Weren't Karvaldr's siblings staying at the Town House in the Capital? Why are they waiting for me here?

The question naturally came to mind, making me hesitate.

Still, I couldn't very well refuse to board the carriage.

So after climbing inside, I took a proper look at the passenger who had arrived before me.

Her long, pure white hair fell smoothly down her back without the slightest curl.

Her eyes were entirely violet.

Her expression wasn't so much cold as devoid of emotion, and the gaze she directed toward her younger brother was equally detached.

Karvaldr's features were said to be an exact match for the portrait of the late Duchess.

The woman before me was a perfect copy of the Duke—not only in appearance, but also in her eyes, expression, and even the atmosphere she carried.

"I heard the news. You've lost your memory?"

As the carriage began moving, Ragfrid spoke first.

"...Is that why you came to meet me?"

"Our schedules simply happened to coincide. I finished my business in the Capital on the same day you were returning."

She could have at least offered the empty courtesy of claiming she'd come because she was worried about her younger brother.

Then again, if she had even that much concern for him, she would have found time to visit before I left for the Academy, no matter how busy she was.

Travel didn't take days.

There were Gates.

Yet neither of my older siblings had shown their faces even once.

The realization struck me anew.

"Even so, wasn't waiting here a waste of time?"

"Setting aside separate time to speak with you would have been a greater waste. Waiting a little allows us to talk during the journey. It is more efficient."

"Did you have something you wanted to say?"

"Hm..."

Ragfrid paused.

"I should correct myself. I did not particularly wish to speak. I wished to see the newly born familiar with my own eyes. While I was at it, I also intended to inspect the condition of my younger brother who supposedly lost his memory."

Come to think of it, I'd skipped over that detail because it wasn't particularly important.

A few days after Yor was born, I had received a letter from this body's family.

It instructed me to visit during the weekend and bring my familiar with me.

"I heard the rumors, but I found them difficult to believe. Your eyes really are sky blue."

So the rumors had spread beyond the Academy after all.

In any case, I had been planning to return during vacation.

Refusing had been the correct choice.

There was no reason to waste time traveling back and forth unnecessarily.

"To me, this child is a precious family member whom I would not trade for anything."

I hugged Yor tightly and glared at Ragfrid.

The meaning behind my gaze was simple.

If she spoke carelessly about Yor, I would not remain silent.

"To show hostility toward me, your real family, while saying that. Even with your memories gone, don't you think that's somewhat excessive?"

"To begin with... No, older sister, it's not as though you and I ever had a particularly affectionate relationship."

"You claim to have lost your memory. How can you be so certain?"

"If I had possessed even a single family member I could rely on, then the person I was before losing my memories would never have attempted suicide by drinking poison."

I met her gaze.

"That's why I'm certain."

For a moment, Ragfrid fell silent.

Then she nodded.

Her expression remained as impassive as ever.

"That is a reasonable conclusion."

"Has your inspection ended, then?"

"Not yet."

"Please continue."

"Do you..."

For the first time, she hesitated.

"...intend to attempt it again?"

She omitted the subject, but there was no difficulty in understanding her meaning.

"I have no intention whatsoever."

I stroked Yor's mane.

"Because there is now someone for whom I must take responsibility."

"The familiar?"

"Yes."

"I see."

"..."

"...What is its name?"

"Jörmungandr."

"I see."

And that was the end of the conversation.

Afterward, I simply sat there, holding Yor and idly playing with {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} the Baby Dragon's mane.

Ragfrid gently scratched her leopard familiar beneath the chin and gazed out the window.

A long time passed in silence.

Eventually, the carriage came to a halt in front of the Ducal Castle.

Only then was I finally released from that painfully awkward atmosphere.

"Welcome home, First Young Lady, Third Young Master. Was your journey uneventful?"

Unlike the day I departed for the Academy, quite a crowd had gathered.

The one who greeted us on behalf of the group was an elderly head butler.

Since we frequently crossed paths within the castle, I recognized him immediately, but—

They're not here to welcome me.

The people gathered before the entrance could be divided into two groups.

Those who supported the First Young Lady as the next Duke.

And those who wished to remain on her good side.

The butler had included "Third Young Master" in his greeting only because I was standing right there.

He certainly wasn't sincerely welcoming Karvaldr home.

Without responding, I walked past him and stopped in front of a young attendant standing off to one side.

Among everyone present, he was probably the only one who had actually come to greet Karvaldr.

"Yohrn. Were you waiting for me?"

"Yes...! Because I'm the Young Master's personal attendant!"

"I see."

I gave a slight nod at his energetic answer and started walking toward my destination.

Unfortunately, I didn't even manage a few steps.

"Youngest, where are you going?"

Ragfrid's voice stopped me.

"To my room."

"When returning home after a long absence, proper etiquette dictates that you first pay your respects to the head of the family."

Her tone was calm and instructional.

Apparently, she believed her amnesiac younger brother had forgotten even basic manners and was about to commit an unintended discourtesy.

"I know that much. However, if the person receiving those respects would only feel inconvenienced, wouldn't that itself be rude?"

I turned to look at her.

"You have business to report regarding your work in the Capital. For you, meeting Father is appropriate. For me, it is not."

"Then what etiquette do you believe you should observe?"

"For someone as troublesome as myself to interrupt Father while he is busy merely to offer greetings would only be an annoyance."

I shrugged.

"Therefore, waiting until Father summons me when he has time is, I believe, the greatest courtesy I can offer."

"Why..."

For the first time, genuine uncertainty entered her voice.

"...have you begun thinking that way?"

"As you know, older sister..."

I smiled faintly.

"Didn't I decide to stop behaving like a spoiled child?"

The words were deliberately vague.

Only a tiny handful of people within this castle knew the truth about Karvaldr's poisoning and memory loss.

"So after giving up everything I wanted from Father, I finally understood."

I met her eyes.

"I understood what Father actually wants from me."

Fortunately, Ragfrid seemed to grasp my meaning.

Then again, anyone aspiring to become Duke should have been capable of understanding something this obvious.

"Therefore, I shall rest in my room until Father summons me."

"...Do as you wish."

For the first time, hesitation surfaced on her otherwise expressionless face.

It seemed she wasn't entirely convinced.

Still, she allowed me to leave.

Most likely because she couldn't think of a rebuttal.

As I turned away from her and headed toward Karvaldr's room, the faces of everyone gathered there—including the elderly butler—passed through my field of vision.

Karvaldr possessed a defect in his Ether Attribute Ability.

As a result, he had no chance whatsoever of inheriting the title of Duke.

One day, he would inevitably leave this family.

That was why people treated him as something halfway between a family member and a guest.

It wasn't that they particularly hated or despised him.

So they pity me.

Contempt disguised as pity was unpleasant.

But genuine sympathy itself wasn't necessarily a bad thing.

At least, that's how I saw it.

Just look at the young attendant trailing after me.

Wasn't he proof that such feelings could sometimes be useful?

Being viewed as a pitiful young master who gave up seeking his father's affection is far better than being viewed as an insufferably arrogant third son ignored by the Duke.

There were practical advantages, too.

As long as Hárðr didn't summon me first, I wouldn't need to meet him.

Today's greeting could be skipped entirely.

If I ever needed something, I could simply send a servant or a butler with a message.

There was no need to humble myself and plead in person.

Pride didn't put food on the table.

I truly couldn't understand why Karvaldr had rejected such an easy solution.

If he'd behaved as I did now, he could have received sympathy, concern, and attention from countless people.

"Ah...!!"

The moment I opened the door to my room and stepped inside, Yohrn suddenly cried out.

"What is it?"

"I forgot to unload your luggage from the carriage, Young Master! I'll go get it right away!"

"No need."

Apparently that was all.

I removed the Yeouiju bracelet and handed it to Yor.

Then I asked the Baby Dragon to take out the luggage.

"Nyang~!"

Yor cheerfully accepted the task.

The Yeouiju reverted to its true form with a soft jingling sound. 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆𝙬𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝒎

The next moment, a suitcase popped out.

"Wooow!!"

The young attendant's eyes widened.

"Where did you get something so amazing?!"

"My familiar was born carrying it."

"Then do other familiars have artifacts like that too? Why have I never heard of it?"

"Because no familiar has ever been born with such an artifact before."

"Heeh..."

Yohrn alternated his gaze between Yor's eyes and the Yeouiju.

Then he made a strange noise.

I had a feeling he was suspicious.

Yor's eyes weren't violet, after all.

He was probably wondering whether I had somehow obtained a precious artifact and was using it to disguise Yor as some extraordinary existence.

Bringing that suspicion into the open would only make things awkward between me and my personal attendant.

There was nothing to gain from it.

So I chose to pretend I hadn't noticed.

"I want to wash up, eat lunch, and then get some rest. Make the necessary arrangements."

"Yes! I'll prepare your bath immediately and notify the kitchen!"

"One more thing. My familiar prefers properly plated meals and uses cutlery, so inform the kitchen of that as well."

"...Pardon?"

"Prepare enough human food for two people."

I pointed at Yor.

"And bring two sets of cutlery."

"Ah...? Y-yes..."

Though clearly bewildered, Yohrn carried out my instructions faithfully.

By the time I finished bathing and emerged from the bathroom, two complete meals and two sets of utensils had already been arranged on the table.

The attendant's face, previously split between suspicion and curiosity as Yor climbed onto a chair, transformed into pure astonishment.

I never had a suitable opportunity to mention it before, but—

Despite possessing a hand structure completely different from a human's, my Baby Dragon grew more skilled with tools every single day.

As a result, the handwriting that had once been crooked and childish now resembled that of a master calligrapher.

Its table manners had become nearly flawless.

Not a single drop of sauce was spilled during the meal.

And when it finished eating, it elegantly dabbed the corners of its mouth with a napkin.

The entire performance practically radiated refinement.

Naturally, Yohrn could only stare with shining eyes while repeatedly exclaiming,

"Whoa..."

"Whoa..."

"Wooow...!"