Chapter 39

Upon entering Wheat, the town mayor himself came to greet me. Since I am the son of a lord and Wheat has developed thanks to Baur, this treatment is not unnatural... but I still haven’t gotten used to VIP treatment.

"Thank you for coming out to greet me... Is Ami here yet?"

I still haven’t gotten used to speaking in such a grand manner. I almost said 'thank you for your hard work' just now.

"Yes, Lady Ami arrived early this morning, clearly very excited to meet you, Lord George."

The mayor must have greeted Ami as well. If I were in his shoes, I’d be stressed and pressured enough to get a stomachache. The mayor has dark circles under his eyes.

"That’s a lot of trouble. My sister must be anxious being alone. Please show me to her immediately."

I also want to let the mayor rest as soon as possible.

"That’s fine. Lady Lumia is with her."

...What? Didn’t Lumia go on vacation abroad with Alan? If Lumia is here, she’ll spoil Ami. Most importantly, having the first wife and the second lady under the same roof is going to give me indigestion.

"Still, I appreciate it. I have a lot to do afterward."

Right, Lumia must have just come to greet me. She’ll probably join Alan and the others after that.

"I see. Then this way, please."

I was led to the most luxurious inn in Wheat. It’s a simple wooden structure, but it’s well-built and has a good reputation even among the nobility.

In front of the inn were five soldiers...?

(That’s odd? With Lumia and Ami here, the number of guards is too few.)

Even if Alan is overly confident in the security of his territory, this is too few... When I came, there was just one idiot.

"Thank you for the escort... I’m George Acorde. Is Ami here?"

I decided to ask the soldiers in front of the inn... Ideally, they should have recognized me as the heir of the territory.

"George Acorde...? Y-Yes, Lord George! I’m terribly sorry for not recognizing you. I’ll inform the princess immediately."

They didn’t recognize me? If Rocko or Giril were here, they’d give me a lecture for an hour.

As Soldier A rushed into the inn, a loud voice was heard.

"Princess, you can’t go out. You need to check the safety first." "No, I’m fine. I’ll be safe with my brother... Please step aside."

Soldier A, I’ll forgive your rudeness just now. If you let Ami’s whims go, you’ll be reprimanded by Alan for negligence. Alan is on vacation abroad, and of course, the ones in the mainstream of his career are with him.

"Ami, that’s not ladylike. You should show Lord George how you’ve grown into a proper lady."

Next, I heard Lumia’s reprimand... I’m glad, but it’s hard to react naturally to her greeting.

Ami came out three minutes later, wearing a light blue summer dress. She was so cute that just seeing her made my fatigue from work disappear.

"You’ve become so beautiful, I almost didn’t recognize you."

Girls Ami’s age often try to act older. I think she’d be happier if I said she’s beautiful rather than cute... She mentioned being a lady just now.

However, I need to be careful when saying this to people outside the family. If I’m not careful, it could be considered harassment. It’s wise to say it only to people who understand jokes, those who are much older, or children with their guardians nearby, and only when necessary for work.

If I say this, it’s harassment. Look in the mirror. The line and the clothes don’t match. This is a self-reminder from Jiro.

"Brother, thank you. And Mother can stay too, right?"

...What did she just say? Mother is staying too?

"How long are you planning to stay?"

It’s not just the two of them. I expect their attendants and maids will come as well, making it a small group. Of course, the budget will be significantly different.

The biggest problem is how to treat Lumia. Since Ami is my sister, it’s not an issue, but it’s Mother’s job to entertain Lumia. Some so-called insiders say Lumia forced Mother out of Acorde Castle. The longer they stay, the more the budget will swell and my stress will increase.

"During the summer vacation, is that okay?"

Soldier A avoided my gaze. ...I shouldn’t hold a grudge against him. He’s a victim of a bad draw.

"Wait a moment. Can you call the head maid? We need to prepare based on the number of people staying. And Ami, get ready to go out with Lumia."

"Understood. Please wait a moment."

Ami, running off, is cute, but my stomach is aching... At least this will keep Lumia from leaving.

"Lord George, I am Anne Jessicart, the head maid accompanying Lady Lumia."

Anne is a middle-aged woman who looks like she belongs in a PTA and would nitpick on TV shows.

"I was told only Ami would be staying."

I can’t show weakness to this type of person.

"The lord was worried about Lady Ami being alone..."

That’s odd? For that womanizer to not bring Lumia along is a weak reason.

"Isn’t it your job to compensate for that? ...How many people are coming with you?"

"A total of 20 people. And I have a letter from Lord Alan."

The letter read: 'Let her learn how to entertain...'

(That damn father! If he says to entertain, he probably didn’t bring any money... I might be used as a host.)

Is he trying to reduce the budget of the profitable territory?

"Who’s in charge of the castle while you’re away? And who went on vacation with Father?"

"The head knight is in charge of the castle. On the trip, Lady Adeline and... several other women are accompanying him."

Anne’s face turned red as she relayed this. Of course, it’s embarrassing to tell a middle schooler that your father went on vacation with his wife and mistress.

(That’s why he sent Lumia here... He’s not that young anymore.)

He probably took advantage of Ami not going to bring his mistress on vacation. He had to divide the number of people for the vacation and the ones staying behind... So he left Lumia and her group to me. A typical noble’s way of thinking.

I want to apologize to Anne, but it’s not my position to do so.

"Understood. Since this is sudden, I can’t promise a proper welcome, but please make yourselves comfortable."

I’ll show the kind of magnanimity that can turn these people into allies.

"Lord George, are you sure you’re okay?"

Lumia, in a pristine white dress, asked me.

"Lumia... I’ll take care of it."

Lumia has become more alluring and is quite dangerous. I’m looking forward to the beach. I don’t think I’ll be punished for a little fun. Just be careful not to stare too much.

＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿

"Brother, this is amazing! This is the famous golem carriage, right? I’ll brag to my friends when the second semester starts."

Ami, riding in the golem carriage for the first time, is overjoyed, and I’m very satisfied.

"Lord George, golem carriages are popular in Baur?"

Lumia is amazed at Baur’s development. A beautiful woman’s surprise is a feast for the eyes.

"Yes, Mother even drives one herself."

Since coming to Baur, Mother has become more active, learning to cook and driving the golem carriage. Most importantly, she’s become more assertive and scolds me.

"...I’m envious. I’m so different from her, like a bird in a cage."

I shouldn’t point out that being in a cage means getting fed and being safe.

"Anyway, please relax while you’re in Baur. I have plans for a summer festival and a beach trip. Ami, there’s also delicious sweets."

"Brother, everyone is waving and smiling at us."

"Everyone is so warm. It’s a testament to how much Lord George is loved."

It’s not bad to spend some peaceful time like this once in a while.

Thanks to this, I passed the first round of the MF Bunko contest. It’s a bit uncertain for the second round, as it didn’t even make the online buzz.