The Amsberg household manor was near the castle.
Once I arrived at the giant estate, I was immediately permitted entry. Prince or not, I was probably the only person who would receive quite such an enthusiastic welcome. Elna, Leo, and I had all known each other our entire lives, but back when we were kids, the one most familiar by far with the Amsbergs was me. I couldn't even count the number of times I'd been dragged, in tears, by Elna to this very manor. It wasn't long before the knights guarding the manor gate started greeting me with the same warmth they greeted Elna herself. It was then that I realized the frightening power of the slippery slope of familiarity.
Even today, despite it having been years since I last visited, the guardsmen greeted me with a hearty "welcome back." To the Amsbergs and their staff, I was a friend of their precious Elna.
"The more I think about it, isn't it kind of weird that they'd act so happy to see some crying kid coming here all the time?"
"The two of you must have seemed like good friends to the adults."
"How did we seem to you?"
"I believe I could tell that you were unenthusiastic about the friendship. Naturally."
I swallowed my instinct to ask why he hadn't put a stop to it if that were true and didn't respond. I knew he would just brush it off. That was all in the past, and it was thanks to that past that I had been able to easily send Finne here, so in that sense, it had all been for a good cause.
Pondering that, I reached the entryway. Waiting there was a young woman with the same color hair as Elna. Her eyes were blue, and she was youthful and pretty. Without any explanation, most people would assume she was Elna's older sister. But in my case, I knew otherwise.
"Hello! It's good to see you again, Arn."
"You too, Anna."
"And how have you been, Sebas?"
"Very well, thank you, Archduchess Amsberg."
This was Anna Von Amsberg, Archduke Amsberg's wife and Elna's mother.
My own mother was also youthful, but this woman's anti-aging was practically magic. It was like her body had no concept of age. Due to her appearance, I hesitated to treat her as an older woman, and I referred to her on a first-name basis.
With a big smile, Anna welcomed us into the manor.
"Unfortunately, my husband is away right now. Oh, you'll have to forgive me if I treat you too childishly. I forget you're all grown up now."
"Not at all. In fact, I'd feel uncomfortable if you started treating me any differently now."
"Well then, I'll take you at your word. Elna and Finne are in the bath at the moment. Would you like to join them?"
"I'd prefer not to die, so I'll pass."
"Aw, what's the fuss? You and Elna used to always take baths together."
"That was when we were little kids, and Elna very nearly drowned me in the bath here. You don't remember that?"
"Oh yes, that did happen once, didn't it. Now that you mention it, I remember the two of you were often crying when she brought you home. Do you remember? You were always getting bullied and would cry when Elna tried to train you to fight back, and Elna would cry because you never got any better."
"I remember it clearly, and it sounds just as insane hearing it now."
Yes, Elna had always been my natural enemy. It was a wonder I didn't have more serious trauma from all of that. Someone weaker would've probably committed suicide. And Elna's mother wasn't much better, seeing as she could recount that horrific past with such a gleeful smile.
"Would you mind waiting in the guest room at the end of the hall?"
"No problem."
"Sebas, could you help me serve the tea?"
"Of course, Ma'am."
My coming here all the time as a kid meant that Sebas had visited just as often. He followed Anna almost as if he were her own steward.
I went to the guest room at the end of the hallway as I'd been told and reached for the doorknob without giving it any thought. As the door opened, I sensed someone was inside. I also heard a woman's voice. Assuming it was a maid, cleaning or making up the beds, I continued opening the door without any hesitation. That was a mistake.
"......"
"You look so pretty in dresses too, Lady Elna! Try this white one next."
"Come on, Finne... Can you stop playing dress up with me already?"
Inside the room were Elna and Finne, dressed in their underwear. Finne's were white, and Elna's were pink and surprisingly cute and frilly. Assuming they were alone, neither made any move to cover themselves. Their normally hidden milky-white skin was on full display. It was my first time seeing Finne not dressed in loose clothing, and her chest was even larger than I imagined. Elna wasn't as mature in that department, as I'd noticed before, but her slender figure was attractive in its own right.
I was still caught up in my own thoughts when they noticed me.
They both looked confused for a moment, then blushed. Elna immediately grabbed a nearby pillow and assumed a throwing stance.
There was no point in trying to fight back at that point, so I merely stood there, regretting my carelessness.
I'd forgotten that Anna was the most dangerous person in this house. She'd actually set me up to barge in on two single young women while they were getting dressed. The woman was clearly a sadist.
"Arn?! What the hell?!"
"Master Arn?!"
As I rued falling right into Anna's trap, I was hit in the face by a swiftly hurled pillow.
6
"Whoa!"
The impact of the flying pillow sent me tumbling backward, and I hit the back of my head against the wall.
"Owww! My head!"
My head hurt and so did my face. I lay there in a daze, wondering how I'd gotten myself into this situation. At some point, Elna closed the door. I was still on the floor when Anna and Sebas showed up, carrying tea and cookies.
"What's the matter, Arn? Did you remember some embarrassing past memories?"
"No! Elna and Finne were in there getting dressed, and Elna assaulted me!"
Anna, feigning innocence in the matter, shamelessly responded to my cries with indifference. What in the world was the crazy woman trying to accomplish?!
"They did tell me that they were going to take baths... Oh well, never mind. More importantly, what did you think of Elna? Did you like what you saw?"
"It wasn't bad, but I felt more bloodthirst than charm from her."
Oh well, never mind? Are you serious?!
If Elna had hurled something besides a pillow, I'd be dead right now. I rubbed my aching face. If even a soft pillow hurt this badly, just imagine what a harder object would've done. I shivered at that thought just as the door flew open. Naturally, it was Elna.
"Well, Arn? At least you didn't try to run and hide. I'm impressed. So, I'll give you a chance to explain. What do you have to say for yourself?"
"H-hey! That is a practice sword, right?! Not a real one?! Calm down! Anna told me to come wait in here!"
"Don't try to blame my mother for this! It's your fault for not knocking!"
"But you never knock when you come into my room?!"
"I'm allowed not to!"
"That doesn't make any sense!"
Elna swung her sword, and I made a bumbling attempt to dodge it.
In the back of my mind, I knew she wasn't using a real sword, but even a practice sword with no blade was dangerous in Elna's hands. Even if the blow didn't kill me, there was a good possibility it would knock me out.
"Stop that, Elna. It's unseemly."
"B-but Mother! You know what he did!"
"Who cares if he sees you in your underwear? The two of you used to take baths together all the time."
"Th-that was a long time ago! We're both adults now!"
"Then I suggest you start acting like one."
Her mother's retort made Elna give me an icy glare.
What was she mad at me for?
Her unfair remarks to me just now were still echoing in my head. She'd behaved exactly the same way back when we were kids. I vaguely remembered often thinking she was being unreasonable whenever we were together.
"Anyway, why don't we all have some tea?"
Anna walked into the guest room with a bright smile. Elna followed, loudly slamming the door behind her for some reason. Sheesh...
Only Sebas and I were left.
"Well, that was quite a disaster."
"Sebas..."
"Yes? Just so you know, I didn't realize what was going on. I had no idea that they might be getting dressed in there. Although I did suspect something wasn't quite right."
Then why didn't you say so?! I shouted back inside my head.
That was another thing that hadn't changed since I was a kid. Unless I was in actual danger, Sebas never said or did anything beyond what was absolutely necessary.
"I'm really surprised by myself sometimes. It's a wonder I grew up so normal."
"Normal? That's a funny joke."
"Shut up."
After shooting Sebas a warning glare, I too went into the room. And this time, I didn't forget to knock.