After my training with Lloyd finished, I somehow managed to drag myself to the bath despite my exhaustion. With a countless number of breaks in between, including the laps I did earlier I had to do 35 laps in total.
That demonic drill sergeant, even though he said heād teach me the sword after I finished running, only had me swing a wooden sword 100 times.
Well, since itās probably best not to teach me until I have the fundamentals down, heās properly teaching me step-by-step, I think.
It can be said that heās also a good teacher like Miss Mary.
After leaving the bath, I rested myself in my room. As expected, I didnāt even read a book, and just laid there on my bed.
When I was just about to fall asleep because of how tired I was, there was a knock on the door, and I headed for the dining room.
In the dining room, I had lunch which was prepared just as according to the instructions I gave yesterday. Mmm, I wonder if itās because I exercised so much, I think I wouldnāt mind a little bit more meat.
Basically speaking, this bodyās fuel consumption rate is pretty bad due to the unhealthy habits that have accumulated up until now. No, I canāt, I canāt, no matter what I canāt increase the amount of meat from yesterday and todayās amount or Iāll be so embarrassed.
At the very least, letās keep going until this flabby stomach has been entirely reduced.
āOh my, onii-sama, so youāre really eating vegetables. Whatās more, about as much as I do.ā
Michelle came into the dining room and said so with wide eyes.
āAhh, whenever I would get up in the morning my stomach would feel kind of queasy, but thatās not the case today. It seems that an appropriate amount of vegetables and a moderate amount of meat is good for the body.ā
āOnii-sama, you used to always pack as much food as possible into your body, and whatās more, as fast as you could.ā
Reminding me of Marcelās eating habits up until now, my sister was giggling.
āNow that I think on it, I donāt think that was very elegantā¦ā¦ā
While I was still a round pig, it seems that we often quarreled due to Michelle making fun of Marcel, but this time Iām honestly reflecting on my past actions.
āā¦ā¦Onii-sama, so youāre really aiming to be like Raiheart-sama, eh.ā
āOf course. Itās so that I donāt embarrass myself as the older brother of Prince Edwards. If I had kept continuing on like that, I would have been as round as a pig, and would have been so embarrassed to stand near him.ā
āOh my, Prince Edwards is such a wonderful person though, he wouldnāt do something like judge a person based on outer appearance! When I was chatting with him in the royal palace, not only is he so handsome and kind, he splendidly said that no matter what people look like, heāll be considerate of their feelings. Of course, I agreed with him as well.ā
As expected of Prince Edwards ā heās left such a good impression on my smiling sister Michelle.
Mmm, you were raised in such a bad place, as your brother, I was worried about what kind of conversation you would haveā¦ā¦ Although I expected it, she also saw the prince rebuking someone by saying who do you think you are, and he was distant from others and blaming them for things.
And so, my sister agreed with whatās common sense without noticing it.
ā¦ā¦In comparison to Michelle, my first impression of the prince is much lower. It looks like Iām going to have to visit the royal palace and set things on track.
While thinking about a strategy to deal with this, I paid no more attention to Michelle telling me stories about Prince Edwards and continued to eat lunch.
Ā
After eating, I rested in my room for a bit and then studied with Miss Mary. Although I had thought that I might not be able to move at all today due to this morningās training regimen, I had recovered due to my bath, meal, and resting, and was able to work hard at studying without any problems.
During my exercise this morning, Lloyd heard my plans for the day from me, if heās calculated his training menu with all this in mind then heās really amazing.
Since I had a lot less time available for studying today compared to yesterday, we focused on the topics of arithmetic and geography. I think all of Miss Maryās teaching tools and materials are handmade, sheās put her heart into making what she teaches short yet compact. I think sheās really quite a good teacher.
After I finished studying, I came to the detached cottage in the west garden. Once every three days, I would come to read books here, and todayās that day.
Ever since Iāve remembered my past life, Iāve thought that the education system here is strange. Basically, learning is all from what the governess teaches you, but reading and writing are the only subjects not included in that.
Then, if you ask whatās done instead, itās that Iām supposed to come here to read books once every three days.
I looked up above the cottage. Itās a tower that looks from the outside like itās about two stories tall. I opened the door, and called out a greeting.
āWolf jii-san, Iām here.ā
The decorative taste inside the cottage was quite different from the mansion. In the center of the room, there was a table with a lot of books piled on top. Apart from a door that leads to the bedroom, the walls were entirely covered with bookshelves, and there was also a ladder for them in the room.
Using my previous life as a standard, itās not nearly as many books as a cityās public library would be, but it should easily match my school libraryās collection. There was a magic tool hanging from the ceiling, giving off a bright light.
āOhh, welcome, Marcel-sama.ā
I heard a voice coming from the mountain of books. Buried amongst the piles and piles of books was the elderly master of this cottage, Wolfram.
This ojii-san is the only person that Marcel still doesnāt know how to approach up to now. Heās not like a grandfather or anything. Heās the reading and writing teacher for me and Michelle, but heās not an ordinary servant. From the fact that even my parents pay a certain amount of respect to him, I think it might be more appropriate to describe him as a guest.
I donāt know what his position is or what his relationship with my parents is, he seems to have quite some talent in teaching aristocrats though so itās probable that he was invited for such a purpose.
Letās take this chance to see what he can do.
āWell then, come on, take that book sitting over there thatās for you today. If you get tired, the best thing is to read a book.ā
After giving me instructions, Wolf jii-san went back to reading his own book. From time to time he would raise his glass to his lips.
Itās wine.
Ever since Marcel started understanding the ways of the world, this jii-san would always be indulging in wine while reading a book with his other hand.
At first, he did teach Marcel how to properly read and write to some extent, but later it basically became entirely self-study. Heāll instruct me to read something, and after that itās just reading.
Thinking of it now itās really a mystery, only during this book reading time does Marcelās selfishness not work for him at all.
No matter how tired Marcel was or how badly he was misbehaving, he never skipped out on book reading time even once. Come to think of it, what would that be. Iām going to have to make sure of the reason.
āWolf jii-san, Iāve arrived~.ā
Michelle has arrived as well. The maid that was always with her wasnāt here now. She only accompanied Michelle to the cottage, and then returned to the mansion.
āWelcome, Michelle-sama. Your book for today is over there, so please take it.ā
āI understand.ā
Michelle was also obedient whenever she was with Wolf jii-san. Probably, sheās just like me in that she treats him courteously because she doesnāt know exactly what kind of existence he is.
Michelle and I sat in chairs next to each other, and were both reading our own respective books. Using standards from my previous world, my book seems to be at a first-year middle schoolerās level, while Michelleās is at an older elementary schoolerās level. This worldās spoken and written language are both Japanese.
Languages like English, French, and German are also present, but these are considered aristocratic ancient languages. Kanji seems to be the commonersā ancient language, so probably because of the original game itās still appearing in the language now. Itās used in peopleās names and some proper nouns in the ancient language, but right now itās not being used in the mother language of the country or by the people.
However, thereās plenty of examples in the books, and Iām also practicing with them.
Apparently learning ancient languages is considered a refined noble hobby, so they spend quite some time on learning them.
Though my knowledge is imperfect, somehow or other I still mostly remember the kanji characters that a ten-year-old middle school student should know, itās obvious to see how much passion Iām putting into this.
Ā
But however, this is that Wolf jii-san Iām dealing with.Ā Although I said it earlier, he helped us get the basics down to some extent, and after that itās only been entirely self-study.
I canāt feel any teaching spirit from him.
I understand why someone like Miss Mary would be disappointed in how I am now, but it feels like jii-san started out like this.
When I finished the book, I approached Wolf jii-san.
āWolf jii-san, Iām finished.ā
āOh my, that was fast. Well then try this, itās the basic characters in the ancient language.ā
He passed me some paper used for writing the alphabet, and Wolf jii-san went back to concentrating on his own book.
I focused on this as well and finished it quickly.
āIām done.ā
āThen, thatās all I have for you to do today. Just read whatever you want at your leisure.ā
āThereās nothing else to do for today? Bring some more out. I want to increase the amount starting from next time.ā
At my assertion, Wolf jii-san started laughing heartily.
āWhatās this, Marcel-sama is so motivated today.ā
āAhh, Wolf jii-san, Iām aiming to become like the kingās brother Raiheart-dono. Thatās why, I would like for you to teach me more.ā
I said what I always did.
āThe kingās brother, eh. Ahh, thatās right, Michelle-sama just got engaged to Prince Edwards recently. Michelle-sama, congratulations.ā
āThatās right, Wolf jii-san! Listen listen, Prince Edwards is -ā
āWait, Michelle. Wolf jii-san, thatās why Iām now different from before. So, please give me more -ā
I interrupted Michelle who was almost blooming like a flower so happily with the chance to talk about her Prince Edwards, and argued vehemently.
āThose who believe they will succeed, will not. And those who believe they will not, will.Ā ā Well then, willst thou succeed, or willst thou not?ā
Wolf jii-sanās drunken atmosphere up to now suddenly changed, and he looked directly at me. Itās different from the friendly way heās treated me up to now, and I suddenly felt a pain in my stomach from being stared at. Itās an atmosphere which feels like denial or rejection.
āāShoot for the moon,ā is an ancient proverb. Iāll be rooting for you, Marcel-sama. ā Well then, Michelle-sama, please let me hear your story about Prince Edwards.ā
Wolfram jii-san returned to his drunken state again and returned to the topic of Michelleās story.
With the book reading time I had left, I kept trying to figure out the meaning of his words.\n