"Well then, let's introduce him to my daughter right away. Nothing else can happen if we don't do that."
"Exactly."
"Come on in."
My sister and I followed behind the lord.
Just enter the mansion.
...For the next few years at least, we will have to protect the lord's daughter as her guardians and look up to the same person as our master.
That's why today's meeting is so important.
Not only is your husband's personality a factor, but if he gets a bad impression from first contact, the next few years will be terrible!
We must get through this safely no matter what!
"My daughter is currently busy preparing for her admission to the Royal Academy. You will be going with her, so once you've finished your greetings, please help her with the preparations and continue with your own preparations."
""got it""
So I proceeded through the mansion, up the stairs, went to the second floor and proceeded again...!
The lord's mansion is really spacious!
Just moving around is a struggle!!
"Okay, we've reached my daughter's room...!"
The old lord is panting!?
Even though it's his own mansion, he says he gets out of breath just moving around.
"Staaf, my father has arrived. May I come in?"
"Father, please come in."
A cute voice came through the door.
With permission the door was opened...
"Welcome, Father, to my tea party."
The one who whispered these words gracefully was a gorgeous beautiful girl who could be called a young lady.
Her shining blonde hair was in vertical rolls, and the shirt she was wearing was sparkling white.
Of course, she doesn't wear dresses at home, but her clothes still have subtle ribbons and frills adorning them, highlighting her ladylike qualities.
"cute...!?"
My sister was instantly captivated.
As expected, a village girl's financial situation does not allow her to afford such cute and beautiful clothes.
As for what such a young lady was doing in her room, she was elegantly sipping tea in the center.
However, there were several maids around, busily running around and causing a commotion.
"The space seems a bit disjointed, doesn't it?"
Mainly stillness and movement.
"I'm preparing to move so that I can attend the Royal Academy. Most of my belongings are prepared in the upper mansion, but there are some things that I personally find difficult to move, so the number of things I need to take with me has increased…!"
"Really...?!"
"I actually wanted to select them myself, but I was told that I was too slow and wouldn't be able to make it in time for the departure, so I was kept here. They told me not to get involved because it would just be more work…"
As soon as we met, she told us a typical ladylike story.
This is something you can do, my lady. But you can't.
"Organizing things is the maids' job. The master shouldn't interfere and take away their job."
Said the lord.
"It is best for a leader to take a firm position at the top and take charge. You should now study this noble spirit in the royal capital."
"Yes, Father."
Apparently he listens carefully to what his father says.
Although their interactions were brief and short, this young lady's good upbringing seems to be manifested in her gentle personality.
She wasn't the typical spoiled, selfish young lady. It was our good fortune that she wasn't brought up like that...!
"So, Dad, what could you possibly want in the middle of a move? As you can see, I'm very busy."
A maid.
"I told you before. I would provide you with an escort when you go to the royal capital. That person has arrived, so I came here to introduce you to each other."
"Were you serious about that story...?"
Oh?
The young lady has a disgusted look on her face...!?
"I'm glad you're worried about me, but having a guard by my side all the time would be suffocating. A guard would probably just be a burly man, right?"
"Were you worried about that? Don't worry, they are specially selected to ensure your safety and a comfortable school life. Say hello, both of you."
At the lord's urging, my sister and I both knelt down.
My mother taught me the proper etiquette here beforehand.
"I'm Thao, son of Machete from Elmi Village."
"The same goes for my daughter, Caliba!"
My sister bit it.
Also, the village we grew up in was called Elmi Village.
It feels kind of refreshing because there was no need to remember it unless you were from the village.
"...Well, well, well, well, well!"
Has the young lady's reaction changed?
Are you getting excited?
"What a cool gentleman and such lovely friends! I can't believe I'm being accompanied by such wonderful people! I'm serious, Father!"
"Seriously, I'm glad Starf is happy."
Is that alright, My Lord?
Well, his reluctant attitude has changed completely and he has become friendly, so I guess we should be happy about that.
"I am Staph de Elminard Zelizar, the daughter of Lord Zelizar's Ogoba. I would be happy to be with such wonderful people as you two! We seem to be close in age, and I think we would have a lot to talk about!"
"How about that...?!"
Even though they are the same age, they are commoners and nobles.
Since we lived in such different worlds, I wonder how many topics we could share...
"I'm glad that Staaf likes me. With this, it's decided that we will go to the royal capital together."
"Eh? Maybe we didn't go to the royal capital?"
"Well, that's if my daughter really doesn't want it."
You lord...!
He was planning to cancel our plans depending on his daughter's mood. Does this mean that nobles really do toy with commoners?
"I married late. Staaf was the only one I managed to train before he became useless, and the future of my family depends on her alone. She is an irreplaceable daughter to both my family and myself."
"Huh...?!"
Children born when you're older are like a hybrid of a child and a grandchild, so of course they're cute.
"So... you said Sao?"
"yes?"
"Don't take it the wrong way when Staph calls you a 'nice person'. Men tend to take the wrong approach when a beautiful woman says kind words to them. You think she likes you...?!"
As he said that, the hand on my shoulder dug into my shoulder again.
"That girl is kind to everyone. She's a good girl. Don't ever think that you're the only one who's special. Besides, a forbidden love between a commoner and a noble is a good thing, you know!"
"I understand! No matter what you say, I won't be moved!"
"How dare you not be happy when Staph praises you!!"
The unreasonableness that is typical of fathers strikes me!?
So what should we do?!
"Now that we've finished our greetings, let's help you move. We're used to doing heavy lifting."
Saying that, my sister rolled up her sleeves.
He has truly developed into a better person than I could have ever imagined he would have been at such a young age.
"Don't say that. I believe you are Caliba. Would you like to sit down and have tea with me?"
The young lady urges.
"However, we are in the position of serving the young lady after all..."
"Organizing things is the maids' job. You must not infringe on their duties. Conversely, your job is to protect me, right? In that case, you must not leave my side even for a moment."
"Has your role already begun?!"
"First, let's talk a lot to get to know each other better. We'll be living together from now on, so mutual understanding is essential. Maid, please bring out a teacup for her too."
More maid work to do?
Well then, should I sit down with you and talk as your guardian?
Even with my glorious history with women...
"Could you please load the luggage into the carriage?"
"Am I going to work hard?"
"It would be hard for the maids if there were no men to help. Please take on the heavy lifting."
Even if he's a bodyguard, the old man doesn't want the man to get close to his daughter...
Well, if asked, I'll carry luggage.
If you help the maid, she might even let you touch her butt as a thank you.
"Then I'll take those wooden boxes over there please."
"Four layers?!"
There's no other way, just hurriedly.
We just need to bring this down to the first floor and load it onto the cart waiting outside.
Hop, hop, hop...huh?
I mistook the maid for luggage and ended up picking her up (in a princess carry).
No wonder it was so light!
While I was busy carrying the luggage, Nee-san and the young lady seemed to be chatting and deepening their friendship.
Well, I thought it was necessary to communicate closely with the person I was guarding, as it would be advantageous for future actions.
So that's fine with me, sister.
Thus the preparations went ahead swiftly, but it still took several days, and finally the day of departure arrived.
◆
"Then Father, this Staph will study in the royal capital."
"Yes, I look forward to the day when you have grown into a fine young lady and we can meet again. Listen to your teachers and study hard."
"yes"
"Write letters frequently. If there is anything missing, send it immediately. There are some areas in the royal capital with a high crime rate, so don't go near them carelessly. If something dangerous happens, ask Caliba or Sao immediately. They are there to protect you. Also, keep to your daily rhythm and go to bed early. Lack of sleep can damage your skin. Don't be picky about food, eat everything the cook gives you..."
"I'm off."
The young lady cuts off the lord's words, which may or may not end at any moment, and gets into the carriage.
As expected, there was not just one carriage as the lord's daughter was traveling; there were several carriages lined up, all packed with her attendants and luggage.
There were also several more horses to escort them all.
A noble's journey sure is extravagant.
"Which carriage should we ride in...?"
"Sao-san is here with Caliba-san."
When I turned around after the young lady called out to me, she was already in the car, calling out to me from the window.
Is your sister on board too?
"You're telling me to ride in the same carriage as my lady? How humbling!"
"Since you are my guards, I need you to stay by my side and protect me at all times. The carriage train itself will be protected by the accompanying cavalry, so please just keep an eye on my safety."
If that's the case...can't it be helped?
My sister has already given up, and if I insist on getting into a different carriage, it will weaken the young lady's defenses and defeat the purpose, so I'll do as she says and ride with her.
"Pleased to see you... it's spacious!?"
As expected of a carriage carried by a lord's daughter!
The interior is also very spacious!
I thought a horse-drawn carriage would only have the same volume as a train box seat, but it's actually about the size of a limousine.
The limousine of the horse-drawn carriage world?!
"This is enough room for three people. Sao-san, please sit over there."
"Y-yes...!?"
Still, the basic structure was that the seats faced each other in a cross-seat style, with me sitting on one side and my sister and Miss Starf sitting next to each other on the other.
The sound of the driver's whip can be heard, and the carriage rattles and vibrates as it moves forward.
Things are finally moving.
This marks our final farewell to our hometown for a while.
"I will study in the city in order to follow in my father's footsteps and become a great lord."
The young lady begins to speak of her aspirations.
"Not only do I learn from books, but I also listen to renowned teachers who live in the royal capital, and deepen my knowledge by interacting with fellow students who have come for the same purpose. This is something I can't do by staying shut up in my hometown. I would like to ask Sao-san and Caliba-san to help me with this. Thank you."
"Yes, sir."
He was a good boy who was aware of his responsibilities as an aristocrat.
I was wary of a possible selfish pattern among fellow nobles, but this is by far the better option.
"So, I would like to ask for your guidance immediately, Mr. Sao and Mr. Caliba."
"Are you talking about us...?!"
I don't think it's possible for a commoner like me to teach the rules of a feudal lord...
What kind of knowledge do you want?
"You two are brother and sister and have a physical relationship, right?"
"Guh?!"
Where did you get that information?!
Come to think of it, I was chatting away with my sister until we departed...
Did you really reveal it yourself?
"I got so excited that I ended up...!?"
You're such a loose-lipped sister!
Is it really okay? Will security information be accidentally leaked?
"I heard that Sao-san has relationships not only with Onee-sama but also with an unspecified number of women. I'd like to ask you for help, taking advantage of that tactic...!"
My lady, I said.
"Can you teach me about sex?"