Chapter 27

Arlo decided to stay in Pennsylvania.

When the Zieg family was informed of the recent incident, they said they were ashamed and would take full responsibility.

Arlo needed some rest, so it was decided that he would spend his time in a peaceful environment where he wouldn't be threatened by anyone, and he spent time as Mariever's conversation partner.

At first, it seemed like Arlo didn't know what to do, but after a few days, he seemed to get used to the mansion.

Mariever, who had been taking a break from school, visited the room where Arlo was spending his time doing nothing.

"Hey, Arlo. I'm going to read this book today."

Mariever said this while holding a thick book.

"This... is ancient history? Are you interested in it?"

"Not at all. I couldn't understand it at all. I thought I might understand it if I did it with Arlo."

"That... I don't know."

As a princess, a proper tutor would explain it much more clearly.

While Arlo thought this, he enjoyed studying for the first time in a long while. It seemed that Mariever was giving Arlo a place by teaching him and creating a job for him.

While they were studying, Sophia would occasionally visit Arlo's room.

"——Hello, Arlo."

The face peeking through the door had very cute, round eyes.

"Hello, Lady Sophia."

"Sophia. Arlo is going to study with me now, so don't bother us."

"I always do, so let me join."

"What did you say?"

The sisters always fought like this.

Arlo, who had no siblings, didn't know what to do when he saw such bickering and would become flustered.

"Arlo, today's snack is apple crumble! Sophie, you love it."

"Is that so?"

"Stupid, it's crumble, right?"

"I said crumble."

"Look, again!"

"I didn't say it to Marie."

"Say 'big sister'!"

"A, ah...!"

The two's conversation was too fast for Arlo to follow.

When he tried to stop them, he would interrupt their conversation at the wrong place, and both of their gazes would focus on him.

Then he wouldn't know what to say next.

"Here you are."

This time, Eidan entered the room.

Eidan would always show up once when Mariever was with Arlo.

"Big brother, please take Sophia away. She's bothering my studies!"

"Hmm. What are you doing today?"

"Ancient history."

"Wow, Marie is doing well."

Eidan said this and patted Mariever's head.

"Ugh, I don't mind, but take Sophia."

"But I'm not. Marie isn't studying."

"Sophie!"

"Alright, alright."

Eidan said this and picked up Sophia.

"Sophie, shall we go see if the cookies are ready?"

"Crumble?"

"Yeah, you like it, right?"

"Like! I like big brother too."

"I'm honored."

Eidan smiled wryly and glanced at Mariever, who seemed to be studying at the desk.

"Marie, the book is upside down."

"—What, no way!"

Ancient history was written in an ancient language, making it hard to tell which way was up.

"Upside down."

Sophia was just imitating, but it made Mariever angry.

She gripped the book tightly and glared at Sophia as she left.

"——I, I made it easier for you to read, Lady. Let's read it together from the beginning."

Arlo said this considerately.

When he did, Mariever's anger subsided.

Meanwhile, a young man was assigned as Mariever's guard.

A young, relatively small man was chosen. Tan also temporarily joined the guard.

Among them, the one who seized this opportunity to return to the public eye was Ruben.

Ruben had been quietly building a solid track record in the shadows and had always wished to be useful to Rias again. When he heard that a small man was needed for the guard, he was the first to volunteer.

He had been traveling to other territories recently, so this was his first time working at the mansion in a while.

Although he was over 30, his childlike face made him look much younger, which was a source of his own complex.

"I will be joining the guard duty from today. My name is Ruben."

Ruben said this and greeted politely. He tried to smile and be gentle, thinking that the young man might be afraid of adult men.

Mariever looked at Ruben for a while and only muttered, "Hmm."

Mariever was at a loss and just stared blankly out the window.

After spending about a week in Arlo's room every day, Rias told her to stop.

It must have been Eidan who tattled.

"Hmph. Big brother's mean."

She muttered this and pouted, leaning against the window frame.

Suddenly, her eyes met Ruben, who was standing in the corner of the room.

"——What?"

She called out to him because he seemed like he wanted to say something, but Ruben averted his eyes and said, "No..."

"Are you not going to school?"

Even though he asked such a thing, Mariever felt a bit annoyed.

"Why?"

"Because at school, you can receive basic education about magic and learn the basics of social skills."

"......"

"If you have free time, why don't you return to school?"

"Did you go to school, Ruben?"

"Of course."

"Was it good?"

"Of course."

"But Ruben, didn't you say mean things to Mother? Didn't you learn that you shouldn't do such things at school?"

"Wha, who... did you tell that to?"

Mariever sometimes enjoyed chatting with the maids of Pencilvania while doing embroidery.

She found it very enjoyable to gossip with them.

While moving her hands, she enjoyed talking with the maids who were mending clothes.

"Father was really angry when Mother was involved. I can't believe you survived."

Ruben's mouth opened and closed.

Feeling like she was bullying him, Mariever stopped there.

She had said it out of irritation, but when she saw Ruben's pale face, she regretted it.

"So, what did you apologize to Mother for?"

"......"

"Eh, you haven't apologized yet? I can't believe it! It's been 10 years?"

Mariever's eyes widened.

She thought he would have settled things since he was now a guard.

"Seeing my face must be unpleasant for her."

"Why don't you just ask if it's okay to apologize?"

"Is that so...?"

Mariever stood up with a light movement.

"Really. You can't be a guard if you haven't apologized to Mother. Come with me!"

Even if she didn't say that, he would follow as a guard, but Mariever stormed into Cynthia's room.

Cynthia, who knew that Ruben was Mariever's guard, welcomed her warmly.

Ruben bowed deeply.

"Lady... I am deeply sorry for my numerous impertinences...!"

His apology was so exaggerated that it seemed overdone, but Cynthia didn't seem particularly surprised.

Looking at Mariever's face, she approached and gently patted Mariever's head.

"Did you bring him? Marie has always disliked impolite people."

She then squatted in front of Ruben.

"It's been 10 years, Ruben."

"It took a long time... I am deeply sorry."

In the end, due to the chaos surrounding Rias's injury, they hadn't really spoken until today.

"I've heard about your loyalty from Rias. Please take care of Marie."

"Yes...! I will do my utmost to protect her, as I owe my life to you."

After more than 10 years, he was firmly established as Lady.

The days when she was called 'Your Highness' seemed like a distant past.

"——Oh dear."

Cynthia looked at Ruben's face and made a troubled expression.

"You haven't changed at all. Do you have some secret?"

She asked seriously, but Ruben didn't give any useful answers.

Cynthia stood up and waved her hand.

"I've accepted your apology, so you can go. I wasn't really bothered by it anymore. ——But, thank you for coming to see me. I was worried about how you were doing."

When she smiled gently, Ruben was captivated by her expression.

"Hey, don't be mesmerized by Mother."

Mariever's low voice came from behind, and he quickly straightened up.

"I will serve with all my heart."

There was a strange intensity in his voice, and Cynthia had a bad feeling.

If his strong beliefs persisted, it might not be a good match with Mariever.

Mariever was strong-willed but had a sense of justice and acted intuitively. Her way of judging right and wrong was different from Ruben's.

Cynthia's premonition soon became reality.

Unlike other guards, Ruben often spoke to Mariever, acting like a nagging caretaker.

While she often ignored him, there were times when Mariever couldn't stand it.

"Shouldn't you stop for today?"

"Why can't I be with Arlo?"

When asked where she was going, and she said Arlo's room, Ruben narrowed his green eyes and shook his head in exasperation. The gesture made her even angrier.

"Because you are a princess with the power of light."

"Stop saying that, Ruben!"

Mariever pointed at him.

"If you're worried about Arlo getting tired, I would understand."

"Of course, that's part of it, but..."

"Talking about him being a commoner or having light power. Judging people by their appearance. That's what I don't like about you!"

"Wha...?"

The damage was strong when said by someone who looked so much like Rias.

Mariever huffed.

What she didn't like was that Ruben's gaze towards Arlo was disrespectful. Unlike other knights who treated Arlo as a guest, Ruben looked at him as if he were a threat or something insignificant.

This made Arlo shrink back.

"I hardly have any light power. I can't study at all. Arlo doesn't have magic, but he can read ancient languages fluently and solve complex math problems easily. You don't understand."

"In that case..."

"Arlo is much better than me. ——Got it? If you make Arlo feel even a little uncomfortable, I won't forgive you!"

"Y-Yes, I understand..."

It felt like his thoughts had been read, and Ruben was at a loss for words.

He had thought that a commoner of unknown origin being close to the princess of Pencilvania was unacceptable, but he didn't think it was his place to say anything.

Seeing Ruben's troubled face, Mariever was thinking about something else.

She looked at the finger she had pointed at Ruben.

"——Oh? I feel much better now."

She decided to visit the knight training grounds.

"Father!"

When she called, Rias slowly walked over and stopped a few steps away.

"Marie. Good morning."

Mariever, as usual, tackled Rias and hugged him.

"Father, I love you!!"

Rias immediately picked up Mariever and hugged her tightly, closing his eyes as if savoring the feeling.

"Marie, you're a good girl, I love you."

Then he slowly let go and looked into her usual lively golden eyes.

"Are you okay now?"

This place was full of muscular men, and shouts of training were flying around.

"I'm fine!"

Looking around at the familiar faces, they all smiled and waved at her.

—Yeah, they're all the same as usual.

Mariever confirmed that she wasn't scared at all and smiled happily.

"I talked to Ruben, and I'm not scared at all anymore. It's amazing!"

"Even in such a rough place?"

"Ha, the roughest one is Father!"

She laughed and got down from Rias's arms.

"Wha... rough... Marie? What do you mean? I'm rough...?"

The most muscular, full of magic, and in a way, intense.

She couldn't explain it well, so Mariever said, "Bye," and left the training grounds.

Mariever, after visiting various places, had become a bit of a know-it-all.