[Matthias]

“Matthias! Listen to this! Matthias!”

While I was writing a letter in my room, Leont abruptly came running and started to make a commotion.

“First of all, you should calm down. What in the world happened?”

He was never a calm person, but he’s really strange this time.

I gave up on wrting the letter and faced leont.

“El-boy made me suffer a cruel experience!”

“That’s obviously a lie.”

Leont said something impossible the moment he opened his mouth, so I quickly cut him off.

“It’s true!! Come look, here!”

He said that in a forceful tone, so I stucked out my right hand in front me so I can take a look at it.

“Ash, huh…”

I don’t know if it’s because of the air which leaked when he let out those words, but a small quant.i.ty of ash got on my hand and fluttered lightly in midair.

“Huh? As.h.!.+?”

“They’re falling.”

The ash scattered further as Leont moved, dirtying the floor. He raised his eyebrows when he saw that. The person himself who made a mess was amazed when he saw my hand.

“Ah! You burned it! El-boy’s…”

“El-sama’s what?”

I was about to sit back on the desk thinking I’m fed up with him, when my body stilled upon hearing those inexcusable words. Which reminds me, wasn’t Leo supposed to be overseeing El-sama’s studies?

“It’s as I said! El, to me… Remember that test I failed in middle school? It was caught in the book and I thought I’ll play a prank at him. Then, he easily solved it!!”

Now that he mentioned it, I think he did something like asking me to tutor him in Mathematics.

Coincidentally, I remembered Leont was discovered by Richard-san at that time, so he concealed that failed test in a bookshelf out of fear.

“Are you listening to me!? That was solved by El!!”

“Unbelievable.”

While I understood that this was what he meant by those words he said from the start, I also denied that something like that was just impossible.

Though I read aloud picture books to El, I’ve never taught him anything and I didn’t arrange for a private tutor.

“Was I really that dim-witted!?”

“If your’re asking me whether you’re an idiot or not, I’ll say you’re not bad. Therefore, it’s complicated.”

“I’m extremely hurt right now.”

Why is this guy making a racket when he says, “I’ll risk it on the morning of the appointed day,” one week before the test? The truth is, I’ve never had a failing mark during my academy life even when I don’t listen to the lessons but that doesn’t mean anything amazing, does it? The subject is my strong point so I get sufficiently good results.

“Right, right.”

“Listen to my story properly!! In the beginning, when I showed him the chart where the letters and numbers were written, El-boy stared at it with a serious look. That’s why, I thought it would be nice to make him solve addition problems. When he saw it, he looked at me momentarily and he had something that seemed like a disagreeing expression. Why do you think so?”

“Maybe he hates Leo.”

That’s the only thing I can guess from the current story.

“Hey! That’s totally wrong! I noticed after that, I think that he had that expression when someone solves a problem. He memorized those numbers and easily solved it, he’s a genius! Moreover, it’s unheard of!”

“Ah, Mother. Did something happen?”

“Oi! Are you listening, Matthias!?

Leont left the door opened when he entered so I saw Mother walking down the corridor. Though others might not notice, but she appeared to be pleased so I unconsciously called out to her.

“A…aah! What is it, Matthias?”

As I thought, there’s something strange. She began to talk in an instant, and her left hand moved unnaturally so I was curious.

“Mother… Is there something you’re hiding?”

“There’s nothing!”

If it’s the usual Mother, she’ll never show that behavior as if she’s concealing something. She lives in the women’s society as the top, that’s why secrets are her specialty.

“Just please be good and show it to me.”

This room’s door is always closed so she might have relaxed her guard. Mother gave up and held it out and I accepted those several papers.

“This…”

I was at a loss for words as I ran my eyes over the written characters.

What are these!?

“Lucsher-sama, These are from El-boy, aren’t they?”

“Yes.”

I can’t believe it. But this handwriting that I haven’t seen before certainly supports Leont’s words a while ago.

“This theorem is…”

Because it’s a problem for middle school, of course I can solve it. However, when I looked at the answer carefully, it was written in a solution I haven’t been taught before.

“It’s amazing!”

“Isn’t it?”

As expected, El-sama isn’t just an ordinary person. Even I would surely say ‘it’s amazing’ even if I do not know whose work this was. However, I was even more pleased that it was written by my master.

“Nevertheless… why would Mother hide this?”

I suddenly wondered and asked that question to Mother.

“I thought I’ll place it in a frame and display it because it was made skillfully.”

“What are you talking about!?”

This is a newly discovered theorem. Mother should understand since she finished senior high in the academy. Moreover, if this gets announced, it will give rise to considerably new discussions. Did she intend to display it before I found out because she didn’t want to have this stolen?

“I’ll submit it to the learning research department in the royal palace, and return the original to you.”

This way, we’ll easily get over her selfishness.

“Return it immediately, alright?”

Then, Leont who was quiet since a while ago began to talk.

“But changing the topic, wouldn’t El-boy pa.s.s the entrance exam of the academy easily? In the first place, his comprehension is frighteningly fast so I don’t feel like he needs to attend there just to study.”

What Leont said was mostly correct.

“But there’s a meaning to graduating in the academy.”

“Then, just middle school?”

“No. It would be better if he stayed here for a while since coming here is supposed to serve as his recuperation, I think he’ll just enter midway grade school.

“If it’s El-boy, he’ll surely pa.s.s.”

Entering midway grade school is very unusual. You need to take the exam, and you need to pa.s.s.

“That’s not the case.”

“Why is it?”

While I was in a serious talk with Leont, Mother abruptly joined in.

“There’s a foremost reason for entering the academy. That is, to learn human relations since it’s a miniature society by itself. Then find friends you can get along with. That’s why I wanted you boys to go to the academy.”

Caertainly, that is correct. But when I heard Mother’s words, one thing occured to me. Leont seemed like he thought the same thing. We stared at each other.

“El-boy’s friends…”

“…there’s no one.”

Why is that? Certainly, children of aristocrats enter society early on but since the circ.u.mstances of their Houses are complexly entangled, they only have few friends generally.

How about El-sama?

There’s no one. Even the number of times he exchange words with someone is very few in number.

“I’m going to take El-chan to the next town for inspection. Meanwhile, please look after the house for me.”

Mother might want to improve El-sama’s relations.h.i.+p with others. Surely he’ll see people with different occupations, but there’s no one superior enough who can be his friend in the academy.

“Going to the town is good, however… I’ll go, too.”

“That’s no-good!”

It was a clear rejection.

“Why is it? Isn’t Richard at home?”

To put it bluntly, if Richard is at home then it can somehow survive even an army’s attack. Even when I was a baby, there were too much mysteries around Richard. By the way, if were talking about the subject’s son Leont, then I really don’t know.

“I’m going on a date with El-chan so you’re no-good~”

As expected, Mother is really Mother.

“Matthias, you’re writing a letter?”

When the discussion with Leont and Mother about El-sama’s future was finished, Leont noticed the letter on the desk.

“Yes.”

“Can I look?”

I’m really not troubled even if he saw it so I handed it over to Leont.

“Ah! So it’s from senpai? What’s this, what’s this! ‘Matthias, is your injury alright?'”

No matter how you look at it, he skipped too much. More formal things were written, you know?

“So this is your reply? Uwaaa… This is not good!”

“There’s no such thing.”

I’m still in the middle of it but, I wrote a normal reply.

“It gives off this feeling. I thought this before but, your letter is too stiff.”

I was told it should give back a lighter impression. It’s impolite to be stiff. Because it’s a letter, that thing should be natural.

“I think so, too. Matthias, you should write a letter that is a little friendlier. That person worried so much so it has a good impression. The contents should be changed, so you don’t need to worry since I’ll do it myself.”

Mother… she absolutely bears a grudge about El-sama’s answers.

“That’s a good idea.”

Leont nodded, and left the room with sympathy.

“Leont, good night.”

“Then, excuse me.”

“Wait…”

What was that!? They came in like a storm, and then just left.

Because I lived in peace in the Green Water Palace, I forgot about this noisy life.

I was born and raised in this environment. I got used to it. I’m used to it, but…

“Hey… at least close the door…”