338 - Brother and Sister Date 2
"...I'm tired."
The outing is not over until we return to the detached palace. I kept my back straight until we got back to the palace, but the moment we arrived, I had Kalisa take my coat at the entrance and let out a sigh. After switching up my attendants and going to see all the theater tickets Leonardo had prepared for me over the course of a week, I was, unsurprisingly, exhausted. It felt a bit better that they were not on consecutive days, but for an indoor type like me, having outings one after another was tough in itself. I was the one who asked for it, and since attending the theater seemed like a ladylike activity, the maids had wanted to accompany me too, so I could not very well stop partway through.
"You must not let your guard down until you return to your personal chambers, Tina-san."
"Yes, Hermine-sensei."
Having been admonished, I tightened my relaxed expression. For today's theater outing, Hermine had also come along as part of my ladylike education. Unfortunately, we ran into acquaintances of Felicia, a Staff Peerage couple, and I had to put on charm, and I had to politely decline a Loyalty Peerage who approached me wanting me as a bride for his son. I was tired in areas besides the physical. My takeaway from this is that being a shut-in is the strongest armor. Because I normally hole up in the detached palace, I am probably spared from encountering those kinds of situations. The Staff Peerage couple had a good sense of when to withdraw and were pleasant enough, but the Loyalty Peerage was a bit persistent. As for the Flower Peerage, it seems Leonardo drove them off with a single glare before I even noticed their presence. Hermine complained to Leonardo saying, "With that kind of behavior, you will not be suitable teaching material for Tina-san," but as for me, I was perfectly happy.
I watched Hermine's back as she departed, having finished grading today's outing, and once I confirmed the door was completely closed, I sighed again. This time, it was in sync with Leonardo. It seemed Leonardo had also kept his posture more proper than usual in front of Hermine.
"...You must be tired too, Leonardo Big Brother."
I invited Leonardo to relax with some tea in the living room. Leonardo seemed just as tired from going out as I was, and after entrusting his coat to a maid, he took my hand and began walking.
"I was the one who asked you to take me to the theater, but I did not think we would go see every single one currently running."
"I did not know what you would like, Tina. I thought since it was a special occasion, I would prepare all of them."
When he asked which one I had found interesting, I brought up "The Knight of Itsurateru," a play performed at a medium-sized theater that had romance and adventure. To put it simply, it was an adaptation of the play performed by the Menhishumi Church at the Recollection Festival, rearranged into an entertainment action piece.
Incidentally, the large theater's production was a romance called "Wemishuvara's Love Comes Suddenly from Perseashi." Since it was a large theater, the audience was mainly young noblewomen. Because of that, perhaps seeking patronage from nobles, the young man playing Perseashi, who in the myths has a shabby appearance, was a handsome man.
As for the smallest theater's production, it was a heroic tale called "The Star of Gumons." Unlike the previous two productions based on myths, this one was a comedy-heavy rags-to-riches story based on the founding history of the Kingdom of Ivizia, with laughs and tears.
"I enjoyed the theater well enough, but it is not something I would force myself to go to."
If I went occasionally, it would be enjoyable, but going continuously like this is exhausting. Next time, I should either carefully select just one, or go with intervals in between.
"...Tina was never the type to go out and play anyway."
"Were you not tired, Leonardo Big Brother?"
"Physically I am fine, but this was my first time going to those kinds of places as a guest, so in that sense, I was mentally drained."
He had stepped into theaters before, but apparently that was during his time as a Silver-White Knight, working to guard royalty. He should have lived in the capital for years, but it seemed he had never made a lover and visited on a date. Rather, back when Leonardo was in the capital, he simply did not have the leisure to make a lover.
"I have learned my lesson about going out, so next time, let us have a 'home date.'"
"Home, you say... Shall we take a stroll in the garden?"
"No. It means spending time together at home, without going anywhere in particular, just relaxing."
"...How is that different from usual?"
"Huh? Umm...?"
Being asked that point-blank, I thought about it. My usual behavior basically involves staying inside the detached palace. And since Leonardo is almost always with me in the capital, acting as my guard, if you categorize it as a "home date," there is really no difference from usual.
"...It is just like usual, is it not. Acting my age and being spoiled is surprisingly difficult."
Leonardo said I should indulge in being spoiled plenty during the autumn, so I have been racking my brains for ways to act my age and be spoiled, but no particularly good ideas have come to mind. Even when I think I have finally come up with one, when I calmly think about it, it is no different from usual. That must mean I already act spoiled with Leonardo in my daily life.
"...If there is nowhere you want to go, Tina, would you come with me tomorrow?"
"I do not mind. Where are you going?"
Leonardo having a place he wanted to go was a bit unusual. He occasionally has places he wants to go alone, but inviting me out somewhere... that was probably when we went to the Dupre Orphanage, if I recall. Thinking that, I realized the destination might be the Dupre Orphanage. Since Leonardo returned to the capital, he probably has not shown his face there even once.
"Tomorrow, I was thinking of going to the library inside the royal castle..."
"The library? Not the Dupre Orphanage?"
Feeling that was a bit strange, I looked up at Leonardo, and he patted my head. He said he also wanted to visit the Dupre Orphanage soon.
"What are you going to do at the library?"
"I have an appointment with someone. A bit of research."
"Research, huh."
I wondered for a moment if it was really okay for me to tag along. Would I not just get in the way of his searching? I thought that, but I was also a little curious about the library itself. I had learned of its existence soon after arriving in the capital, but it was a place I had never been to before.
...As long as I do not get in the way of his research, it should be fine to go together, right?
The library inside the royal castle, though as usual, it was a distance away. It was just moving to a facility within the same grounds, but even so, we were clattering along in a carriage again today.
"You said you had an appointment with someone. Who is it?"
"You have met her too, I believe. I have an appointment with Shestin-dono."
"Shestin-sama... That is Basilia-sama's older half-sister, is she not?"
If I recall, she had a slightly distinctive way of speaking. She should be the kind of person who speaks in a slightly boyish manner, like a male lead in an opera.
"What kind of appointment did you make with Shestin-sama?"
"I told you I have some research, did I not? It is arranged that Shestin-dono will bring that research material to me."
"...I see."
I do not know what Leonardo's research is about, but apparently it is arranged that she will provide him with some report or results at the library. It was a bit strange that they chose the library as the place to hand over information rather than calling Shestin to the detached palace, but there might be reasons I do not know about.
"It is big."
I stepped down from the carriage with Leonardo's escort. The stone building towering before me made my neck a little sore from looking up.
"Tina, could this be your first time at the royal castle library?"
"It is indeed my first time, but why do you ask?"
Leonardo seemed surprised that I had never been to the library before.
"Well, you like reading, do you not, Tina? You seemed to have read the books in the study at the Grenore residence too..."
"Ah, is that what you mean. The reason is simple. The library in the detached palace is fairly well-stocked, and Giselle would borrow any book the palace did not have before I even knew it, so I simply never needed to come to the library."
As I remarked that Giselle, who prepares all the materials I want before I even ask, might actually be more suited to being a maid than a knight, I glanced at her. Giselle made an indescribable face. I do not know why she chose the path of a knight, but Giselle, who has learned to handle work outside of combat, seems to me to have become a fully-fledged maid. She can be a bit absent-minded at times, but being attentive is a talent perfectly suited for a maid.
"Giselle, if the number of female White Knights increases and you are removed as my guard, would you become a maid?"
"I could not possibly hold a candle to Lady's maid Kalisa, so I would not be able to serve as a maid at all."
I think Kalisa is a rather exceptional maid, but I will refrain from commenting on that now. When I think about it, all the maids around me are exceptional. Kalisa and Solana could easily take down even White Knights, and I feel like even my tutor Hermine could probably do the same, saying something like "This too is part of a lady's education." I do not know what level Hermine's "lady's education" refers to, but she is probably stronger than Giselle.
...Yeah, the White Knights really are just for show.
Thinking slightly rude things about Giselle, I passed through the library entrance with Leonardo's escort. Apparently, the first floor can be used by anyone with access to the royal castle, and the second floor has several small rooms including meeting rooms. The third floor seems to have some particularly special books. They are apparently books that require permission from the librarian and person in charge, and since people normally rarely go up there, they are stored on the third floor.
"Are we going to the second floor?"
"I have arranged to borrow a room and have them show me the documents. If you want to look for some books in the library, Tina, you can take Giselle and Aaron and look around the first floor as you like."
He released my hand in front of the stairs, telling me to go look at whatever I liked, so instead, I took Leonardo's hand.
"It is too big, I would not know where to start. Today, I will accompany you, Leonardo Big Brother."
"...I see."
Taking the hand of Leonardo, who looked a little pleased, I climbed the stairs. On the second floor, there was a reception desk, and after Leonardo spoke with the man at the desk, a key was handed to him.
We searched for the room using the tag attached to the key. We reached a small room set back a bit, and as I waited for Leonardo to unlock the door, I heard a strange sound from further inside.
"Ah."
At the sound that suggested some kind of unforeseen situation, I turned my face toward the voice. There, I saw a man in a Silver-White Knight uniform.
...Ah, even I can tell who that is. That is Rannvald-sama's underling person.
To be precise, he is a guard. He is supposed to be with Rannvald, who is currently supposed to be lying low at Ethelbert's detached palace.
...If Rannvald-sama's guard is here, does that mean Rannvald-sama is also in the library?
Huh? My head was filled with a massive question mark. Perhaps finding my halted movement suspicious, Leonardo's gaze also turned toward the Silver-White Knight, but before he fully came into Leonardo's view, the knight turned his back. It looked incredibly suspicious, but apparently he was a Silver-White Knight that Leonardo knew too. After just confirming who it was, Leonardo did not capture him as a "suspicious person!" just for suddenly changing direction.
Watching the Silver-White Knight make his suspicious exit, we entered what seemed to be the meeting room. There was no one inside, but judging by the furnishings of the room, I could tell it was a special room.
...What is it? This special feeling.
I have gotten used to being surrounded by high-quality furniture, but this felt a bit too well-appointed for a single room in a library. A room with furnishings this complete probably would not be usable by anyone except royalty.
"Sorry to keep you waiting, Leonardo-dono."
Entering the room not long after was Shestin. For a moment I thought an unfamiliar man had come in, but it was just that Shestin, with her boyish way of speaking, was dressed in men's clothing.
As she began laying out documents on the desk as if to get straight to business, I peered at them from the side, knowing it was a bit ill-mannered. Leonardo did not seem to think they were documents he needed to hide, and told me they were his personal background records investigated in the country some time ago.
"...Why would you have something like that?"
"I had something I was curious about."
While Leonardo began reading through the reports, I let my eyes fall on the papers that summarized the investigation. Written there were the family structure based on Leonardo's testimony from the time, the people who lived nearby, and the names of shops.
From Leonardo's name, branches extended, and on the opposite side of a woman's name, a "?" was written. So his father's name is unknown, it seems. Besides the branch from between the man and woman's names extending to Leonardo's name, there were two other branches. They must be for Leonardo's real siblings. The sister's spot had a name written, but the younger brother's name was not written.
"...Leonardo Big Brother's real sister was named 'Mirshe,' then."
"It is not a particularly uncommon name, so it was not suited for finding someone, though."
He said he searched for girls named Mirshe of the right age, but plenty of girls named Mirshe were found. None of them were Leonardo's sister, apparently. There were even 'Mirshe's whose hair and eye colors matched, but all of them were different.
...But even so, I understand why Leonardo bought Mirshe-chan, even though he thought I might get angry at him.
Maybe he wanted to protect a child with the same name as his sister, placed in the same situation as himself.
...Huh?
"Putting aside the father, why is the younger brother's name not written?"
"Because I left home before he was born. I do not know his name."
There was a spot next to Mirshe labeled 'younger brother,' but next to it, there was no name. When I asked curiously, the answer from Leonardo's mouth was something I hardly knew how to respond to.
"...Does that not mean it might not even be a younger brother, but possibly a younger sister?"
"It seems they looked into that possibility too, but apparently they did not find anything."
"Here," he said, handing me the document he had just finished reading, so I read it too. It said that they investigated the city based on Leonardo's testimony, but no likely family was found. Since it was a child's testimony, they also searched for towns and villages with similar names in case he had the place names wrong, but apparently nothing was found. The person who wrote this report was apparently already a follower of Leonardo, who had begun to be called the incarnation of the War God Herkeles, and it ended with an excited sentence reading, "There could be no human parents for an incarnation of a god."
"...Tina, look at this document."
"What is it?"
Leonardo pulled out one sheet from among the several reports and held it out to me. Figuring there must be something to it if he was recommending it, I ran my eyes over the document. It was written in elegant handwriting. The content described the circumstances of protecting a child who had been kidnapped as a slave and deciding to entrust them to an orphanage. Feeling a premonition-like stirring from this report that elaborated a bit on a story I had heard from Leonardo before, I examined it more closely.
"Leo, this handwriting... could it be..."
"It is Saromon-sama's handwriting."
Receiving a clear answer to my premonition, I lowered my eyes again to the letters written on the document. I had hardly ever seen him write in Mey Village, but I ended up reuniting with my father in an unexpected place.
"So this is what Father's handwriting looked like..."
Without meaning to, my cat slipped off, but I did not mind and stared intently at the document. I had ruthlessly transcribed Saint Yuuta Hiraga's research materials in my own handwriting, but if I can remember the handwriting of the deceased like this, perhaps copying their handwriting was a good thing after all.
As I stared fixedly at my father's handwriting, Shestin seemed to take consideration. She brought over a copy of the Cantar family's family tree, from wherever she had gotten it.
...Does the royal castle library even have family trees like this?
A bit surprised, I peered at the Cantar family tree. Since it was created in Bertrand's generation as a Merit Peerage family, above that there was only the name of a person named August who served as Bertrand's guardian, with no parents' names. And three branches extend from between Bertrand and his wife, with my father's name on one of them. From the names of my father's siblings, the names of their wives and children also extend as branches, but on every single one, a cause of death was noted. The only ones on the Cantar family tree without causes of death written were Bertrand, Aristalf, and my father Saromon. Since Saromon is listed as alive and my name is not there, this family tree must have outdated information. Since I have no intention of returning to the Cantar family, I do not mind my name not being on the family tree, but I would like to have my father's information updated.
"...So my grandmother really was of royal blood."
Bertrand's parents were not recorded, but branches extended to his wife's parents and grandparents. Faced with the fact confirmed by my own eyes, I felt like quietly looking away from my own bloodline.
"What? Tina's grandmother is of royal blood...?"
"Huh? You did not know, Leonardo Big Brother?"
Since it was about Bertrand's wife, I had assumed he knew. Bertrand, whose name resonates throughout the country as a hero. I had assumed that any knight would naturally know about Bertrand's wife. And especially since Bertrand's wife was not just any noble's daughter. She was a princess.
"...I can connect Tina and Saromon-sama together, and Bertrand-dono and Tina are also connected, but I had never thought of Saromon-sama and Bertrand-dono as father and son... That is right. Since he is Tina's grandfather, of course he is Saromon-sama's father."
So it was indeed common knowledge that Bertrand's wife was of royal blood. It was just that Leonardo apparently had not quite connected Saromon and Bertrand as father and son in his mind. Indeed, now that he thought about it again, I carry royal blood, and Leonardo stared intently at my face.
"I wonder if I will develop those troublesome tendencies of those amusing royal family members too...?"
I brought up a possibility that I found a little unpleasant. The blood of the royal family seems awfully dense and distinctive. Just thinking that even a millimeter of that same blood might flow through me made me a little uneasy.
"Hard to say. You do have an appetite for food, but..."
"Ah, I am aware of that. I love giving Leonardo Big Brother a 'baptism.'"
I smiled charmingly at him, adding, "So please have new shoes made for me when we return to Grenore." When it comes to acting my age and being spoiled, at my age with one foot in adolescence, it would be material desire. Asking cutely for new shoes, I ended the conversation about the royal bloodline.
Will fix typos and errors at a later date.