[Matthias]

Imperial Capital, in a certain room in the West Vern family estate.

Matthias breathed as sigh as he wondered how long he had stayed awake.

Usually, he’s already asleep during this time.

However, when every time he starts to ponder about his Master for a moment, he stopped being sleepy.

Matthias gave up forcibly going to sleep and stood up, and poured the water left in the room to the gla.s.s.

He cannot understand what his Master is thinking. Do other retainers also think about these kinds of things?

… at the very least, there are no retainers like me among my acquaintances.

Not to mention, Fernando understands every person in his House even if he wasn’t Richard’s retainer.

He was able to do things until now as long as he makes an effort. He even believes that he has ability more than the others, moreover, he always meets the expectations of those people around him.

However, what about now? He is constantly surprised by El-sama’s every action.

Although he was surprised during the a.s.sa.s.sination incident, El-sama spent his time in the main residence as a child who seem to be a little precocious, and they spent everyday happily.

That’s why, he almost forgot. That is, El-sama’s true form. Rather, saying that he never knew it is more correct.

On the way to the Imperial Capital, he incidentally saw El-sama’s expression while getting into the carriage.

Matthias drank the contents of the gla.s.s quickly.

(“Let’s enjoy it thoroughly~”)

To whom did El-sama mutter those words? The only person who could hear that is me, who’s by his side. El-sama was looking at another place, but then he turned towards me.

El-sama had a cruel smile that I haven’t seen before, and an insane glint shook his eyes.

The moment he realized that it is something he wasn’t supposed to see, it was already too late. He was not able to take his eyes off this El-sama that he just saw for the first time.

(“… I won’t show you.”) 

El-sama declared as he suddenly regain back his senses when he noticed Matthias.

What is he saying! Matthias was interested but it’s impossible to ask him. Because that expression he had, it told everything.

As expected, El-sama is still a part of the royal family. He was born with the power of a ruler. He stand above everything and if it’s for the sake of protecting his precious people, he has both gentleness and the ability to use cruelty as a means to achieve that.

It is likely that I have caught a glimpse of that part of him.

And then, the incident at the shop. Certainly, Matthias deployed more Shadows in the town that day. Of course, they all had the ability to completely erase their presence, even those posing as vendors or pa.s.serby. Still, El-sama noticed them at once. He must have confirmed which of the people are Shadows that time when he walked around the store’s interior, that is what Matthias naturally thought.

It’s not only that. He was bothered at that time when El-sama – who should’ve only pa.s.sed by the people without stopping – stood still for a long time in front of a commoner salesperson that is not under Matthias’ patronage. Matthias had that person investigated and it turned out that it was a spy from another country.

I am sure that being aware of the Shadows’ presence must be irritating. I issued an order to have them just silently watch until El-sama’s life is exposed to danger. But is that really alright?

“Matthias-sama, may I?”

He heard the voice of the maid as she knocked.

“Enter.”

“Excuse me for intruding. Some thieves entered not long ago, how would you like to settle this?”

“Do it as usual.”

“Understood.”

She understood Matthias’ intentions by just those short exchange of words, thus the excellent maid calmly left.

The number of a.s.sailants in the residence stationed in the Imperial Capital is remarkably big compared to the main residence’s. As a matter of fact, he doesn’t really understand them.

However, it was true that there were many of them who actually entered the building aiming at them and the treasures. What do they do then?

If they’re thieves, the housemaids or the butlers subdue them. If it is an a.s.sa.s.sin, it should be taken care of by the one being targeted. There is a rule that you have to take care of it yourself if something ever happens to you.

That is only possible to enforce due to the abilities of everyone including the little sister.

On that subject, I hardly meet that child even though we live in the same house.

Will the thieves visit his room this time?

Since they’re just a thieves, it’s likely that he won’t meet them unless he goes outside.

Therefore… not really… a big deal…?

At that moment, Matthias remembered his Master who had occupied his mind until a while ago.

“El-sama!”

Matthias left the room without paying attention to the gla.s.s which he knocked over when he forcefully stood up.

During that time, he never encountered the thieves. Even so, the possibility that El-sama suffered harm isn’t high. In addition, El-sama can use magic. He understood that in his mind, in spite that, his brisk walk had turned into a full run before he knew it. He had never been as irritated at the pointless size of this mansion until now.

“This…”

Matthias was at lost for words as he finally arrived infront of El-sama’s room.

Several men are piled up.

When he hastily looked at the men, he grasped that they were taken down with the same method El-sama used when he rescued the girl from those ruffians at that time. They merely lose their consciousness. However, the men’s faces were warped with terror, as if they’ve seen something terribly frightening and fainted with one blow.

I have no doubt that El-sama did this.

After that, Matthias quietly opened the door of his Master’s room. The light had been put out and he could hear a sleeping person’s regular breathing.

After making sure that his Master is safe, Matthias ignored the men and walked along the hallway.

Not much time pa.s.sed since the maid came to inform him of the thieves’ trespa.s.sing. It shows that the combat had been finished at surprising speed.

…El-sama is safe above all else.

Nevertheless, Matthias’ heart didn’t clear up for some reason as he walked absentmindedly along the hallway lit up by orange lights.

“Again…?”

Matthias sighed after walking for a while.

Countless rose petals are scattered below his feet. Something with a deep red color was left behind and there were completely burnt out ashes, too.

“Elder Brother most probably took care of them.”

He was lost in thought while looking at the rooms to his left and right that were completely exposed, due to the fact that the doors that were originally there disappeared. The door and the wall have been hollowed out neatly. The things that were damage appeared like they were already cleared up by maids.

The one holding the position of West Vern House’s next head isn’t just for show. Few people only know of his true strength since Matthias’ older brother is a moody person, so he doesn’t have much opportunities to showcase his power in public. Perhaps those thieves today must have thought that way.

Even if Mathias belong to the number one family in terms of strength, Cashbar is the most cruel of them when displeased. Though he doesn’t understand what Cashbar’s standards are, the treatment for those who aren’t good looking are especially tragic.

Even so, I would like it very much if he stopped destroying the things around him.

Still, this will improve the butlers’ repairing skills.

Matthias gave up on the thought of sleep and went back to his room to work.

“Good morning.”

“‘Morning…”

He welcomed the morning without sleeping at all. The thieves and the room was taken care of as if nothing really happened out of the ordinary.

“El-sama, have you changed your clothes…?

El-sama is wearing different pajamas from the one Matthias chose for him yesterday. Matthias doesn’t know whether El-sama disliked the ones he chose or he had taken an interest in clothes, but such thing was unprecedented.

“It became dirty from that.”

From that… those yesterday’s thieves? Matthias knew that he didn’t get any injuries from the incident yesterday. Did he meant that it was sullied when it was touched by those people?

“Thank you very much for your hard work last night.”

“Uh-uh, Matthias can really see through everything.”

El-sama said those words while chuckling. Matthias felt a slight sense of dread knowing the fact that this kid with an innocent smile took down those thieves yesterday.

“That’s not true, El-sama.”

El-sama is strong so he’ll be alright even if I am not with him.

“That reminds me, the academy admission permit arrived some time ago.”

There’s no reason for El-sama not to pa.s.s, but he reported it just in case.

“Really!?”

“Yes, of course.”

“I’m glad! Thanks, Matthias!”

“I did nothing at all…”

El-sama accomplished everything by himself.

“That’s wrong. It because of you that I pa.s.sed, and I’m always saved because Matthias did a lot of things for me. I am truly grateful to Matthias. Thank you.”

As I thought, I’m such a failure of a retainer. My Master’s little actions always make me alternate between sorrow and joy.

Just El-sama’s few words is enough to make me feel this much happiness.

“I will follow El-sama throughout my whole life.”

I am blessed with the joy that was never in my life before, except it came as something more than I expect.

Then Matthias remembered something that had always bothered him.

I don’t know why El-sama wants to learn how to cook but he must have planned to travel in the future so he’s training to be independent, at any rate he intended to be someone who can stand in his own two feet.

That’s right. He should also learn how to cook. A retainer must always walk on the path chosen by his Master, so it is absolutely necessary for him to do my own preparations, too.