「Al, do you have a minute?」


  As I was spending my time with the family in the living room after breakfast, Nord-tousan called out to me with a solemn voice.

  He has an unusually serious atmosphere now. For Nord-tousan to only named and call me like that, it must not be a good thing.

  「I’m sorry, I’m lazing on the sofa right now so I’m busy」


  「Don’t call that being busy. Hey, come over here」


  「It’s important」


  When you say it is an important matter to discuss, all the more reason it makes me not want to listen……


  I go to the table where Nord-tousan and Elna-kaasan are waiting even while having a bad premonition.

  After seeing that I have sat down quietly, Nord-tousan cleared his throat and opened his mouth.

  「Al, do you remember Eric-kun whom you met at the royal capital?」


  Eric Sylford. The same Baronet house as our Slowllet family.

  From the beginning, we quarreled with each other back at the noble’s exchange meeting in the royal capital, moreover, it’s a relationship from we fought fiercely using tongs over a slice of meat. There’s no way I can’t forget about that guy.

  「I remember. Eric and I were comparing our techniques back then」


  「What are you saying. You fought over a slice of meat using tongs, did you not?」


  When I say it trying to make it sounds cool, Eleonora-neesan - who is playing Jenga with Sylvio-niisan - interrupts while sounding amazed.

  「Calling it ‘a fight’ is disreputable. That was just a little joke on our part. I talked with Eric normally after that, and we played together in the royal capital the next day」


  「The one who thinks like that is just the related party you know」


  Even while I firmly declared our relationship, Elna-kaasan is raising her voice in doubt.

  What? What are you saying now? In the first place, why is the incident two months ago being brought up right now?

  「What do you mean?」


  「Only the person involved in that situation thinks so, the people in the surroundings who saw the both of you did not think like that 」


  I understand after hearing the implication in Nord-tousan’s words.

  「Ho ho, so in other words, the other nobles think that the Slowlett house and the Sylford house have a hostile relationship?」


  「That’s right」


  Nord-tousan says while shrugging his shoulder.

  I see, if you think about the reason such a past incident is being brought up again, I guess that kind of rumor was going around, huh.

  「Of course, it’s actually not like that――ah, I will ask this just to make sure, you’re not at odds with Eric-kun, right? You got along well and played together with Eric-kun at the royal capital, so you guys are friends, yes?」


  「Un, we’re pretty much friends 」


  It’s kinda subtle even if you ask me that Eric is my friend.

  However, with this kind of atmosphere, I can’t say that we’re not.

  「I wish you to say that you are friends with Eric without hesitation, though」


  「We’re friends!」


  Even though I said it again and clearly this time, Nord-tousan and Elna-kaasan still looked really concerned about it.

  It’s okay. The relationship between Eric and I is already at the stage where we don’t hold back on each other. Meaning, that it wouldn’t be an exaggeration even if you say that we’re friends. Un, Eric and I are friends.

  「Well, anyway we need to show the public about the good relationship between Slowlett and Sylford family. And in order to do that, we have talked about it and decided to visit each other territories」


  「So it’s like we’re appealing to the surroundings - ‘Look, we visit each other place to play and we have a close relationship’, like that? 」


  「Simply put, it is like that」


  Elna-kaasan nodded when I put it like that as if to confirm the plan.

  I see, I actually don’t mind even if the people around have a misunderstanding about it, but it will make the other families other than me in an awkward position.

  「So, when are we going then?」


  「Ara, you’re unusually obedient this time. It’s Al we’re talking about, I thought that you will complain about it saying something like you don’t want to leave the village」


  「To tell you the truth, I actually don’t want to leave since I just got back from Kagura, but this all happened because of me and Eric after all」


  So I can’t say that I don’t want to go since it’s the result of the action I took.

  「I have already contacted the Sylford house and made arrangements for our visit. We are going to visit Sylford’s territory in a week’s time, so we are going to leave in the morning three days later, after considering the time it will take for us to reach their territory. And everyone will be going this time」


  「Sylvio and I are also goingー?」


  I guess she was surprised after hearing Nord-tousan’s last explanation since Eleonora-neesan turned around and asks.

  She sounded like she found the situation downright annoying, perhaps she understand that she have to leave because of me.

  「That’s right. We planned to have joint training with the Sylford’s house, and there is a sea over there so I think you will get bored」


  「……hmm, it doesn’t look like I’m going to be bored since they have Luna (ルーナ)」


  「Sea, huh. I have not seen a sea before, so I wanted to go to the sea」


  The two of them bit the bait and completely fall for Nord-tousan’s trick.

  As expected from our Father, it appears that he understood what to give to his children to make us happy.

  With this, it’s going to be unlikely for his children to complain about it on the way there. We should be thankful for Nord-tousan’s method.

  「By the way, who is Luna?」


  「She is the eldest daughter of Sylford house. An acquaintance I made back during the training at the royal capital last time. Of course, I did not fight using tongs like Al」


  I would really like to retort to Eleonora-neesan’s remark, but rather than retorting I was more surprised about something else.

  「……to think that Eleonora-neesan has a noble friend」


  「I don’t behave strangely like Al, and I also participate in the joint training with the Knight’s Order so I have a lot of friends you know」


  Perhaps she’s displeased by the fact that she was being looked down upon by her younger brother that Eleonora-neesan says that proudly.

  I see, it would probably be natural for them to be friends if people who also aimed to become knights gathered together in one place. And if everything goes well, they will become colleagues in the same place. It will deepen their friendship. So it’s possible even for this sister of mine to make friends, huh?

  Err, but wait. Since she was also called to participate in the Knight’s Order joint training meant that this Luna-san is also quite skilled in swordsmanship.

  I don’t think that those women who aimed to be a knight are all monsters like Eleonora-neesan but, there’s the possibility of it.

  I don’t want to practice with two monsters.

  「Is that Luna-person as strong as Eleonora-neesan?」


  When I ask her timidly, Eleonora-neesan resolutely answers.

  「I’m stronger than her, but Al and Sylvio will definitely lose if you face her」


  O, ooh, that’s great. If it were a heroine whom even Eleonora-neesan can’t win against, then I will run away from the practice, no matter the cost.

  However, there is also the so-called compatibility in battles. So there’s the situation that Luna-san just happened to have bad compatibility in a fight against Eleonora-neesan.

  So let’s not just blindly trust Eleonora-neesan’s words as is.

  「Al saw the sea when you went to Kagura, right?」


  Just as I was noting down the important points on my mind’s note, Syvlio-niisan asked me.

  「Un, I also saw it at Esport, and I crossed over the sea on a ship」


  「That sounds niceー. I also want to ride a ship」


  「There should be a lot of fishing boats since the fishery in Sylford’s territory is thriving. They might let you ride them if you ask」


  「……Al」


  Sylvio-niisan looked at me after hearing what Nord-tousan says.

  Still, I’m not someone who doesn’t understand what Sylvio wants.

  「U, un, I’ll try to ask Eric so we can ride a boat」


  「Thank you!」


  Sylvio-niisan smiles cheerfully when I told him that.

  Well, it’s because of me that they ended up going to Sylford’s territory. I’m going to make everyone enjoy their trip to the best of my ability and as long as I’m able to.

  「Seaー huh, it’s just a vast expanse of salty water, isn’t it?」


  On the other hand, it looks like she is not interested in anything other than swordsmanship for even one bit.

  「We can enjoy seafood dishes every day since Sylford’s territory is near the Sea you know?」


  「That’s great then! Sea is amazing, isn’t it!」


  Persuaded by Elna-kaasan, Eleonora-neesan showed us an impressive reversal in behavior.

  I see, I guess the reason Elna-kaasan doesn’t hate the trip at all this time is due to the seafood dishes.

  Since we can’t eat fresh seafood dishes, due to the fact that the territory of the Slowlett house doesn’t face the sea. They're probably looking forward to it.

  「I’m looking forward to the seafood dishes at Sylford’s house!」


  「I’m sure we can eat fish or shellfish to our heart’s content」


  「What does shellfish taste like?」


  「Hmm, how can I explain it? It’s difficult to explain? It’s like the taste of the sea, I wonder?」


  「That is, I don’t understand」


  There should be no more objection to going to Sylford territory.

  Everyone starts having fun conversations and anticipating the coming trip.

  「If you think about it, this is the first time for the whole family to go out」


  When I say that, the conversation suddenly got interrupted as everyone let out 「Oohー」 sound.

  But, it seems like everyone has just noticed it.

  「That’s because everyone doesn’t like going on a trip although we have the opportunity……」


  We all averted our gazes, I guess we all have an idea of what Nord-tousan is talking about.

  Author note :

  A summer vacation training camp. The sea. A short trip. There it wasー.

  here