By Zephyria 
My maternal family, the Duke Valentia Family, was located further south than the Ernhardt family.
It took about a week by carriage southeast from the capital to reach the Ernhardt family’s territory, and then another ten full days of travel from there to reach the Duke Valentia Family.
That was also why I hurried without even having time to greet the children. I had been anxious because nearly a full month out of the mere two-month vacation period would be spent solely on travel.
Still, once I was on the carriage, my worries faded like a campfire soaked in morning dew.
After being unceremoniously loaded onto the carriage, I spent about two days just sleeping and waking.
The knights worried for quite some time when I didn’t show my face outside the carriage. I reassured them that it was nothing, saying that the lack of sleep during the exam period must have been too much for my young body.
When I thought about it calmly, Rubel wasn’t the only thing I hadn’t finished.
Last semester, I visited Douglas’s professor’s office every Tuesday to conduct various experiments alongside Mage Boulder.
It was ostensibly to test the Great expansive divine skill of azure sky’s upgrade, but for now, it was mainly about interpreting the Great expansive divine skill of azure sky in Sierren’s way rather than showing any progress.
I had decided to let the Golem undergo Breathing and regulating energy until the end of November and only check its condition, so there wasn’t much to worry about. Using exam studies as an excuse, I hadn’t seen either Douglas or Boulder for the past week and this week.
The Golem hadn’t developed a Dantian until two weeks ago, so it likely hadn’t changed much by now, but I should have helped them observe its condition and conduct a few tests on a new Golem.
I had forgotten that I promised to check on them after all the exams were finished. What bothered me more than Boulder’s experiments being postponed was not being able to say goodbye to Douglas.
It felt overwhelming and difficult to go back now. I decided I would bring a gift to Douglas as an apology when I returned to the academy after the break.
Perhaps because my thoughts had shifted from Rubel to Douglas, I also wondered about the other children.
Demian, whom I often ran into during the exam period, still had frequent nightmares, so I was curious about his grades.
Shayden had said he would remain in the capital due to social activities this time, so even though I knew he would take good care of them, I was still worried.
I was also curious about introducing Leila Servel, a member of the second-year academic club, to Jenny, in case it might help with her studies.
I had only told them to talk to each other once, but Jenny was a good child, and Leila’s disposition wasn’t bad either, so I hoped they would get along well.
Well, they were all children who could take care of themselves.
Sitting alone in the carriage, I grew bored of my thoughts and asked to speak with someone, stepping outside. It was the fourth day since leaving the academy.
Some of the knights, with playful expressions, jeered, while others were excited.
Looking at them blankly, confused, a young knight pulled out my horse and rode alongside me, speaking playfully.
“Ah, you could have held out just one more day.”
“Why?”
“We made a bet among ourselves. Some said the young master would rest for five days before coming out, others said he’d come out immediately.”
“That’s a funny thing to do.”
Only then did I understand the situation and burst into laughter.
I received a bag of peanuts as a prize from the knight who won the bet.
I rode my horse, munching on the snack. The empty carriage rattled noisily behind me.
I saw fields that had been harvested. I saw mountains and hills adorned in colorful autumn foliage. We crossed a large river once and detoured around a stream without a bridge.
I ate peanuts and chocolate for snacks. On dark nights, I made sure to find a warm inn to sleep, but I set off early in the morning and rode my horse until late at night.
None of the knights, who knew why I was in such a hurry, tried to stop me.
I learned that knights took turns standing guard at night to protect me. During the day, I ordered the knights who had stood guard the previous night to sleep in the carriage.
Though they initially refused, they smiled and agreed when I confidently told them that I had grown into a knight as capable as them and could handle things better.
The journey was never boring, as the knights would strike up conversations.
They told me stories about how cute Michael had been in my absence, what games Asdel had discovered, and how the children were nagging to get a pet but couldn’t decide whether to get a cat or a dog. All these stories were fascinating.
I spoke about what I had learned at the academy. I told them I was making great progress in swordsmanship, had learned Combined Swordsmanship, and could now do some throwing knife technique.
In particular, the throwing knife technique I newly learned this semester was something I had wanted to learn for a long time, and they all found it interesting when I told them I threw a dagger at the professor for my final exam.
“It sounds quite interesting when you just hear about it…”
“Throwing knives while moving, you learn all sorts of things.”
It seemed unfamiliar to the knights of Ernhardt, who used long swords and shields.
When they asked to see it done in person, I showed them how to throw a dagger during a break, and they all followed along, enjoying themselves. Some had surprisingly good aim, while others were worse than me.
As I, excited from holding a dagger after a long time, was reluctant to depart again, one of the knights asked,
“Young master, can you throw daggers from horseback?”
“…Hmm?”
Upon hearing the question, I became curious and said I would practice on the way. The knights, not wanting to be hit by a flying dagger from behind, placed me at the very front.
Believing it to be the right approach, I rode at the forefront, galloping my horse and throwing daggers here and there. Nearly two-thirds of them fell to the ground.
Still, I thought my skills had improved a lot over the semester, but it was a ridiculously embarrassing sight.
I practiced throwing daggers from horseback the entire way to the Duke Valentia Family. The knights rode behind me, picking up the daggers that fell or were stuck in nearby trees and handing them back to me.
I saw the knight who first asked if I could throw daggers from horseback being playfully scolded by other knights for giving them extra work.
I didn’t butt in.
❖ ❖ ❖
Midway through our journey, we had races with the knights to see who could ride their horses faster, and when I felt stiff, I handed my horse over to the knights and ran at a speed comparable to a horse.
Even though the young master I served was a high-level Sword Expert, two young knights came out to run with me, saying it would be awkward for them to ride horses while a child like me ran on two legs.
I had to hold back my laughter when I saw them, who had been running all day until their lungs burned, lying in the carriage with muscle aches.
How could the Light Footwork I used compare to knights running with just their raw bodies and aura?
I wouldn’t pass on my Great expansive divine skill of azure sky to the knights as is, but by the time Boulder’s research was complete, it might be possible to create a suitable Body Lightening Technique for the knights.
Even without creating a Dantian in the body, there were endless ways to utilize internal energy.
I also learned that Pressure Point Striking worked on Sierren’s people, so if I could pass on at least the Pressure Point Technique and Body Lightening Technique, it would be a great benefit.
I decided I should treat Boulder a little more kindly next semester.
In any case, thanks to the rush, we arrived at the Duke Valentia Family’s mansion four days earlier than scheduled, in the middle of the day.
The knights cheered as if they had won the lottery when the grand gate of the ducal residence came into view from afar.
“I’ll go ahead and announce that the young master has arrived.”
“Well, do you really have to go that far?”
“The young master must be eager to see his family too.”
“…Hmm. Alright.”
Watching the knight gallop away like a shot arrow, led by hearty laughter, I couldn’t help but smile. I stopped rushing and calmly rode my horse.
I could see the large main gate opening wide in the distance.
In time with the clatter of hooves, a pleasant thrumming echoed in my chest.
As I entered the ducal residence’s main gate, the butler greeted me and led me to the garden with a fountain.
The garden of the Duke Valentia Family was not significantly different from what I had seen at the Young Count Ernhardt’s Residence. Even though it wasn’t the season for flowers, familiar pink flowers were artfully arranged in vases scattered here and there.
“Mika!”
My family, with bright smiles, rose from their seats around a round table and welcomed me.
I scooped up Michael, who ran into my arms, and held him in one arm while I greeted the elders first.
Not only the family members of the Young Count Ernhardt’s Residence but also my maternal grandparents, my maternal uncle, and my maternal cousins were all present.
These were people I rarely saw unless it was my birthday, not unlike Logan Servel, but because we were connected by blood, I felt closer to them.
Most of the Duke Valentia Family members, except for my mother, had dark purple hair.
My maternal grandmother had said she had golden hair in her youth, but now her white-streaked hair was neatly pinned up, suiting her well.
Michael, whom I had set down to greet everyone, clung to my thigh.
While holding him, I received hugs from my maternal grandparents and shook hands with my maternal cousins who welcomed me. I also happily accepted my mother’s greeting, where she bumped her cheek against mine.
“You must be tired from your long journey, child.”
“It wasn’t tiring at all, as I was coming to see my grandparents.”
“I didn’t expect you to arrive so quickly from the capital. Did your exams finish early?”
I smiled and brushed off the exclamations of surprise, not boasting or highlighting how hard I had rushed.
Later, when the knights reported, they would all know that I had hurried, but it felt awkward to say with my own mouth that I had rushed because I missed my family.
As I sat down and looked around, I saw my youngest sibling, Asdel, who had apparently just started etiquette lessons, sitting with a prim expression, waiting for my greeting. I hugged his small body tightly. His hands, like maple leaves, gently wrapped around my shoulders.
Watching my blood relatives fussing, urging me to sit down and have a warm cup of tea, and wanting to hear about what had happened, I felt a natural sense of contentment.