“I don’t know what’s wrong with him getting thinner. He just doesn’t have that much of an appetite these days… Well, that’s not something to be too happy about either, I guess. I think it’s that Elsa who’s affecting his mood. He seems to get crankier when she’s not around. As for me… I’m sorry, but I don’t want her to become my stepmother, it feels weird knowing that my future stepmother is the same age as me.”
Reinhart can’t resist the urge to laugh upon hearing such unrestrained words.
“All of your sisters are married, and if you were to find a husband, Karen… then the marquis won’t be talking about his own new wife, right?”
“But no man will ever good enough for me in my father’s eyes. Reinhart does come from a fine lineage, though…”
The first to react to that is Belche.
“I’m afraid that’s not possible. Reinhart is my husband.”
Belche glares at Karen while holding Reinhart’s arm tightly.
“Hahaha! I know, I know. I don’t go taking people’s husbands or anything like that. The same goes for Jin, okay? Don’t worry Saki, I won’t take him away from you.”
Hearing that, Saki gets unusually flustered in denial.
“Ka… Karen! Jin and I don’t have that kind of relationship!”
“Oh, is that so? Then, won’t you become my husband, Jin? You’d eventually become the marquis’ successor.”
Karen laughs mischievously. It doesn’t look like she’s serious, but Jin still plainly refuses.
“I’m sorry, but I have no interest in political power and things like that.”
“Oh, how rare! If that’s what the Honorary Magi Craftsman says, if he wants to continue to be a commoner, maybe your father can accept him. … Saki, won’t you come back home?”
Karen’s words, calling Saki’s father a commoner, remind me of him.
“This is where I live now. Please tell that to the marquis.”
But Saki doesn’t seem to want to go back to the marquis’ state. Karen looks a little disappointed.
“Right, just as I thought. But do remember that that place is still your home. You can count on us in case something goes wrong.”
“Yeah, I’ll consider it if anything happens.”
Karen rounds up the conversation with Jin and Saki in order to go chat with other people.
“Well then, see you later. Good grief, greeting everyone sure is not an easy task.”
After Karen leaves, Jin asks a nearby waiter for some fresh juice. He then drinks it in one gulp.
“Oh, are you tired, Jin?”
Says a smiling Saki.
“Yeah, I’m a little tired. This many people in one room is too much for me to bear.”
“Hmm, right, right. That’s why I wouldn’t want to become a noble myself.”
Saki gets the same fresh juice Jin had earlier, and drinks it slowly.
At that time, they hear something being said in a low but clear voice.
“Hmph! Even though he’s not a legitimate child, they go and give him territory.”
Upon hearing that, Saki literally flies towards the man who said those words.
“What did you say!? Say that again!”
“Wha… what do you mean?”
The man had been taken completely by surprise due to Saki’s rush attack, but he soon composes himself.
“Hmph! There’s nothing wrong with saying the truth. His three brothers are legitimate children, but isn’t that guy’s mother is nothing but a mistress.”
He laughs scornfully as he replies.
A sound echoes through the room. Saki had slapped the man with all of her strength.
“Wha… whaaat?”
“What do you know? Lord Wolfgang’s former wife, Lady Sophia, gave birth to Leonhart at age sixteen, Wilhart at age nineteen, and Elhart at age twenty-one, then passed away when she was twenty-two years old. Lord Wolfgang thought about remarrying for the sake of his young sons, and hoped to take Lady Sophia’s younger sister, Lady Isolde as his second wife. But to Lady Isolde, the position of ‘legitimate wife’ only ever belonged to her sister, so they decided to live in concubinage. Then Reinhart was born. You speak as if you knew everything, but you know nothing.”
The other man seems impressed by Saki’s words. However…
“Hmph! I’m Gunther Kirhoff Von Dust, Viscount Kirhoff’s heir, you know? Are you sure you should be talking to me like that?”
The man waves his social position around just for the sake of offering some sort of resistance to Saki’s words.
“Oh, I see, you’re the son of Viscount Kirhoff. Ho ho! Now that you mention it, I’ve heard the viscount say that his son is quite the rascal.”
“Wh… what?”
Then, Saki follows with a broad grin, and continues:
“You’ve given out your name, so I’ll do the same. I’m Saki Theoderic Von Silva.”
Saki introduces herself using her name given by the marquis’ family side. Gunther is completely taken aback.
“The… Theoderic…?”
He goes pale after hearing that family name.
“Ohoho! That’s right! Your family branches off mine!”
“I… I’m terribly sorry! Please forgive my continuous ranting!”
He jumps down as if throwing himself from two meters high, and dives his head on top of the floor while getting on all fours. Saki fires off in a cold voice:
“I’m not the one you should be apologizing to. You should be apologizing to everybody here. Understood?”
“Y… Yes!”
Gunther lowers his head again.
“E… Everybody! I deeply apologize for my thoughtless words. I spoke of things I do not know of without thinking. I’m very sorry!”
After saying that loud and clear, he leaves the room.
“… Hmph!”
Saki watches Gunther leave and lets off a sigh. The first one to approach her after that is Karen.
“Saki, that was impressive! Yes, be sure to speak your name clearly when you’re like that.”
The next one is Jin.
“Saki, you were so cool there! You looked… how should I put it? Handsome?”
“Hey, Jin! Is that how you praise a woman?”
Jin can’t help but laugh.
“Ah, ahaha…”
Then the last ones are Reinhart and his mother, Isolde.
“Saki, thank you for speaking up in my stead.”
“I don’t mind what he said about me, but… Saki, I’m glad you got angry because of the things he said about my son. Thank you very much.”
“Oh, it’s… it’s nothing.”
Now Saki is scratching her head and feeling shy.
Jin is impressed by Saki, seeing how furious Saki had become, to the point of using the name she hates in order to protect both Reinhart and his mother’s honor.
At the same time, his view of Saki as a truly reliable person intensifies.
