Volume 1 - Ch 4
I dont remember my mothers face. When I was old enough to understand things, I was already in an orphanage. Even if I say an orphanage, the environment was shit. Despite there being lots of children, the facilities and goods were both poor, and it was constantly a scramble for food and utensils. The only thing that went well in such a place was that I was good at stealing a march on and using others.
Living like that, one day a turning point appeared to me. A man calling himself my father came to the orphanage. He said he wanted to take custody of me. That guy who was clothed in beautiful garments smiled at I who was just skin and bones, covered in dust and rags.
What the hell are you doing after all this time wasnt something I thought, and neither was I angry nor hurt. That kind of cute and clean spirit had probably died somewhere and become a star, long ago. Aahh, I can finally escape from this shithole This was mostly what occupied my mind.
I rode a carriage for the first time in my life, and headed together with the man who called himself my father, to his home. Inside the carriage, the man started talking about his job. Shockingly, it seems that the guy who came to get me was a noble. Even if you say Viscount Jade, to someone like me whos completely unrelated, I have absolutely no idea who thats supposed to be, though. My father, Mr. Noble, had in the past hid his status and dated my mother, a bar wench in the outskirts of town. And then, my mother got pregnant and gave birth to me, but because of his position, father couldnt stay by our side. Even bringing us into the estate was opposed by fathers mother, in other words my grandmother, and in the end things ended without him actually doing it. On top of that, father already had a legal wife and other children. Despite his beautiful appearance, hes loose in that area, huh. Before long, my mother fell ill and passed away, and I who was a dependent was left in the care of the orphanage, in other words.
What happened just now was that at the same time my grandmother left this world, father came to bring me back from the orphanage. It seems Ill be raised in the viscounts estate. This guys wishes aside, to me, being able to move from that run-down orphanage into the house of a noble is cause for huge celebration.
Goodness! What a squalid child!
The moment father brought me into the estate, a flashy looking woman came running. Shes probably the legal wife that he mentioned. Well, I cant deny being dirty though. I mean, I couldnt enter the likes of a bath that often in the orphanage. I was brought to the bath in the estate.
After getting out fo the bath, I was made to change into some expensive, intensely decorated clothes, and brought to the other residents of this house. Father, the flashy looking woman from earlier, and three children. Breaking them down, they were a boy and girl a little older than me, and a girl slightly younger.
Let me introduce you. This is your new family, Achille.
Father called me name.
This is my wife Adlade, my son Dominique, and my daughters Dborah and Dsire.
Adlade and Dominique were glaring at me with eyes filled with disgust. Unlike father, Dominique was quite fat. Im sure its because he has plenty of food to eat each day. Though there was disdain apparent in with Dborah and Dsires gazes, they seemed deeply curious about me. When I tried giving them an amiable smile, the two of them turned red, and averted their eyes. I see. It seems like I can use these two, huh. Even in the orphanage I was ones of the more popular among women, so I was able to freely use both children and adults. I cant say that its comfortable, but this place is much better than the orphanage. I gratefully accepted my new surroundings.
Father trained my step-brother and I equally. Being nagged about these manners I wasnt used to, or my choice in words made me honestly think that it was a crock of shit, but itd be a piss off to be made fun of by my step-mother and step-brother, so I earnestly memorised it. Unsatisfied with just that, they were even thoughtful enough to give me a private tutor. History, letters, management and the like were thoroughly driven into me. What I needed to study was simpler than expected, so within a few months, I caught up to what Dominique was learning without a problem. For some reason my tutors were shocked though. But just when am I going to use this stuff? Or more like, what am I supposed to do from now on? This family is going to be succeeded by Dominique, and Dborah and Dsire are going to marry out. Then what position am I in? Since I finally got to live somewhere good, Id like to be able to continue living somewhere good, though.
Goodness, is that what you were worried about? Achille sure is cute.
After being called to Dborahs room, I tried speaking my mind, and my older sister smiled proudly. Using that nasty secret of flutteringly covering her mouth with her hand, she looked at me with a gaze that fawned on me.
Goodness, Achille, you have nothing to worry about, you know.
Wearing an intense perfume despite being a child, Dsire snuggled up against me as well. The scent floats around, so I honestly wish she would stop. The only thing they inherited from father was their hair colour, and they were similar to my step-mother. They werent beauties, and their personalities were bad too. But theyll basically listen to whatever I say.
Right. The second and third sons of nobles become bureaucrats, enter the knighthood, or marry into families without sons.
Well, marrying into the wifes family and being adopted by them would be the best, wouldnt it? I dream of marrying into power as well
Hmmm, so thats how it is.
Hey, Achille. Ive secretly gathered some sweets without mother[/okaasama] knowing, so lets eat them together.
I have a present for you too, Achille.
Thank you, Dborah-oneesama, Dsire.
Dborah and Dsire blushed happily at me when I thanked them with a smile plastered on my face. Honestly, what you really ought to have are convenient stepsisters, huh.
Mn, getting ahead in life and climbing the ranks sounds interesting too. Itd be nice to see how far I can go, and I also want to see my arrogant step-mother and step-brothers faces warp in frustration when I rise above my current position. For now, Ill try my best to study what I can.
Theres a girl that I want you to meet, Achille.
One day, after I had been taken into the viscounts family for a while, father suddenly said this to me after coming home from work.
Shes the daughter of my boss, Marquis Rhodolite, but shes good with magic and is a very smart girl. I think youll like her too, Achille.
According to my father, shes the young lady of the marquis family and their only daughter, and there doesnt seem to be any indication of any brothers being born from now on. This might be somebody whose family I can marry into, like Dsire mentioned. Moreover, it seems that Ill be meeting her at the castle. If I lead that young lady around by the nose, and find somebody in the castle as a connection for my future job, itd be killing two birds with one stone.
Im looking very forward to it, Father[/Chichiue].
Happy with my answer, father smiled. Honestly, in my whole family, this guy is the simplest to deal with.
What awaited me in the break room of the castles Magic Building was a small girl with hair, pink like a field of flowers. Im sure its just a field of flowers in her mind too, like Adlade, Dborah or the girls that hang around them.
It is nice to meet you, Camille-sama. My name is Achille Jade.
When our eyes met, I gave the same sweet smile that I flashed when I first met my step-sisters. Compared to those girls, Camille is definitely the more beautiful, and if she seems useful, I wouldnt mind spending time with her. And moreover, if we get along, then I might be able to succeed the marquis family in the future.
But despite that Far from turning red, the girl before my eyes was observing me with great interest. Moreover, she even freaking snorted Hmph! along the way. Whats with this girl?
Its nice to meet you. My name is Camille Rhodolite.
As though nothing had happened, she pinched her skirt and gave a small curtsey, and I found that I had my interest drawn a little.
I was told to play with Camille while father and the marquis went to work. Since were already here, Ill take this chance to chat a little.
I have heard from my father that you are skilled in magic, Camille-sama. That you have already progressed to intermediate magic, for example
For now, I guess Ill start with flattery. Theres no such thing as a human who gets upset at praise. However, she avoided it and countered.
Just Camilla is fine. I mean we are the same age for once, and Im not going to kick up a fuss about your manners, so dont worry about it
Camille immediately started speaking casually, and wanted me to do so as well. Honestly, I hate formalities so Im thankful for it, but I was surprised that a lady of a marquis family like her prefers to speak casually like this. I thought that the daughters of noble families were more pretentious, like my step-sisters.
I heard from Soleil that youre really smart, Achille. Do you like studying?
Did that father of mine go as far as saying that to the little kids of other families!? Its so embarrassing that I cant bear it. So that my unrest wouldnt show on my face, I stiffed my muscles.
Yeah, I basically do nothing but study. I was told not to come out of my room too much, so
Primarily by my step-mother. Will Camille sympathise with my circumstances? If she sympathises and is willing to lend me a hand, then its my win.
But she didnt move like I expected. Why!
Since its been so long since youve been allowed outside, wanna go all out and play?
I dont know she was thinking but she suddenly straddled a broom that was left in the room, and told me to get on behind her. Im having trouble understanding her thought process.
Get on.
When I hesitated, she forcefully made me get on. And the very moment I straddled it, the broom began to lightly float. Like that, the two of us vigorously flew out the window. Camille flew higher and higher without any hesitation. It seems that she really is good with magic. Id like it if she didnt get me wrapped up in it, though. Im at a loss at this unfamiliar sense of floating.
Achille, hold onto the broom tightly!
Camille told me to hold onto the broom, but doubling as a little bit of revenge against Camille who just started flying all of a sudden, I wrapped my arms around her waist. Its not really weird, right? I wonder if shell turn red in embarrassment I looked forward and waited for her reaction, but unfortunately it seems like she wasnt discomposed in the slightest How boring.
The castle was incomparably huge compared to the likes of a viscount estate. The scenery from high in the sky is also incredibly interesting.
Camille Where are you planning on heading?
Mn~, I havent decided. For now, maybe we should fly a wide lap around the castle.
You didnt plan anything? Even though you flew out the window that enthusiastically, what the hell? Since we were already out here though, I decided to try telling her my wish.
I see. Then lets try going near where the important people live. If we come too close it feels like well be targeted by the people guarding, so lets fly a little distance away, okay?
That sounds interesting But just where is it?
Isnt it further in?
We headed towards where we thought people with authority might be.
This might be somebody whose family I can marry into, like Dsire mentioned. Its actually This might be somebody who I can get tama no koshi with (is it the reverse in this case?), like Dsire mentioned. a common term that refers to a woman marrying into riches and power. But obviously I cant write that, so I had to cut out Achilles little note about it being the reverse.
young lady (reijou) refers to like, a young-ish (non-obasan) daughter of a good family. Would usually have written lady, but shes like 5 so that sounds a little weirder in English, so in the end was forced to stick young in front of it each time. Sorry if it sounded a little awks.
thought process is (shikou kairo) or thought circuits. I think its figurative circuits, like the way the insides of an electric appliance works, so I just wrote thought process.
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