Back to Mel~

Clang clang……the sound of swords clas.h.i.+ng reverberated.

"That's all! The winner is Mel!"

The referee loudly called out my name.

I sheathed the sword used for mock battles and left the arena.

It was the usual training menu.

However, the scenery that was reflected within my eyes was different from usual.

This was the Anderson House's Capital villa.

After that bandit incident, I secretly came to this villa in the Capital with my elder brother.

For some reason, I remained in the persona of a "guard and body double".

The real me had collapsed due to the shock of the bandit incident being too great, and it seems that "I" was under medical care in the countryside of the Anderson Marquis territory.

……well, I suppose it'd be a problem if I was openly swinging a sword within the Capital, even if it was within the Anderson Marquis House.

Incidentally, the name Mel that was called out by the referee earlier, was this persona's name.

Well, it was fine either way.

After all, since the Capital didn't only have people from the Army, but also those from the Knight's Order partic.i.p.ating in father's training, there was an increase in variation amongst my opponents.

It was quite fun having new discoveries.

Ojou-sama……because I wasn't one, I didn't use the room I originally would've had to use, and instead had to stay in a guest room.

Thanks to that, I got into the habit of preparing all of my own daily necessities.

……somehow, I feel like my lifestyle is getting farther and farther away from that of the daughter of a Marquis.

Leaving that aside, I don't understand father's true motive.

Just why have I come to the Capital with this timing?

And why had he gone out of his way to make this sort of persona?

Speaking of things I didn't understand, there was also father's state.

I don't know why, but I feel like since my bandit incident, father has become very lively.

As if he had let go of the burden on his shoulders, and returned to my original father……

Well……even if I say that he has changed, I feel that it's been in a good way, so it's fine.

It's been a while since I've seen him raising his voice and laughing together with his subordinates.

In addition, it wasn't only father who has changed.

I also have.

On that day, that time, I fought for the first time.

Not a mock battle like today.

A true battle that put people's lives on the line.

I will probably never forget that moment.

For a while after that, I was unable to eat.

It'd suddenly become painful, and there were many nights where I couldn't sleep.

However, I have never become so aware of my own life as much as that moment.

My blood became hot as if it were boiling, but my consciousness deep within myself had been terribly cold and my body trembled under the nervousness that overwhelmed everything I had ever experienced before.

That sensation clung tightly to the depths of my body.

……I wonder if that is why.

Father said that my sword had changed.

It had become heavier.

It had become more practical.

He laughed and said that it had become a sword meant for battle.

My father was like any other father - appearing happy at his daughter's transformation.

"Oi, Mel! We were told to a.s.semble."

"Ah, okay!"

Called by my senpai, I followed after him.

As we walked, the piercing glances coming from the others who were gathering like us, hurt.

I let out a sigh internally at this situation.

……in the Andreson Marquis House territory, when I had first started partic.i.p.ating in the Army's training, it was like this.

However, compared to before, I feel like the current situation had become worse.

It was probably in part due to the fact that I was smaller compared to others.

However, more than that, the reactions of the n.o.bles who were knights……rather, their gazes hurt.

I was, for the time being, a guard and shadow double, so that meant that I became a commoner to outsiders.

For the knights who had never spent time with commoners up until now, their interactions with commoners was extremely bad.

Those from the Army seemed to hold some dissatisfaction in their hearts towards that, and I have to say that I do as well.

Though it seems that even amongst those of the Army, such as my father's close a.s.sociates, they were also taking quite the att.i.tude.

When you enter a village, follow its rules……I shouldn't be the only one who thought that.

When the training ended, I went inside of the mansion.

"Mel, Master is calling."

Granny, who came to greet me, called out.

Just when I was about to answer, Granny quickly brought her mouth close to my ear.

"……the young master was also called, and is already in Master's drawing room."

Granny was the only servant that knew I was not a body double.

Even though she had been exposed to that kind of situation, Granny continued to serve me without change.

I truly am thankful for Granny's existence.

While thinking that, I continued walking within the Marquis' Capital villa that I hadn't quite gotten used to yet.