"Have a seat."
As we entered the dining room, the first person I saw was Marquess Craig, who had already taken the head seat at the table. He didn't seem to mind that we had arrived later than him, and simply gestured for us to sit. Since this dinner was only attended by Yuri, her friend, and the Marquess himself, as Yuri had mentioned, there were no comments about the dress code.
Yuri and I sat next to each other, and soon the servants began bringing out the food one by one. The dishes were laid out on the table in no particular order, just enough to not be overwhelming. Once everything was placed, Marquess Craig spoke up.
"Let's eat."
Craig was the first to serve himself, and Yuri and I followed suit, beginning our meal. Since Yuri's mother had passed away, and there were no other relatives living in the mansion, it was just the three of us seated at the large dining table. The vastness of the table made it feel particularly empty, with only the sound of clinking utensils echoing through the air, adding to the somber atmosphere.
As a guest, I couldn't be the first to speak, and the pressure of the situation made it hard to tell if I was even tasting the food. It was a relief when Craig finally broke the silence.
"I've heard about your grades."
I'm sorry for complaining, but maybe silence would've been better. Actually, please allow us to continue eating in peace...
"Out of thirty students in your class, you ranked 20th..."
I prayed internally, but of course, my silent pleas didn't reach Craig, and he continued speaking. I wasn't sure why he brought up Yuri's grades in front of her friend, but after mentioning her rank, he fell silent again. The clatter of cutlery resumed as the only sound at the table.
"Ah, speaking of which, didn't Yuri rank second in written exams? Second in the entire school! The professors were full of praise for her!"
In an attempt to lighten the mood, I mentioned Yuri's excellent performance in her written exams. Her lower overall ranking was due to her lower practical skills scores, but when it came to written tests, she was a top student. In fact, the professors of theoretical subjects always spoke highly of her. Of course, Cilly was ranked first, but it was best not to compare Yuri to her. Cilly was consistently first in both practical and theoretical, in a league of her own.
"That just means her swordsmanship is still lacking. Don't worry, starting tomorrow, I'll train you one on one every day."
Even as an observer, his words sent a chill down my spine. How hard was he going to push Yuri until she gave up on swordsmanship altogether?
"So, tell me what you've been studying at the academy."
It seemed Craig wasn't just displeased with Yuri's swordsmanship; he also seemed to have issues with the academy in general. He relentlessly questioned her about her studies, her life at the academy, her friends, her professors, and anything else that came to his mind. Yuri had no choice but to talk endlessly about everything that had happened during her time at the academy.
* * * *
"I'm sorry. My father made you uncomfortable, didn't he?"
Yuri gave me an awkward smile, as if she understood the situation I had just endured.
"No, it's fine. The food was so good that I was too busy eating to notice the time."
"I'm glad you enjoyed it. I asked them to prepare dishes you liked as a child."
"Haha..."
To be honest, I didn't even remember what the food tasted like. All I could think about was how heavy the atmosphere had been. It wasn't until after we returned to Yuri's room that I finally felt my body relax.
"How about we have some tea after dinner?"
Knock knock
Just as Yuri reached for the teapot, there was a knock at the door. She set the teapot down and opened the door to reveal Marquess Craig standing there. After exchanging a few words at the door, Craig stepped into the room, joining us at the small round table where we were seated.
Without a word, Yuri set up another teacup and poured tea for all of us.
Sip
"..."
Yuri and I sat quietly as Craig sipped his tea. If this continued, I feared the food I had eaten earlier would start to upset my stomach. I wished someone would say something.
"I didn't get a chance to hear about you earlier. The Count of Frentz was a man I respected. I should have asked how his daughter has been faring."
So, he's still unsure whether I'm really the Count's daughter. After over ten years of silence, I suddenly showed up, claiming to be the only surviving member of the Frentz family, and I was always right next to his daughter. It was no surprise he had his doubts. Not that his suspicions were entirely wrong.
"Fortunately, I was able to escape with the help of a maid who cared for me at the time."
I carefully recounted the story, trying to sound as genuine as possible. It wasn't the real story of Elysia, but rather, I wove my own past experiences into it, embellishing them to sound believable. The guild master who raised me as an assassin became the maid who helped me escape, the secluded guild hideout transformed into an old cabin on the outskirts of town, and my rigorous assassin training was re-imagined as swordsmanship lessons from a passing mercenary.
I had gone over this fabricated story countless times in my head to make sure it would hold up if anyone asked. I wasn't a storyteller by nature, but the narrative seemed convincing enough.
"The tea is delicious. Could I have another cup, Yuri?"
"Yes, Father."
Though it was the same tea brewed by the same servant with the same tea leaves as always, Craig continued to compliment it, drinking cup after cup. Each time his cup was empty, Yuri would silently refill it.
Thankfully, it seemed Craig didn't harbor any lingering suspicions. He merely nodded occasionally while sipping his tea, showing little real interest in my story.
"Yes, you must've had a tough time. I'd like to hear more, but it's getting late. Let's meet at the training grounds tomorrow morning."
After over an hour of me talking non-stop, it was finally over. I had drunk so much tea while talking that I lost count, but Craig had emptied his cup even more frequently, forcing Yuri to refill it several times.
Just as he was about to leave, Craig stood still for a moment at the door, looking back at us—no, looking back at Yuri. It seemed like he had something more to say, but he didn't open his mouth.
"Goodnight, Father."
"Thank you for your hospitality, Marquess."
Yuri and I both offered our goodnight wishes. Craig stood there a moment longer before finally responding.
"Yes, goodnight."
He eventually left, but as Yuri spoke, I noticed something peculiar. Was it my imagination, or did Craig's mouth twitch slightly, almost as if he was holding back a smile? His hand even moved slightly, as if he had started to raise it but stopped.
For a moment, I wondered if it had been a mistake, but I couldn't shake the memory of Professor Sellen's words about Craig doting on his daughter, Yuri. Which side of him was the real Craig? I couldn't tell.
While I was lost in thought, Yuri spoke up.
"So! Now that Father's gone, how about changing into your pajamas and chat for a bit?"
"...Isn't it already late? We'll have more time tomorrow. We can talk then."
"Huh? But we always chat before bed, remember?"
I was worrying about the wrong things. I should've seen this coming, especially after that time when Yuri and I had slept together. There was no escape now. Since I had missed my chance to decline, sleeping separately in my own room was no longer an option. If the best option was gone, I would have to settle for the next best thing.
"...I'll just lay out a blanket on the floor like last time, okay?"
"Hehe."
Why are you laughing, Yuri?