By Zephyria 
I welcomed July at the House Servelle’s villa.
As usual, I woke up at dawn, finished my training, regulated my energy, and after washing up, I received a bundle of letters at the breakfast table.
The letters from my friends, which had been sent to Young Count Ernhardt’s Residence, had been forwarded to the House Servelle villa. I was momentarily surprised, as I hadn’t expected to exchange letters with them, whom I would only be apart from for two months.
The thought of having to take time away from my family to reply to friends I would soon see again felt bothersome at first, but upon seeing the familiar red rose seal, I changed my mind.
It was because Logan Servel had incessantly told me how much various children had cared for and liked me in the past due to many incidents.
I considered treating those who cared for and missed me with indifference as accumulating karma.
I settled down next to Michael and Asdel, who were lying on their stomachs on the drawing room floor with a drawing board spread out. I took out my quill pen and ink, preparing to write.
The desk height was lower than in the study, making my posture uncomfortable, but since this place was more suitable for children to play, there was no other choice.
I spread out all the letters I had received from everyone and read them in one go.
Shayden and the other friends seemed to have successfully navigated the social events. They wrote that, despite the grand name, it felt like watching a birthday banquet where everyone was the protagonist.
Reading the letters, which detailed the grandeur and beauty of the Imperial Palace’s banquet hall and the dazzling brilliance of its ceiling lights, I could grasp its majesty.
However, it seemed only a few among them had found their partners, with the letters concluding that, except for a few who were gregarious and enjoyed socializing, it was awkward to even ask someone to dance.
Reading Ivan Holmes’s letter, who wrote that he was so nervous thinking it was the first meeting with his future lover that he didn’t know what he did all day, I let out a small laugh, picturing the lanky fellow standing stiffly.
Shayden and Damian had focused on making friends rather than finding partners. The two, who already had wide social circles, had apparently rounded up acquaintances, regardless of gender, and dragged them to the dance hall for a lively time.
Thanks to their efforts, even the awkward children danced and mingled joyfully, and I could easily imagine the scene.
After reading the letters from Benjamin and Danbi, who I wouldn’t have expected to participate in such activities, I pondered what to write in response. I learned the reason they had suddenly gathered to write letters from Jenny’s letter.
“…Marianne?”
The words slipped out of my mouth before I realized it, and Michael’s ears perked up like a puppy’s as he turned to look at me. I smiled, waved my hand to dismiss it as nothing, and returned my gaze to the letters.
Jenny’s letter, which began with “Marianne seems to have fallen in love!”, was long and detailed.
It described how Marianne, abandoning her usual spirited and lively personality, had become listless and frail like a sick chicken, sitting by a sunlit window and sighing endlessly.
At first, her friends thought nothing of it, but as they gathered to discuss their concern for Marianne, it eventually turned into them having fun amongst themselves and regularly meeting up.
Then, they thought of me and decided to write letters together.
Following the remark that since all the friends who sent letters were gathered, I could simply send a reply to any one of them as a representative, a cute postscript was added.
Jenny, who had drawn many stars and hearts, was so adorable when she wrote that they had made a bet on who would receive the reply and insisted I must write to her, that I ended up laughing again.
It was truly endearing and wonderful how close my friends were.
Jenny, who used to be timid and felt inferior due to her lower status among peers who held titles, now seemed to walk with her head held high, not just within the academy but also outside, thanks to the friends who supported her.
I decided to write my reply to Jenny as requested and took out a blank sheet of paper.
However, before I could even write the first character, I put my pen down upon noticing there were still unread letters.
I thought there couldn’t be any more friends who would gather like this, and then I realized there was one more person who had sent me a letter.
Rubel Anti Searon. He was the Second Prince of the Sierran Empire.
Indeed, unlike the children from the camping class who would burst into laughter just by looking at each other, I wondered how bored Rubel must have been at that banquet, where he had no close acquaintances.
Considering he was not just a prince but also aiming for the throne, I felt a pang of pity thinking of the pale-faced boy having to entertain various guests with a dignified demeanor.
I now knew that what I saw of a person was not their entirety, but my own dull nature made it impossible to trust any sight other than my own eyes as the most accurate.
His neat handwriting, which I had become so familiar with that I knew every stroke from taking notes for world history, began with a calm greeting.
I calmly read the words that started with “To Young Master Ernhardt.”
As expected, there was not much content. It was a simple greeting letter, mentioning how seeing people enjoy themselves at the banquet made him think of me, asking what I had been doing during the vacation, and seeking advice on how to train while I was away from the academy.
Thinking it would be quicker to finish this one, I started writing my reply to Rubel first.
After writing “To Senior Rubel Anti Searon,” I noted the day’s weather and asked a simple greeting.
There was no hesitation in my pen, as I had much to write. I began by stating that I was currently at the House Servelle villa, enjoying the summer with the three siblings, swimming and horseback riding, and boasting about how my younger siblings were being adorable.
I deliberately started writing the important answers from the second page.
First, I informed him that although my vacation schedule was busy and I could only make time in the early morning and late at night, I was training for one to two hours each morning and evening to maintain my edge.
Next, I advised him that even if his schedule was busy, training for at least an hour daily was the way to prevent his arm strength from decreasing, urging him to practice it.
Although Rubel’s height might lead one to believe he had finished growing, judging by the size of his hands and feet and the way his limbs extended, he would likely grow another foot or more.
Therefore, I also advised against using methods that involved lifting excessively heavy objects to train his strength.
I knew he was skilled in throwing knife technique, but I wrote that the foundation of all martial arts begins with one’s own body and ends with the sword, so he should keep his center of gravity firm and upright. Then, wondering if I was being too presumptuous towards a senior, I added a line saying he was already doing well and should just continue as he is.
I pointed out that Rubel tended to extend his sword shorter than his height, which was likely a habit formed from trying to execute swordplay as he was accustomed to, and instructed him to use his arms more broadly, being mindful of the space within his guard. By the time I finished, the completed letter was eight pages long.
These were things I had wanted to say but couldn’t, considering his higher rank than mine. Since he had asked me for guidance first, I couldn’t contain my joy. Thinking of the boy who would be pleased to receive this letter, I felt immensely satisfied as well.
I asked the attendants for more stationery and began writing letters to my first-year classmates.
The beginning of these letters was similar.
However, I wrote more details about my life, as the children were more curious about it.
I conveyed greetings on behalf of Logan Servel, as he had met my friends a few times, and filled another page with stories about how adorable my younger siblings were. In the end, I added that I felt happy thinking Marianne would be the first among us to marry and that I would definitely attend to congratulate her.
As I was asking the attendant to deliver the replies to the courier service, Michael and Asdel proudly held up a large sheet of paper, showing me a drawing they had made of me.
Praising them for doing so well, I kissed their chubby cheeks a few times before we went out together again.
❖ ❖ ❖
After spending about a month together, interacting in the mornings and evenings, I naturally became close with Logan Servel and Leila Servel.
I let the younger children play amongst themselves and lay on the lawn with the three of us, chatting about various things, and I also taught them some basic physical techniques.
Logan Servel was a third-year student in the Business Department, and Leila Servel was a second-year student in the Academic Department.
Both had dark chestnut hair and bluish eyes. Seeing Evan Servel, whose gait was still a bit clumsy, have bright golden hair, it seemed their hair color deepened with age.
I was displeased to hear that neither of them had any connection to physical techniques or martial arts and didn’t even attend related classes.
This was because, in the Central Plains, even individuals from the Jegal family, famous for their intelligence, considered it natural to train their bodies and practice martial arts.
Since sound thoughts originate from a sound body, I urged the siblings to learn simple self-defense techniques.
The siblings, not wanting to just receive, would also bring out various books and pester me. While we discussed the books, Logan and Leila would often raise their voices and start debating, which wasn’t much of an inconvenience. Listening to their discussions was quite interesting.
Today’s debate topic was poverty relief.
I was surprised to hear that there were poor people in this land, as the men I had encountered behind the capital’s marketplace, though wearing worn hats, had a respectable appearance.
Their cheeks were not sunken, and their lower bellies were flat, which meant they had never resorted to eating stones or sand out of hunger.
They could fill their hunger enough to distinguish between what they could and could not eat.
Because of this, I had once been harsh towards them.
When I mentioned that, Logan wore a very troubled expression.
The Servel siblings were very interested in the welfare policies of their territory.
I listened attentively as the children shared their thoughts. Among them, Logan Servel favored the equal distribution of wealth over a certain period, while Leila Servel argued that opportunities for growth through education should be given to everyone.
And I, finding both ideas unfamiliar, questioned them extensively.