Monogatari no Naka no Hito

“So many large residences lined up yet they don’t feel out of place in this town.”

Riheed mutters so from inside the carriage with a subdued voice.

In the past, other than the lord’s residence there would be no such large homes, Riheed recalls a town which was crowded with small homes.

The carriage is currently traveling in the upper level district of the royal capital.

There, it is lined up with large residences, and it seems like everyone is competing with the house they live in.

“Did you say something?”

Mikene, who couldn’t make out Riheed’s mutter, turns to him and asked so.

“No, it’s nothing, don’t worry about it.”

“Oh, okay.”

Though it was a normal conversation, the maid who notices something looks at her master.

“What’s wrong Aryu?”

Noticing the glance, Mikene looks puzzled.

“No, just your relations seem to be good.”

“Wh-what are you saying?”

“Yea yea. We’ll be classmates after this, it’ll be embarrassing if you always use honorifics.”

Mikene face reddens from Aryu’s words as she feigns ignorance, Riheed furthermore agrees.

“By the way Riheed-sama, you’re talking as if it’s a given that you can enter the school. Is it really all right?”

While looking at her master’s interesting reaction, Aryu spoke when she became aware of that.

“Mu. It’s perfect! Various connections from the olden days still remain! These letters of recommendations aren’t something which can easily be rejected!”

Riheed claims so with great confidence, brimming with an atmosphere that he is partially threatening the school regarding his entry.

“We’ll see tomorrow when we go to school. But if it’s no good you won’t be unreasonable will you?”

“Hey, even with this appearance I’m still the older one! Moreover if it’s no good, I intend to be magnificently unreasonable!”

Mikene gave advice quite like an elder sister, Riheed who heard that advice declares so in a loud voice.

“If it’s no good then I’ll drag him along and return. Assuming you can’t enter the school, Master said to employ you as a live-in employee to teach Ojou-sama magic. There won’t be any problems regarding you livelihood.”

Both Aryu and Mikene are dubious regarding Riheed’s connections, and think he won’t be able to enter the school.

The person himself is about 100% sure he can enter the school and has no doubts.

“Mu. Fine then. Let’s go early tomorrow!”

Though dissatisfied with the two’s reactions, Riheed actually doesn’t know to what extent his connections will be useful in this society due to the passage of time, so he didn’t especially take the time to argue.

And so, the carriage containing the three who are talking this and that about the next day stopped in front of a luxuriously made residence.

“This is also large.”

Though it’s not to the extent of the Mikarune household’s primary residence, Riheed raises a voice of admiration for the splendid residence before his eyes.

Going be size, it is smaller than Litris’, but even an amateur can understand its splendor.

“Hyph manages the courtyard. I manage the residence.”

“Though it’s much smaller than our first home, managing it alone is immense so say if we must employ others.”

Mikene expresses her discontent with Aryu’s explanation.

Though this secondary was bought so that her former brothers and brother could go to school in the royal capital, the outcome was that only Mikene is using it.

“No, if the number of people increases I’ll have spare time.”

Though managing it alone is difficult, thinking Hyph would have difficulty getting along with others, Aryu softly refuses that kind of talk.

With Aryu’s own stamina and quick movements, and Hyph who helps with the residence as well, there are no particular problems with their management.

“Haa, let’s leave this conversation for another time and enter inside. As would be expected, I’m tired.”

“Yes, then I will lead Riheed-sama to the guest room.”

Like that the three other than Hyph who is taking care of the horse set foot in the mansion.

Riheed who raised his voice at the splendor of the mansion’s insides, once again raised it at the splendor of the room.

When finished voicing his broad admiration, he makes an appearance at the dining room he was shown earlier.

There is Aryu dressed in a maid uniform who is preparing the evening meal.

“The meal will be ready shortly, please wait.”

While arranging the tableware on top of the table Aryu turns her head and says so to Riheed.

“I was thinking if there’s something I can help with.”

“I’ll be scolded if I allow a visitor to do something like that.”

Aryu returns a smile to Riheed’s proposal.

“Hmm. Then I’ll watch the figure of a working Aryu.”

Saying so Riheed takes a seat and follows Aryu with his eyes as she is briskly making preparations.

“Being watched like that is a little embarrassing.”

Aryu with a faintly dyed face says so to Riheed.

“Fuhaha, you won’t be watched if you let me help! Incidentally it seems you’re eating together with the two of us.”

Seeing the number of tableware Riheed spoke his doubt.

Riheed recalls that in the Mikarune household the servants don’t eat their meals at the same time but encircled them.

“Yes. In truth it’s no good, but Ojou-sama by all means dislikes eating her meals alone.”

Aryu accepted her Ojou-sama’s soft fretting, and in this house the three would eat together.

It’s increased with Riheed, and Aryu who is preparing meals for four people is somewhat glad-looking.

While noncommittally humming songs audibly, Riheed reads a textbook on magic he borrowed from Mikene.

When the preparation is completed, Hyph and Mikene enter the dining room in that order.

When all members take their seats the meal began.

The topic of the dining table was primarily about Litris’ home.

Mikene talks, Riheed supplements, Aryu speaks about the business of Litris’ parents, Hyph nods.

“Litris-sama’s household is an urban company, it appears the company deal with magic tools that average citizens can use.”

“Magic tools!?”

Riheed jumps at Aryu’s speech with sparkling eyes.

“Yes. They were high-class goods in the olden days, but recently it has become such that even common people can afford them. The driving force behind this is the urban company belonging to Litris-sama’s parents.”

“Hoho. So what can be done with these magic tools!?”

Rather than Litris’ parents, Riheed is more interested about magic tools.

“Simple magic can be used. But it’s not to the extent that a magician can use. I personally find a fire adjustment magic tool useful.”

“Hoho! By all means show it to me later! Let me dismantle it! Let me reproduce it!!”

With excitement from Aryu’s explanation, Riheed brings his face close.

“I, I understand so please calm down!”

“Yea, it’s a promise.”

With Aryu’s approval, Riheed sits down on his seat as if his excited condition up to now was a lie.

“Haa. Be careful not to break it, we can’t eat Aryu’s rice if it disappears.”

“Cooked rice is important.”

Mikene who was astounded gives a warning to Riheed, Hyph unusually opened his mouth in regards to the serious matter of the rice.

“I’ll take proper measures!”

Riheed gives an untrustworthy declaration.

Mikene, Aryu and Hyph each respectively retort to that declaration.

Thus the dining table continued to be lively.