NOVEL ONLINE FREE Chapter 72.1
Stage 3-5. Dark Attribute Magic
“Mashiro, wake up. We’ve arrived.”
I gently poked Mashiro’s cheek, who was soundly asleep.
Her soft, squishy cheeks were incredibly satisfying to poke.
“Mmm… Five more minutes…”
“That’s something you say in the morning. It’s nighttime already.”
“Eh?! L-late for—ow!”
Startled, Mashiro sat up quickly, slamming her head against the ceiling.
The dull thud silenced the air for a moment before it filled with laughter.
“Hehe, Mashiro-san. No need to panic; there are no classes right now.”
“You must’ve slept so deeply that you forgot what happened this morning.”
“Ah, huh?! Why are the two of you in the same classroom…? O-Ouga-kun? What’s going on?”
“Let me show you, Sleeping Beauty.”
I took Mashiro’s hand, guiding her out of the carriage.
“Huh, a mansion… Oh! Ohhh! Right!”
Upon seeing the view from where we disembarked, Mashiro seemed to remember what was going on.
“It’s been a while since I came here, Ouga’s house.”
Karen gazed nostalgically at the mansion before us.
A vast, white structure with a prestigious history dating back to this country’s founding.
This was the Vellet family’s headquarters, a shadowy force in the political world—and my home.
“Whoa… It’s even more amazing than I imagined.”
“Come on, standing here won’t do any good. Let’s go inside.”
“Y-yeah, right…”
As I said this, Alice swiftly moved ahead to open the doors.
What lay beyond froze Mashiro in place again.
A sparkling chandelier hung from the ceiling.
Portraits of Vellet family heads adorned the walls.
A grand staircase stretched left and right from the center.
A red carpet ran from the entrance to the stairs.
On either side, rows of maids and butlers lined up in perfect formation.
“““Welcome home, Ouga-sama. Reina-sama.”””
Their synchronized greetings and bows were nothing short of spectacular.
This flawless display was only possible because they served the Vellet family with pride.
“Thank you all for welcoming us. It’s been a while.”
“Hehe, even I, a newcomer, feel honored to be greeted like this.”
“………………”
“Heh… Mashiro, staying frozen like that won’t help.”
“Ah! W-well, of course, I’d be shocked! I’m just a commoner!”
“You’ll get used to this soon enough. Seeing you dumbfounded every time might be amusing in its own way.”
“Hmph!”
Mashiro lightly pounded my chest.
A commoner hitting a noble. A commoner speaking without formalities to a noble.
In another household, such behavior might cause unrest, but our servants paid it no mind.
Not because I lacked magical aptitude, but because they understood the Vellet family’s principles well.
We value talent over status.
Our maids and butlers are often commoners rather than younger noble children or unwed noblewomen.
Though we have noble-born staff, petty factional disputes are nonexistent here.
“Well, we can’t linger here forever.”
I clapped my hands, drawing everyone’s attention.
“Follow Alice and take the luggage to the assigned rooms. Afterward, some of you should guide them around the mansion.”
“““Understood.”””
With that, they moved swiftly and efficiently.
Two maids approached to assist us directly.
“Reina and I will greet Father. You two go with them for a tour of the mansion.”
“Eh, eh? I’m worried I won’t know proper manners!”
“Relax, there’s no need to overthink. Besides, Karen will be with you.”
“That’s right, Mashiro. …If anything, I might be more nervous than you.”
She had a point.
For those unaware of the details, Karen had dissolved and renewed her engagement with me—a highly unusual act.
However, the longtime staff knew Karen’s personality and likely understood.
Molina, our headmaid, would’ve smoothed things over anyway.
I gave Karen’s tense shoulders a reassuring massage.
“Don’t worry. The Vellet family’s servants wouldn’t stoop to anything dishonorable. They take pride in their roles.”
The maids bowed gracefully, reaffirming my words.
Mashiro and Karen exhaled deeply, looking noticeably more at ease.
“For now, there’s nothing else to do but eat and bathe. After the tour, take it easy in your rooms.”
“Got it!”
“Thank you, Ouga-kun. Have a good talk with Reina.”
“Thanks. See you later.”
Parting ways with them, Reina and I headed to my father’s study.
“Reina, are you sure you’re okay? If it’s too much, you don’t have to come.”
She’d been undergoing continuous questioning since the incident.
It was a painful process, dredging up her traumatic memories of Frone.
But Reina, always adept at masking her emotions, seemed resolute.
“Thank you, Ouga-kun. But I’m fine. I want to help, even a little, to prevent more victims like me.”
Her determination was clear, her gaze steady and full of resolve.
Asking further would be insensitive.
“Besides… if anything happens, you’ll protect me, won’t you?”
“Of course. I worked hard to make you mine. I won’t let anyone take you away.”
“…And I’ll stay by your side forever.”
Reina gently entwined her arm with mine, leaning closer.
The warmth we shared was comforting and pleasant.
…This is exactly how it should be.
All that effort back then was worth it.
Reina was happy, free from Frone, and I was pleased to be spoiled by a lovely girl.
It’s a perfect win-win.
Feeling Reina’s warmth, we walked toward the study.
After a few knocks, we heard permission to enter.
“Thank you for waiting, Father. Ouga Vellet and Reina Vellet have returned from the Academy.”
“Well done, both of you. Hmm… you seem quite close.”
“Yes. She’s an important part of our family, Father-in-law.”
“Hahaha! Reina truly feels like one of us now. Good, good. You must be tired from the long journey. Sit down.”