Changes in the Family

With a sense of urgency in my gut, I ride my highbeast through the air. Feeling my cape flapping in the wind and swaying wildly, I was on my way home at the fastest possible speed.

「Karstedt, could you please go home early today? I’m worried about Elvira……」

Florencia-sama’s words repeated over and over in my head as I drove my highbeast. She did not elaborate on what had happened. The first wife of the archduke, had made a proposal to me, the Knight Commander, that required a change of plans.

……What in the world happened to Elvira……

I had heard about Elvira’s plans for today, that she was going to be with Ferdinand and Florencia-sama, taking medicine to Rihyarda to check on Rozemyne, who was bedridden. If Rozemyne was in good health, they might have some tea.

But I had not heard that anything dangerous happened there. There was no call for the Knights, nor was there any report from Florencia-sama to the archduke. Only, “I’m worried about Elvira.”

「Elvira!」

The servants coming to greet me as I got down from Highbeast and opened the door of the pavilion screamed, “Eh!? Karstedt-sama?!” They looked as if they were not expecting me. It was only then that I realized I had not sent any notification before rushing to confirm Florencia-sama’s words.

「Where is Elvira? In her room?」

I asked the servant, guessing that she might be bedridden. The servant gently moved his hand to point to a slightly surprised Elvira.

「Oh, not Cornelius, but Karstedt-sama. Welcome back. You look very grim, what’s wrong?」

I looked at Elvira’s whole body from top to bottom, her jet-black eyes twinkling, but there was no change that I could see at first glance. I blinked at her, too.

「Karstedt-sama, if you have a sudden change of plans, you should send an Ordonnanz.」

I looked at Elvira, who pointed out that I had forgotten to contact her, and I realized the state of affairs Florencia-sama was worried about.

……Why is she smiling so much when she is complaining at me?

Elvira’s behavior was clearly strange. I could hear her humming right after she made the comment. I don’t know what happened to her, but she seemed to be in an incredibly happy mood. I’ve never seen her like this even as a child.

From the first time I met Elvira, she had always wore her smile like a mask, had an elegant appearance, and did not talk much. When spoken to, she would respond, but even when she did, her emotions rarely wavered. When she spoke to me, it was almost always complaints or advice. She was certainly talented, but I thought she was a woman without cuteness or fun.

……What is really going on?

I can’t hide my consternation at this abnormal sight of my wife. I had thought that she was in a good mood when Ferdinand visited the mansion during Rozemyne’s stay, but this is beyond the level of a “good mood”. It exceeded the realm of strange and was just plain creepy. Florencia-sama has every right to be worried.

「When Cornelius comes back, dinner will be served. Please take a change of clothes.」

Even the words sounded as if they were being sung. I walked to my room with my attendants without knowing why.

「Hey, what happened to Elvira?」

「I don’t know. She was in that state when she came back from the castle. Karstedt-sama, perhaps you know something and that’s why you came back so unexpectedly?」

「I was told by Florencia-sama that I should check on her. I have no idea what is going on and I don’t know the cause.」

After a silent exchange of looks with the attendants, I gave up trying to find out the cause of the problem and went to my room.

When I got dressed and went to the dining room, I found Cornelius, my third son, at the dinner table. When Rozemyne is at the castle, he gives priority to his role as guard knight, so it is rare for him to return home at this time.

「Cornelius, what happened with guarding Rozemyne?」

「I was told to come home early today.」

Saying this, Cornelius turned his eyes to Elvira without moving his face. I could see that Florencia-sama or Rozemyne must have sent Cornelius home because they were worried about her.

I sat down and looked at Elvira, who seemed to be enjoying herself. She was humming a relatively well-known love song and looked as if she had fallen in love.

……No, no, no, no. That can’t be. It just can’t.

She is not the kind of woman who has a flirtatious nature, and our married relationship is much better than it was in the past. I shook my head to shake off the stupid thought and asked Elvira directly.

「Elvira, you seem to be quite happy, but what happened? I was told by Florencia-sama that I should go home to check on you as soon as possible……」

「Oh my, nothing in particular happened though.」

Her pleasant smile turned into a familiar, noble-like smirk.

「What in the world is going on? Are you sure you’re not about to do something dangerous?」

「It’s not dangerous at all. If that were the case, Florencia-sama would have reported it to Sylvester-sama.」

I know she wanted me to drop the subject because it’s not something important to me. That’s what I’ve done so far. I would have left it alone, especially if it was not detrimental to my family. But strangely enough, I felt uncomfortable with the fact that my wife was hiding things from me.

「Hmmm…… If there is no danger, why would Florencia-sama want me to come home early?」

As I pressed further, Elvira looked up a little and began to think. She was calculating how much she could tell me.

「I won’t do anything dangerous, and I hope that is enough to satisfy you. You are the guard knight of Sylvester-sama. If I tell you, it will be leaked to him.」

Elvira’s reluctance to share details was not because she was trying to hide something she could not or did not want to tell me, but because she was wary of Sylvester.

「So something you want to keep from Sylvester…… You’ve met with Rozemyne recently. Does this have something to do with her?」

「……Well, yes.」

Elvira hesitated lightly before nodding at my guess. I was a little relieved to know that Rozemyne was involved, because that means Elvira is likely not cheating on me.

「Then there’s nothing more I can do. Ferdinand also said that the girl’s thought process was unpredictable because she would come up with all sorts of crazy ideas.」

Cornelius let out a small laugh, as if he had something in mind. Then I realized. My son is Rozemyne’s apprentice guard knight. At an all-female tea party, male guard knights are sometimes removed. But since Ferdinand was there and he was a minor, it was highly likely that he was present.

「Cornelius, did you know anything?」

「I am a guard knight. I will not say what my master does not want me to say, although I can tell you with Rozemyne and Mother’s permission……」

「Ah.」

Cornelius seems to put Rozemyne’s wishes ahead of his father’s questions. Previously, Elvira always complained about him not showing enthusiasm for anything, but it seems that changed when he became an apprentice guard knight. Given that he hasn’t been a guard knight for that long, I thought of Brigitte and Damuel, Rozemyne’s guard knights and his possible mentors.

「Cornelius is right, I can’t tell you either, because Sylvester-sama will find out and interfere.」

「I don’t think he’ll interfere……」

I’ll try to defend my master for a change, but Elvira looks at me with one eyebrow raised. I want to argue, that’s the look she makes when she’s holding her words back.

「I am on the side of Rozemyne and Ferdinand-sama. Besides, I would never do anything so foolish as to ruin Rihyarda’s cooperation.」

Apparently, Sylvester was not trusted at all. I chuckled at this, and tried to sort out what I had learned from Elvira’s words in my head.

……Perhaps Rihyarda had said something to convince the reluctant Ferdinand?

If Rihyarda’s cooperation was required, I believe the only person she would be needed for is Ferdinand. Rozemyne must have made the suggestion, and Rihyarda asked Ferdinand to follow it…… Meanwhile, it should be something that would please Elvira.

I’m somehow enjoying the atmosphere of secrecy. At the same time, it would have to be something they thought I would tell Sylvester about.

「Is it really that much fun? You seem to be in a great mood.」

「……It’s fun, and my having a little entertainment doesn’t make me vulnerable anymore.」

That was the first time I realized it. I thought Elvira had fun playing with her daughter Rozemyne after years in a completely male household, but that wasn’t it. Everything came from the fall of Veronica. Perhaps because of the strong influence of Veronica-sama over the entire duration I knew her, I did not know that the real Elvira had such a cheerful personality.

……We’ve been married for about 20 years, and there’s still much to learn.

Ever since we took Rozemyne in, I’ve learned so much about Elvira and my sons. At first, I was wary that Elvira might treat Rozemyne similar to how Veronica treated her own non-related children. That was because Veronica-sama was the only example I had seen first hand.

Elvira, however, was different, educating Rozemyne as if she were her own child and reporting carefully on her progress and any changes in her condition. Since this was an order from the archduke, unlike the education of my own children, I could not just leave everything in the house to her, which inevitably led to more conversation between us.

At the same time, I received reports from Rozemyne regarding my household as well.

「My mother Elvira is amazing. She has been so kind to me, thought to be a child of the third wife, who she was on such bad terms with.」

「Does she not lack the fragility and femininity expected of a woman though?」

「What are you saying? How could an unreliable woman such as that serve as the first wife of the Knight Commander? Father must spend time away from the house, leaving her to protect it in case of emergency……」

As a Knight Commander having a member of the archducal family as a father, no one had ever been so outspoken to me, and I found it terribly refreshing. Until then, I had complained about Elvira never relying on me for support, but as the first wife of a Knight Commander, she could not have been more qualified.

Once I realized this and tried to respect Elvira as the first wife, we soon became a normal couple. There was no longer any tension in the house, we felt more comfortable, and we were no longer nervous about talking to each other.

……And unlike before, now I don’t like being kept in the dark.

「Elvira, you don’t trust your own husband? I am the Knight Commander, so protecting a little secret is no challenge.」

Elvira moves her eyes a little thoughtfully. One more push.

「If you want to hide something from Sylvester, it would be better if I knew what was going on. What do you think?」

「…………Can I trust you? Fufu………」

Her red lips are smiling as if testing me, and I find it amusing that I can have such a light exchange with Elvira.

Cornelius quickly finishes his meal and leaves the dining room. It seems he felt a little uncomfortable because of the husband-wife atmosphere, as I continued to put the moves on Elvira.


「I see. You are right to be concerned. Sylvester will be greatly amused by this, and certainly get involved.」

I succeeded in persuading Elvira, and heard what she was up to. Rozemyne suggested that they raise money with Ferdinand’s harspiel concert. Since he wouldn’t play at a regular tea party, Rozemyne came up with a new idea involving the printing business. Ferdinand refused at first, but finally, with Rihyarda’s strong support, he accepted.

「So please, don’t let Sylvester-sama get involved.」

Elvira’s smile displayed a ferocity I had never seen before.

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