It was during the evening at the Iphelleta House.
Things no different from the usual continued.
The scenery of maids taking their shifts to carry out their tasks inside the mansion, servants using their break time to occasionally swing swords in the dueling arena, the eldest and second sons exchanging words with each other about swords, or Stein, the master of the House, taking care of simple paperwork inside the office…
Everything was as usual.
“Um?”
At least that was the case until Stein, who was sitting inside the office, found a document with an unexpected content.
“This is?”
Instead of calling it a paperwork, it was more appropriate to call it a summarized newspaper.
On the top of the newspaper, in gigantic letters, there was the following question written.
‘Last Night, What Happened In Solia?’
With his youngest son currently visiting Solia, it obviously drew Stein’s attention.
[Last night, horrible crates were discovered in Right Solia’s Magic Tower. The crates contained mass amount of grass with psychedelic properties. The one that had been hiding these was revealed to be Astroa, the grand mage of Seven Circles magic who was famous for being the leader of the Magic Tower, and the citizens and the nobilities are not able to recover from the shock from finding out about the incident.]
Grass with psychedelic properties.
Stein furrowed his brows as he read that particular part of the news. He thought about the old butler that he sent with Riley.
Because Stein knew very well how much that butler hated, despised and was disgusted by that grass, he started to worry that his youngest son may have gotten swept into this incident.
[Also… A young master from a count’s House, who reported the outlawed grass hidden in the Magic Tower and also provided big assistance in neutralizing Astroa and search of the Magic Tower’s basement, received a medal of honor from the prince Daniel today.]
Wondering what this was about, Stein started to wiggle his eyebrows. He continued reading what the newspaper said below, which read,
[From a House that holds an extraordinary position in the world of swordsmanship in Solia, from the famous Finn Iphelleta House, the third-born Young Master…]
Baam!
Stein was diligently reading the newspaper, but he smashed the desk while holding the paper in his hand.
He still could not believe what he just saw. With a vacant stare, he just kept on blinking his eyes for a moment, and then he raised the newspaper again.
[…Riley, he is the hero in these incidents. Afterwards, a girl, who had been abandoned by the Magic Tower and also accomplished quite a commendable deed in efforts of apprehending Astroa by using her magic…]
Immediately, having confirmed Riley’s name in the newspaper, Stein abruptly stood up from the chair. He shouted,
“Willa… Willa!”
Stein’s loud voice calling for a servant was echoing in the mansion.
***
It was at Solia Castle.
After roughly taking care of the business at the restroom, Riley returned to the stadium, but he asked Ian as he stared at the medal of honor that was placed in his palm,
“…What’s this?”
“Kuhup, Kuhuhuk…”
Sob Sob
It’s not like he was a little girl, yet Ian had burst into tears. It was apparent that Ian was not able to answer Riley in the current state.
“…Sera, what’s this?”
So, Riley turned his head and asked Sera.
“It’s a medal of honor bestowed to you by Solia Castle. Because you suddenly left in middle of the prince Daniel’s speech, our lady received it for you.”
“Anyway, where were you?”
Sera explained, and Iris asked.
Riley, who had the answer already prepared, replied with a smile,
“Ah, I just went to the restroom for a bit…”
Having threatened the priestess at the restroom, Riley returned to the group for now.
“I-I… I never knew that you were working so hard in places we could not see…”
Sob Sob
Hearing the sound of someone sniffing up the runny nose mixed in with tears, the gazes of the three, including Riley, turned toward the man.
The one crying was not even a little kid. It was the old butler.
“What the, this medal of honor… This is for reporting to Solia Castle, isn’t it? Then shouldn’t Ian be the one getting it? Why are they giving it to me?”
Not convinced, Riley asked while fiddling with the medal.
Sera responded.
“That’s why the lady asked if they are really giving it to you, not Ian. When she asked, the prince said that this is correct. He said the medal is being given to the young master for his great exploits.”
The way Sera was scratching her cheek as she looked with gleaming eyes was not too different from how Ian was doing.
It appeared that even Sera was proud inside that the young master who she is serving had received such a reward of recognition.