him.

「You b.a.s.t.a.r.d, what are you! What is your purpose to disguise as a child!」

「Depending on the answer, we will kill you even if we have to exchange our lives for it!」

「Exchange? …… Kukku, ha~hahaha! With your strength, you won’t be able to leave a single scratch on me!」

「「Guh」」

Al fired even more of his bloodthirst and a threatening dark aura wrapped around him.

While watching that, Claude and I were nonchalantly chatting.

「Al is in high spirits, isn’t he? How long does he plan on continuing?」

「Who knows…… it would be better if they surrendered early though」

「Come to think of it, does Samantha-san, Henry or Megan know about us?」

「I spoke to them, but Samantha said she wanted to raise you as her own children, so if you guys like, please call her mother」

「Eh? …… Is that fine?」

「Of course. I also have the same intentions after all」

「Th, then…… err…… umm…… may I call you…… Otousama too?」

When I nervously asked, Claude gently patted my head.

「Mmm…… As I thought, daughters are nice. Can we call you Feli as well?」

「Yes!」

While smiling and delighted of the first existence in this world I could call ‘father,’ I heard a voice from the side.

「You seem to be having fun while forcing the troubles onto me. Feli, O・to・u・sa・ma」

When we turn towards the voice, Al was staring at us.

「「Ah」」

The other side apparently finished.