In the early summer forest, the scream of Marquis Dario Afonso echoed.
I muttered.
"Such a nice place, isn't it?"
"Truly, it is."
"Yes, indeed."
"Such lush forests in the cold Dilts are rare. It reminds me of my hometown."
The attendants chimed in enthusiastically.
Yes, it really was a nice place.
His villa was located at the southeastern edge of the Dilts territory.
It was an elegant mansion. Probably two stories high, with white walls and a bright blue roof in the Sfein style, perhaps due to Dario-sama's Sfein heritage or because this land was once part of Sfein. It stood alone in a soft, verdant forest, bathed in dappled sunlight.
There were no other buildings around, but it didn't feel lonely. The rustling of leaves and the chirping of birds kept my ears constantly entertained.
A small stream flowed nearby, and the scent of clear water filled the air.
I took a deep breath. The air was a bit cool for early summer, thanks to the shade of the trees, but it felt refreshing.
"Really beautiful. Thank you for inviting us, Dario-sama."
"Thank you very much!"
"――I didn't invite you! I didn't call for any of you!"
The owner of the villa screamed so loudly that my skin tingled.
I ignored it and looked around while holding Lisa.
"Ah, a squirrel! How cute."
"Really, it is. They seem to be a different species from those in the Granado castle garden."
Tunica said beside me. Thomas peeked out from behind her,
"That one was brought back from the western continent during the Age of Exploration. They're considered pests in Sfein because they cause a lot of damage."
Wolfgang, who was resting his horse, continued the conversation.
"There are quite a few in the Dilts capital. The government is promoting their eradication to protect native species."
I responded to them.
"Wow, really? Then let's set some traps. They'd be perfect for tonight's dinner."
"Marie-sama, didn't you say the squirrel was cute just now?"
"Well, squirrels are delicious. They're best in autumn, but this one is well-fed, so it should be quite satisfying."
Marquis Dario stomped his feet in front of us.
"――Who are you all!?"
"Be quiet. You're ruining the forest bath."
The collar of the agitated marquis was suddenly grabbed from behind, not by Cyrus-sama, but by the third in line to the Dilts throne, Ruihfon Sandalkia Dilts.
When Ruihfon-sama pinched him, Marquis Dario shrank back with a "Eek!" Even though he had been insolent with Cyrus-sama, the marquis seemed to feel threatened by the royal family. He quickly lost his spirit, became smaller, and fell silent.
Ruihfon-sama chuckled.
"Is there something strange about me being here? The Granado family is a branch of the royal family, and Duke Alfred and Cyrus are my relatives."
"Two hundred years ago, they were so distant that they can't even be named."
Cyrus-sama laughed beside Ruihfon-sama, who smiled with delight.
Cyrus Granado was tall. Not only was he tall, but his thick shoulders and chest muscles, visible even through his clothes, combined with his emerald green eyes and brown skin, gave him a warrior's presence.
Ruihfon-sama was slightly shorter than Cyrus-sama but still quite tall. He appeared slender but his dignified manner revealed his well-trained physique. His white skin was even more radiant than his silver hair and sharp ice-blue eyes, like a blade of ice that would cut if touched.
The two, with their contrasting color schemes, looked like mirror images when they stood side by side with similar smiles.
--- A few days earlier.
Cyrus-sama showed me an invitation with a very serious expression. The sender was Dario Afonso, and the content was clearly suspicious.
The "family" mentioned here probably referred to me and my daughter Lisa, or perhaps even Lord Ryu-Ryu, a very small group.
It was definitely a trap, and I couldn't let Cyrus-sama go alone— but could we protect him if we went? We might just be a hindrance. Cyrus-sama would likely not allow us to accompany him and would go alone despite the danger.
What should we do...?
Confused, I asked Cyrus-sama.
"Marie, I left my family's ducal mansion when I was just a child and have lived in this Granado castle for about twenty years. The servants here are like real family to me."
"…? Yes, I know that."
"And for you, Mio and Tunica are just as important, like family, right?"
"That's right."
"……So, I thought I'd bring everyone mentioned in this letter as 'family.' What do you think?"
"Wait, is that even possible!?"
I was shocked, but Cyrus-sama and Mio nodded simultaneously.
"It's fine since no one said it wasn't."
"Is it really okay…?"
I held my head.
Of course, we couldn't just do as the marquis said… but is it really okay? Will it backfire?
"It's fine. The designation is unreasonable anyway."
Mio said firmly. Hmm.
I looked at the letter again, still puzzled.
The invitation included the date and meeting place. The location was the forest and greenery in the southwestern part of the Dilts Kingdom, the Sandalkia region, where the marquis's villa was located.
"…Huh? Sandalkia?"
I thought I had heard the name before and looked at Mio, who nodded easily.
"That's right, it's related to Ruihfon-sama. When nobles form friendly relations with specific lands or ethnic groups, they often take the name as a middle name. It's similar to a political marriage."
"Oh, so that's the origin of Ruihfon-sama's name."
"Exactly. So, I included him as a related party. I sent a message earlier, and he agreed to come."
"Wait, Ruihfon-sama is coming!?"
I exclaimed. Cyrus-sama and Mio nodded again and then grinned.
I've known them for over two years, and this was the most evil, mischievous smile I've ever seen from them.
--- That's how Ruihfon-sama ended up here.
He usually has a calm and cheerful smile, but today he was even more cheerful, looking like he was having the time of his life.
"Ah, I've always wanted to come here! After all, I only received the middle name at birth and never even passed through here. This was a good opportunity. Thank you for the invitation, Marquis Dario."
With a voice as excited as a girl who just got good news from a love fortune, Ruihfon-sama shook the marquis's hand and swung him around wildly. The marquis looked like his soul had left his body, his mouth half-open and his eyes unfocused.
"Of course, I'm not just here to play. I'll help too. A museum for the Granado duke? Leave it to me. As the third prince, I know all the roots of the royal family. The Granado family is a branch of the royal family. I probably know more about Duke Alfred's achievements than Cyrus."
Cyrus-sama nodded behind the cheerful Ruihfon-sama.
"Of course, you're very reliable. Thank you for coming for my father."
"Don't worry, my friend. I said the ducal family is a distant relative, and just two hundred years ago, we were brothers. You are my relative, my family!"
"Oh, that's right. And my wife Marie's older sister, Anastasia, is Ruihfon's wife. In fact, we are related—no, we are family."
The two of them put their arms around each other and laughed loudly.
………. What is this? It feels more like a stage performance than the one I saw the other day…
Both of them are capable of better acting and lying when they put their minds to it. This deliberate, wooden reading and obvious script is probably intentional. To tease Marquis Dario or to warn him, "We see through your schemes."
Marquis Dario was in a daze for a while but seemed to regain consciousness. He closed his half-open mouth by tapping his chin and smiled politely.
"Everyone, thank you for coming. I'll have the rooms and tea prepared right away, so please come inside the mansion for now…"
He turned and walked into the mansion. We followed, with Cyrus-sama leading the way. The marquis turned at the door, pulling the doorknob while smiling,
"――Please relax in the dining room, giiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii