The Bliss County.
A bloodline that over the centuries produced several great mages. It was renowned as one of the Empire’s most prestigious magical families.
At one point, it was said to be the most famous family in the Empire when it came to magic.
Their mansion was located in the northern region of the Empire.
Follow the river flowing through the capital upstream, and you’ll find it there.
Though not very large in area, thanks to its fertile land and unique climate, it enjoys pleasantly mild weather.
Ever since the advancement of magic engineering, the area has become even more suitable for development due to the improved roads and communication systems.
The Bliss family, with its long magical heritage, had been developing technologies for their territory’s growth for generations. They also owned magical technologies of near-patent-level exclusivity. By now, they should have held a status that could not be ignored…
…if not for the actions of the previous generation, and various other circumstances that led to their lands being temporarily confiscated.
“……”
The carriage traveled for a long time.
I had assumed it wouldn’t go that fast, but apparently, horses that pull these kinds of carriages are engraved with magical sigils from birth. The speed was quite fast.
Before I knew it, a river much wider than the one flowing through the capital came into view outside the window. The carriage was crossing a bridge.
“Once we cross this bridge, we’ll be in the Bliss mansion.”
So we were nearly there.
At the coachman’s words, I shook off my sleep. I had been dozing off with my arms crossed. When I looked to the side, Camilla who had been leaning her shoulder subtly adjusted her posture.
I don’t think I was leaning on her. Was she leaning out like that in case I did?
“You’re awake, Adel.”
“Yeah.”
“I see.”
I’ve definitely grown closer to Camilla, but there’s still a bit of awkwardness between us. Though the distance between us has shrunk, it still feels like there’s an invisible line drawn.
It’s not just in my head. During the entire carriage ride, we barely spoke.
Maybe it’s a matter of our respective positions.
It felt like that thought was coming more from Camilla’s side than mine. Maybe becoming a pair of casual, bantering siblings was impossible after all.
“Where would you like to go?”
After traveling further into the Bliss mansion, the coachman asked.
“Ah, as for that… Could you take us here?”
“Understood.”
I held out the map I had prepared in advance. At that, Camilla tilted her head slightly, puzzled.
“Wouldn’t it make sense to just head to the lord’s castle? I can wait outside while you take care of things.”
“Ah… yeah, that’s true. I just thought, in case the coachman didn’t know the way.”
“I see.”
Clop-clop…
The carriage, now moving more slowly, rolled leisurely through the residence. Camilla looked out the window with a complicated expression.
After all, this was the land of the family she had left on impulse. It would be a lie to say she felt nothing.
And then—
The lord’s castle came into view. Two guards stood at the grand open gate.
Behind them, a beautiful garden stretched out.
From the gate inward, a row of towering maple trees lined the path, their presence overwhelming to behold.
“Adel. We’ve arrived.”
Camilla tucked her legs in, a clear signal for me to get off.
“…Haha…”
“Hmm? Aren’t you getting off?”
“Well, you see—”
Clop… clop…
While I spoke, the carriage continued past the lord’s castle.
“……?”
Camilla furrowed her brows in confusion. I gently urged her to sit back down.
They say seeing is believing.
I thought about explaining, but decided it’d be better for her to witness it herself.
The carriage traveled a while longer and finally came to a stop in front of another gate.
Compared to the lord’s castle we had just passed, it was nothing grand. But the two-story house in front of us was decent enough.
Of course, compared to the grand halls and dorms of Tane Academy or even the lord’s castle we’d just seen, it might look like nothing more than a reasonably well-off home.
“…What is this place? Just looks like an ordinary house.”
Camilla still didn’t seem to grasp the situation.
I had to suppress a bitter smile.
So she really didn’t know.
“Why don’t you step out for now?”
“…Alright.”
As soon as we opened the carriage door and stepped onto the ground—
While we were still fixing our clothes a bit—
A woman, who had been pacing near the house, came running out.
“Camilla!! Adel!!”
The silver-haired woman dashed forward and wrapped both Camilla and me in a tight embrace.
Camilla flinched and froze, holding her breath. Seeing that, I was sure of it.
“…Welcome home, my babies.”
With a few tears welling in her eyes, the woman was undoubtedly Camilla and Adel’s mother.
Now, she was my mother, too.
***
The carriage that had departed early in the morning from Tane arrived at the Bliss residence around midday.
Perfect timing. Just in time for lunch.
A family reunion after so long… What better setting than a shared meal?
That was the idea behind the planned arrival time.
“This way, young master, young lady.”
Camilla looked around, visibly confused. She first glanced at me, then at the servant, then at our surroundings.
She must have so many questions…
Where had all the servants gone?
Why was their mother not at the lord’s castle?
Why were they being welcomed at this modest house instead?
It was a setting so off from what you’d expect of the prestigious Bliss family that, if this were modern Earth, you’d expect someone to pop out and say, “Surprise, you’re on camera!”
But this wasn’t a prank. This place… was now the true residence of House Bliss.
Following the servant’s lead, we entered the house and made our way to the dining room.
Lady Bliss was already seated, smiling brightly. Her youthful face barely seemed old enough to belong to someone with children this age. I had guessed it from Adel’s face, but now it was clear. This body’s mother had retained her beauty well.
“Camilla. I’m so happy you came.”
But behind that radiant beauty, if you looked closely, her eyes were a swirl of mixed emotions.
“…It’s been a while… Countess.”
“…Oh my.”
That right there was disappointment. She had deliberately referred to herself as “mother” but Camilla called her “Countess” instead.
“Me too, Countess.”
“Oh dear. Camilla, Adel… were you teasing me?”
“Of course. With a stiff face like hers, it’s hard to tell if she’s joking or not.”
“My, my. You shouldn’t tease your sister like that.”
I nodded silently.
So this is the kind of distance they have now.
Just then, the dining room door opened.
A tall man stepped inside, his gray hair and striking blue eyes giving him a memorable appearance. His broad shoulders didn’t suit a mage from a magical noble house. They would’ve been more fitting on a knight or warrior.
Austin Bliss.
The current head of House Bliss and lord of the Count family.
He entered and stared at Camilla and me for a long moment.
“…So it was true.”
“…My lord.”
“…You’ve returned. Camilla Bliss.”
When I looked over at Camilla, she had bowed her head deeply, her posture small and closed in.
Like a child who had done something wrong, she bit her lip hard.
…A small trickle of blood welled up.
…Camilla.
I wondered….how had those few simple words sounded to her?
Brazenly enough you actually came back? With what face do you return, Camilla Bliss?
I don’t know for sure, but most people here are probably hearing it the same way. Her trauma was so immense, it could’ve fueled her entire life.
But that’s not how I see it.
The Count of Bliss deliberately used Camilla’s full name. It was his roundabout way of saying he is her father. In other words, he meant: don’t call me my lord, call me father.
Still, no one can stay rational when suddenly forced to face their trauma without any warning.
They say the wounds we suffer as children last a lifetime.
Camilla’s composure, no doubt, was already torn to shreds.
I placed my hand gently on her knee and was slightly surprised. She was drenched in cold sweat.
“……”
To react this strongly just from being in the same room… I couldn’t even begin to imagine what she must be feeling inside.
Beneath the table, I took her trembling hand and whispered softly,
“Big sister. It’s okay.”
At that, she seemed to recover a bit of her reason. But only for a moment. Her eyes remained fixed on her plate, as if they were glued there.
“…Eat.”
Count Bliss took his seat.
Under the concerned gaze of the two others at the table, I slowly let go of her hand. After all, I needed both hands to use my fork and knife.
But then it happened.
Camilla suddenly grabbed my hand, just as it was slipping away.
“……!!”
Her grip was tight, like she had no intention of letting go. There wasn’t a trace of calm in her hand anymore. Under the table, her hand was probably already pale from lack of blood.
“…Haa.”
I let out a sigh. I’d meant to talk after we’d eaten a little, but with Camilla in this state, that was no longer an option.
And then, as I sighed, the strength in Camilla’s hand loosened. Her fingers dropped limply. When I glanced at her, I saw her face tightly clenched, eyes shut hard…
There’s no time to delay.
“Father.”
“…What is it?”
“I was planning to ask later, but what happened to the lord’s castle?”
“Mm. There’s some minor construction going on inside, so I’ve temporarily vacated.”
Count Bliss lied without blinking an eye.
“Is that so?”
“It’ll take about a week. Don’t worry about it. Just return to the Academy.”
Count Bliss displayed excellent table manners with a calm expression. His poise was refined enough to be textbook material.
I continued my questioning.
“Then, where did all the servants go?”
“……”
This time, it was the lady of the house who answered.
“We took this opportunity to give everyone a vacation, Adel. Were you hoping to greet the servants?”
“…Something like that.”
“Oh dear. What a shame. They all went back to their hometowns…”
“That’s unfortunate.”
At this point, I pinched Camilla’s thigh hard. From here on, I needed her to pay attention.
“──?!”
Ignoring her sudden, startled posture, I went on.
“By the way, Father. I happened to visit an auction house not too long ago.”
“Is that so. If there was something you wanted, it would’ve been better to write to me about it.”
“It’s fine. I wasn’t buying; I went to sell something. It was a sponsored item, but I didn’t need it. More importantly, Father.”
“?”
“The staff member assigned to me at the auction house was named ‘Charlotte’. We got to talking, and she ended up giving me access to their transaction records. As a courtesy.”
“……”
Count Bliss’s fork paused for a brief moment. But only briefly…he resumed eating with composure.
“Hmm. Did you find anything worth buying?”
“No. But I did come across a familiar name.”
“…Oh?”
At that, even Count Bliss couldn’t fully hide his surprise.
I narrowed my eyes.
“Father.”
“What is it?”
“…The cane you always carried. Where is it?”
“……”
“That was a family heirloom, wasn’t it? The Staff of Wishes.”
A pause.
This time, Count Bliss froze in place, staring at me with a visibly shaken expression.
A heavy silence filled the room.
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