By Zephyria 
The next day.
Having already contacted the main house to inform them I’d be arriving by evening, I went down to the dormitory lobby with my pre-packed luggage. There, I exchanged farewells with the children who had gathered to see me off. As usual, it was the usual group that always stuck together: Herman, Zeon, Tom, and Ardian.
“Hey, Raymond! Is that on your lip a wound?! Oh my, are you okay?!”
It was a bit awkward when Tom made a fuss as soon as he saw me.
I involuntarily recalled last night’s events and frowned.
Tom, perhaps thinking I was in pain, made an even bigger fuss, and Ardian smiled meaningfully. Worried that something related to last night might come out of Ardian’s mouth, I quickly cut off the conversation.
“It’s a wound that would heal if left alone for a day or so, so I didn’t bother using Magic to heal it. It doesn’t hurt. More importantly, when are you all heading back?”
In response, Zeon said he’d probably leave tomorrow, while Herman and Tom said they’d stay a bit longer before returning.
It seemed the two intended to spend a little more time with the other children from Class A who were still staying in the dormitory before leaving.
“What about Ardian?”
“I’m leaving the dormitory with Ray today.”
“I see.”
At Ardian’s answer, Tom shook his head with a regretful expression. Then, as if an idea struck him, he grabbed my hand and looked at me with teary eyes.
“Raymond… you have to contact me often! You have to answer when I contact you!”
“Alright.”
“Is that a real promise?! A real, real promise?!”
His gaze was so burdensome that I averted my eyes slightly, and perhaps taking that as a sign I wouldn’t keep the promise, he became even more persistent. He really was a tiresome fellow.
“I said I get it. Stop asking.”
I spoke firmly, but not too angrily, and Tom finally slumped with a pout. It wasn’t like we’d become complete strangers; we could contact each other occasionally and meet up once in a while to see each other’s faces. I couldn’t understand why he was so anxious.
Perhaps that thought showed on my face.
Herman chuckled softly and defended Tom.
“You seem a bit indifferent? It’s understandable to feel anxious.”
“Hmm.”
“Don’t ignore my messages either.”
I let out a sigh and simply nodded. Herman, half-jokingly, let out a soft laugh. Then Zeon, who had been quietly watching from the side, smiled gently and spoke.
“Do you remember when I invited you to visit Revygild last time? Please come visit whenever you have time. Everyone is waiting to see Ray.”
“Come to think of it, I did make that promise. Alright, I’ll contact you.”
After exchanging a few words each and finishing our goodbyes, I was finally able to leave the school gate. Ardian, who had been quietly watching and followed me, lightly ruffled my hair.
“You’re heading straight home now, right?”
“Yeah.”
“Want to walk with me a little longer?”
It seemed he meant for me to stay with him a little longer instead of flying off immediately with Magic. In fact, I was about to use Space Teleportation Magic to go directly to the main family’s territory, so I had to stop what I was about to do.
“…Then just until we exit the Mardelfia streets.”
Ardian smiled brightly, seemingly pleased.
A strange, ticklish feeling arose in my chest, and as I avoided his gaze, he reached out and intertwined his fingers with mine. There were many eyes watching around us, but he paid no mind to such things.
Well… my relationship with Ardian was already known far and wide anyway. Because of that, the empire had once been heated up by the ‘scandal’ about half a year ago.
Now, even if that 4th Prince fellow hugged me openly on the street, people would just pass by thinking, ‘Ah, that’s that child.’
Ardian, who had been fidgeting with our interlocked fingers, opened his mouth.
“I’ve never been to the Valentasia territory before.”
“Yeah.”
“So I’m curious about what kind of place it is. Can I come visit sometime soon?”
“You can come for sightseeing whenever you want.”
“Not for sightseeing, I mean I want to visit your home.”
So that was his real intention.
“…And what if I say no?”
“Hmm.”
In response to my teasing question, Ardian didn’t give a clear answer and just smiled awkwardly. I could clearly see him sneakily gauging my reaction. That sight was quite amusing.
“Just give me a call before you come.”
Only then did Ardian, who had been gauging my reaction, break into a wide smile. A short while later, we reached the end of the Mardelfia streets. Ardian, who had slowed his pace to a stop, turned to face me and lowered his head. His breath touched my lips and then withdrew.
“I’ll contact you.”
I nodded in response and immediately used Space Transition to move to the front of the mansion.
After blinking once, the familiar front gate came into view.
I straightened my clothes once and then knocked on the handle attached to the gate. Hearing the sound, the head butler, who had been waiting for me near the gate, appeared happily.
“Welcome back, young master.”
“Yeah. Have you been well?”
“Of course. This old man is always doing well.”
The head butler smiled, the wrinkles around his eyes crinkling, and guided me to the mansion. Outside the mansion entrance, my father Maximun, mother Luciel, my sister Esili, and my brother Leshnold were all waiting, waving their hands to welcome me.
“Ray!”
As my face became clearly visible up close, Esili ran over and hugged me tightly.
After comforting and detaching my now much shorter sister, my mother hugged me next, followed by my father and Leshnold taking turns to hug me once each.
“You’ve worked hard, Ray.”
“To have grown so tall and handsome in this time… It was a good decision to send you to Merzel Academy.”
My father patted my shoulder, and my mother made a light joke. Even though they had seen me just a few months ago, they acted as if they were seeing me after years. I chuckled at that, but suddenly Esili, who had been looking at me, gasped and carefully brought her hand to the corner of my mouth.
“What’s wrong with your lip? Did you get hurt?”
“…Ah, this.”
“Huh, what is it? Ray, are you hurt?”
Leshnold also belatedly showed surprise and peered at me.
I couldn’t explain in front of them, ‘I got like this from sucking my lover’s dick’—I knew enough to understand that such things shouldn’t be said casually—so I felt a bit awkward.
“More importantly, it’s been a while since lunch, and I’m hungry.”
I decided to change the subject. Fortunately, my family seemed more focused on my saying I was hungry than on the barely noticeable matter of my lip being slightly torn.
“We thought that might be the case, so we’ve prepared dinner.”
“Let’s go eat quickly.”
“The head chef made a lot of your favorites today.”
“Really?”
The beef stew made by the head chef of the Valentasia family is really delicious; I wondered if that was included too. I said I’d first change my clothes and then come down to the dining room before heading up to my room.
After washing my hands thoroughly and going down to the dining room, the family members, who had been chatting in a cozy atmosphere, turned to look at me. I sat in the empty seat next to Leshnold, and as we started the meal, I picked up the cutlery. After a while of tasting the food, Luciel broke the silence first.
“How have things been with work lately?”
“Ah. I’ve taken a temporary leave from work.”
“Oh my. Then you’ll be staying home for a while longer?”
In response to Luciel’s delighted follow-up question, I nodded while picking out and eating the meat from the beef stew. It was indeed delicious.
“How do you feel after graduating from the school you attended for two years?”
“No particular feelings.”
“I heard you gave a speech as the graduate representative? Weren’t you nervous?”
I had prepared thoroughly under strict review, and aside from being late due to dealing with a horny guy that morning, there were no particular issues. After thinking for a moment at Esili’s question, I shook my head.
“Aw, how boring.”
“He was always a boring kid anyway.”
Leshnold giggled beside me. Then the conversation continued on other topics for a while, and while eating, I recalled that Ardian had said he’d visit soon.
‘…Hmm. They’d probably be flustered if I suddenly introduced a prince as my lover.’
It would be better to talk about it in advance.
“There’s something I need to say.”
I roughly wiped my mouth with a napkin and raised my head.
Even though I had suddenly interjected, my family quickly focused on me.
“Something you need to say?”
“What is it?”
I looked around at each of their gentle faces and got straight to the point.
“I am currently dating Ardian Albinus.”
I then intended to add that he said he’d visit the house soon. But perhaps because I had dropped it too abruptly? The atmosphere turned chilly, and just as I was about to continue speaking and looked up—
Clang! A sharp sound followed.
Maximun, who had dropped the knife he was holding, wore an expression of shock.