Ever since I took down the mage who had been controlling those magic insects, the grounds around the mansion have looked remarkably clean. The sheer volume of them had been enough to drive me to the brink of a nervous breakdown, so seeing them gone was a massive weight off my shoulders.
To make matters better, Alicia took up gardening as a way to clear her head. Our once austere home is now overflowing with greenery, and it looks far more inviting than it ever did before.
"It’s a pity I won't be here to harvest the twenty-day radishes," she remarked.
"I shall send them to the Academy as soon as they've grown, milady," Sebas offered.
"No, could you just have everyone at the mansion eat them instead? That’s why I grew them, after all."
To be fair, the part that actually looks like 'gardening' is only a small section stretching from the gate to the front door; she’s growing regular old vegetables in the back garden. I had to wonder why she’d suddenly started a vegetable patch. Do all young ladies who stop being villains eventually turn to farming?
I’d been curious at first, but it seems she simply wanted to try all the things she’d never had the chance to do before. Since she considers herself part of House Brave now rather than a daughter of a House of the Duke, she wants to experience everything her previous status had forced her to ignore.
What a good girl. Truly, a good girl.
"To think you’d let us eat them... it’s such a waste, we couldn't possibly..." one of the servants whimpered.
"Ah, I wish only the young master was heading to the Academy..."
"Lady Alicia, you could just stay here at the mansion, you know..."
"All of us are going to be so lonely..."
As living proof of just how wonderful a person Alicia is, every servant in the mansion had gathered around her with tears in their eyes. She had already become an indispensable part of House Brave.
She really is amazing. On top of helping with the paperwork, she can handle cooking, laundry, and cleaning at the exact same professional level as our staff. Then again, I suppose that makes sense. This is the Brave Territory; there isn’t much else to do here. She had redirected every ounce of energy she once spent on a high-society education toward household chores, so it was only natural she’d evolved into a hyper-competent, gifted domestic woman.
"Life at the Academy is difficult! Please call for us immediately if you need anything!"
"It’s alright," Alicia replied softly. "You're already short-handed here, so don't push yourselves. I learned how to handle things on my own specifically so I wouldn't be a burden."
"Lady Alicia, if anything happens, please rely on us at any time!"
I watched the exchange between the maids and Alicia with a mix of emotions. While it made me happy to see them getting along, I couldn't quite reconcile the massive difference in how they treated us.
"Not a single word for me, huh? Hahaha..." I muttered.
I was born and raised in this mansion, and this was my very first time leaving for the Royal Capital. It was a long journey; we had to take a carriage to a large town in the neighboring territory, and from there, we’d travel the rest of the way by train. Aside from my time on the front lines in enemy countries, I’d never been outside our borders. Why was I the one being ignored?
"I mean, I don't even know the first thing about riding a train. It’s a bit daunting, isn't it?"
"My, my, what a childish thing to say," Sebas remarked from beside me.
"Oh, shut up."
I’d only said it because I wanted someone to pay attention to me, but Sebas’s dry retort made me go quiet out of sheer embarrassment. Still, something felt off about this departure.
"Lady Alicia, please look after the young master!"
"If he gives you any trouble, feel free to scold him immediately!"
"We even have a collar for him. It’s the one he used to wear when he was little!"
"When it comes to discipline, don’t worry about hurting him a little!"
"Wait, a collar...?" Alicia stammered, looking blindsided. "Discipline...?"
She looked genuinely bewildered by the servants' escalating suggestions. For the record, the collar thing was real. Back when I first realized I was in an other world, I was so excited that I’d constantly wander into the middle of dangerous mountains without a second thought. They’d used it to keep me from getting killed.
"Sorry, did I keep you waiting?" Alicia asked, finally breaking free from the crowd.
She ran over to where Sebas and I were waiting by the gate. To my horror, she was firmly clutching that old collar in her hand. A dry, hollow laugh escaped my throat.
"Young master! If anything happens to Lady Alicia, we will never forgive you!"
"The entire staff feels the same way!"
"If you fail her, just consider every future drink you serve yourself to be nothing but dishcloth squeeze coffee!"
"I—I get it already!" I barked back. The servants at my house were truly a piece of work.
"They really do love you, don't they, Ragna? Hehe, I'm almost a little jealous," Alicia said with a bright smile.
"No, well... if you say so."
Faced with her carefree expression, I couldn't bring myself to tell her that I was actually the one jealous of the way she was treated. Then again, the Brave bloodline is built for the front lines; we’ve never been much for bossing people around, so I suppose this dynamic suited us just fine.
"Well then, let us depart. Please board the carriage," Sebas announced.
Following his lead, Alicia and I climbed into the carriage parked before the gates. Our destination was the Academy—the stage of the original story where all the nobles of the Royal Capital gathered.
"..."
Beside me, I heard a faint, sharp intake of breath. Since it was just the two of us in the passenger cabin, it was obviously Alicia. I could feel the tension radiating from her; she was clearly harboring an immense amount of anxiety about returning to that place. No matter how bravely she acted or how well she hid it, the Academy was the epicenter of the trauma carved into her heart. It was only natural for her to be afraid.
"Alicia, this is a bit of a pathetic request, but..." I started.
"What is it?"
"When we get to the station, could you teach me how to buy a ticket and ride the train?"
"Pfft..."
She couldn't help but burst out laughing at my admission.
"Don't laugh!"
I was being serious. The prospect of the train actually did make me nervous. Dealing with unfamiliar infrastructure in a place I’d never been before? Anyone would be anxious. Even though the world looked like something out of medieval Europe, it was a distorted place. Because the heroine and the capture targets needed to travel around for various 'events' in the original game, the transportation technology was strangely advanced.
"Hehe, leave it to me. The Royal Capital Station is packed, though. Should I put that collar on you so you don't wander off and get lost?"
"Uh, no, I’m going to have to pass on that..."
What kind of kinky game did she think we were playing? If I actually did that, scandalous rumors would be flying all over the Royal Capital before we even set foot on campus.