The nagging began.
Again.
Riley began to doubt whether waking up was the right action.
"Just, what is the reason?"
"Hey, what do you think today's dinner will be?"
"In terms of wisdom, you would easily surpass both of your brothers!"
Ian once evaluated Riley to be 'too mature for his age'.
In a good way.
As a baby, he acted in a way which did not fit his age, due to his old memories.
"Others may be oblivious, but I know! That Young Master is ..."
"... Lazy?"
Riley responded with a smile.
"No! Not at all!"
Ian's face was dyed red, with steam coming out of his ears.
"Ha... honestly! Do you know how angry I was at those bastards in Iffa village!"
Ian closed his eyes, and pounded his chest in anger, only to realise Riley has already distanced himself from him.
Ian followed, mumbling foul words as he did.
---
"Honestly, Lady Iris! Please discipline Master Riley. He still will not even touch the sword... It is as if he is trying to become a wizard."
"What's so wrong with that, Ian?"
Within the second dining room of the mansion, there were two... no, three people at the table.
The woman smiled towards her son who was sitting opposite to her.
"Heheh."
Riley smiled back at his mother when their eyes met.
His mother was the only person in the mansion who would understand him.
Iris.
She would listen attentively at his absurd stories about his dreams.
A great mother who truly wished for her son’s happiness, despite his lack of effort to learn the swordsmanship of the house.
If Riley were to pick his greatest treasure, it would undoubtedly be her.
"Haah. The same goes for you, my lady."
Ian sighed at the two.
"Oh? What do you mean?"
"Young master is already at the age of 18. He is an adult. How long will you continue to accept his childish behaviour? It is time to be a bit more strict with him. And there is also the issue about the successor."
Ian pressed his finger between his eyebrows as he said those words. Just remembering about it gave him a headache.
"Are you not angry? Both the sons and Lady Orelly would visit you in their spare time, just to ridicule you. Those rude ingrates."
TLN: The honorific that the butler uses here specifies that Lady Orelly is the wife of the Iphelleta family, and the mother of the first and second sons. Lady Iris is the wife and also Riley’s mother.
"Ian, watch your language. We are still in the mansion..."
"No, I will say it. The two of you... need some ambition. Do you not want to get back at them?"
Ian began his complaint.
"Instead of talking about that weird dream of yours!"
The dream Riley always spoke of to his mother. When Ian shouted at him that he should be talking about swords instead, Riley replied,
"Weird dream you say. But it's still interesting right?"
"Huh? Yeah it is interesting... Wait, that is not the point!"
Ian began to appeal to Iris about Riley's good traits.
"You know how smart young master is the most, my lady."
At a young age, Riley was the fastest at learning how to write and speak.
That was not the only thing he could say.
There were countless more.
"And?"
Riley's problem solving skills were beyond his age, and whenever danger would approach, he would disappear from the mansion, using 'hide and seek' as an excuse.