Vol 1 Chapter 1 – The Pick-up

When I passed through the tunnel, it was—just incredibly white. Pure white.

The main seat of the Duke Howard family has always been in the northern part of the Kingdom.

That said, isn’t this a world away from the Royal Capital?

I’d heard it would be cold, so I wore a coat, and I even brought the scarf I got from an old associate I can’t seem to shake off for my birthday last year, but I have a hunch it’s nowhere near enough.

The train the Sensei arranged for me was comfort itself (my first time in a first-class car), but I’m a bit worried about what lies ahead.

Arrived on schedule in the main northern city. Just as I’d figured, it was cold enough outside to make me shiver. The only saving grace was that snow wasn’t dancing in the air.

Looking at the memo the Sensei handed me—it seemed someone was here to pick me up.

“Excuse me. Might you be Allen-sama?”

When I turned around, there was an elderly gentleman and—a young girl standing as if hiding by his feet.

A little girl like this is a maid?

“Yes. My name is Allen.”

“Just as I thought. I am Graham, head butler in service to Duke Howard. This child here is Ellie, a maid-in-training.”

“I-I’m Ellie…”

As soon as she said that, the girl quickly hid again. I wonder if she’s uncomfortable around men.

Graham-san, paying no mind to my unspoken question, quickly took my bag.

“Ah, it’s quite all right. I can carry that much myself.”

“Not at all. Allen-sama, you are to become Tina-sama’s sensei. I couldn’t possibly be rude. Besides, this is part of a butler’s duties.”

“I-Is that so? Well then, I’ll take you up on your offer.”

It seems they even went to the trouble of bringing a car around. Impressive, just what you’d expect from a Duke’s household. I rarely get to ride in cars even in the Royal Capital.

We made some small talk as we walked. About the weather, about food. Apparently, this wasn’t even considered heavy snow yet. I heard that in a little while, they’d be seriously holed up for the winter until early spring.

“That said, how did you recognize me?”

“That’s only natural.”

“?”

“My master and your mentor, the Sensei, have been close friends for fifty years. And the Sensei stays here several times a year. For the past few years, whenever he has a drink, he invariably talks about…”

“—I see. My numerous embarrassing anecdotes, you mean.”

“I recognized you at a glance the moment I saw you in the station.”

Just how much has that Sensei told them…? Surely he isn’t spinning tales about every little thing, true or not, for laughs, is he?

—I should send a letter to that old acquaintance of mine about this.

“Now, please get in. It’s a little cramped, so would it be alright if Ellie sat on your lap, Allen-sama?”

“Huh? Ah, no, but she wouldn’t want to—”

“I d-don’t… umm… mind…”

No, she looks like she really minds, though. I was so sure this was a four-seater, but it’s actually a two-seater?

“Since Ellie says it’s fine…”

“Hah…”

“E-Excushe… Excuse me!”

Reluctantly, I got into the car’s passenger seat, and the girl sat on my lap.

Light!

She was so light it made me worry if she was eating properly.

The car door closed, and off we went.

Still, it’s cold! The heater was on, sort of, but it seemed to be losing the battle against the chill.

The girl on my lap was shivering too. Of course, she was wearing something resembling a coat (it looked to be of very good quality), but it was far too thin. I wished she were dressed more warmly.

I took off my scarf and wrapped it around the girl’s neck. She looked up at me, surprised, but hey, it’s fine—I made sure to wash it.

“Excuse me. May I use a little magic?”

“Magic, you say? As long as it’s nothing dangerous, I have no objection. However, please refrain from using fire magic.”

“Oh, it’s fine. It’s just a bit of temperature control.”

“Temperature control, you say?”

“I don’t think it’s the kind of magic that warrants such surprise, though…”

What were they so surprised about? Anyone in my research lab could do magic like this.

The trick is to adjust the three elements—fire, water, and wind—a little at a time. If you try to do it all at once, it’ll backfire, you know.

The inside of the car gradually warmed.

Yeah.

This should be bearable now.

“…So this is what they mean by ‘exceeding all expectations.'”

“A-Amazing.”

For some reason, Graham-san and the girl were praising me, but it’s really not that difficult, you know.

Truth is, it’s magic anyone could do. It’s just that most people don’t try.

“Speaking of which, may I ask you something?”

“If it’s something I can answer, by all means.”

“It was fortunate for me, but why did you decide to hire a home tutor at this particular time? The Royal Academy entrance exams are next spring. I assume there was someone teaching her before, wasn’t there?”

“You heard nothing from the Sensei?”

“I haven’t. I was just handed a train ticket, an address, and a memo saying someone would come to pick me up, and that was all.”

“…We really must have a word with him.”

“Ah, when that time comes, I’d be delighted to.”

It seemed Graham-san was a fellow victim. A comrade in suffering!

The girl on my lap, for some reason, started to fidget.

[sowa sowa]

Had it gotten too hot for her?

“Sorry. Did I make it a little too warm?”

“N-No, that’s not it…”

Well, I am a man she’s just met, and on top of that, she’s sitting on my lap. Of course, she’d be tense… I won’t breathe a word of this to anyone. There’s nothing to be gained by adding another embarrassing story to my collection.

While all this was happening, the Duke’s mansion came into view. I’d been to Lydia’s family home a few times, and this estate was comparable in its vastness.

A guard-san opened the gate for us, and we proceeded directly inside. The car stopped before the mansion’s main entrance.

“You must be tired from your journey.”

“Not at all, thank you very much. And to Her Highness, the Duke’s daughter, I am terribly sorry for the imposition.”

“N-No, not at all, thank you… huh?”

The girl on my lap froze.

Oh no, I’m not that dense. I knew.

It’s completely obvious.