The next day.
While attending the usual morning study session, I was quietly looking for a chance to be alone with my brother.
There were many things I wanted to discuss and confirm with him as soon as possible.
Surely, my brother felt the same need, and I expected that he would make time for me at least in the afternoon.
However, right after lunch, an unexpected event occurred.
Bettina was walking around the entrance hall holding me when Lansel suddenly rushed in from outside, calling out toward the inner rooms.
“Henrik, sir, something’s wrong!”
“What is it?” The butler immediately came out and asked.
My brother, still in the dining room, poked his head out, curious about the commotion.
“A lavish carriage just passed in front of this place and stopped just before the village. Some people got out and seem to be inspecting the village.”
“What?” Henrik furrowed his brows and muttered, “If it’s a luxurious carriage passing through openly, it’s certainly no bandit…”
“Should we be on alert?”
“I’ll go see for myself. Wolf, could you stay here with Lansel and guard the place?”
“Understood.”
As Henrik prepared to go out wearing his coat, Lansel, who had been looking outside, called out again.
The carriage had turned around and was heading toward the manor.
Henrik hurried outside, and the carriage was already pulling up to the front gate.
“This is Baron Dimitar.”
“Long time no see, Henrik.” A portly man dressed in lavish clothes got out, greeting us warmly.
“We didn’t expect you here today.”
“I was just passing by on my way back to my territory.”
“With the lord away, we can’t properly entertain unexpected guests.”
“Don’t worry about that. Baron Berushuman and I are old acquaintances. How about some tea?”
“Very well. Please, come this way.”
The hefty host and his two attendants were shown into the inner reception room.
Since Mother was unwell, my brother acted as head of the family and handled the meeting, with Henrik staying nearby.
Isberga prepared the tea, and Bettina was ordered to stay with me in the room.
Because of this, I couldn’t hear what was discussed afterward.
Bettina seemed uneasy, holding me as she paced the hallway and peered downstairs repeatedly.
After a stay of just over an hour, the baron departed.
When Henrik and my brother returned after seeing him off, Bettina also came downstairs.
“What on earth was that? That ‘noble and refined’ conversation—they spoke so indirectly I couldn’t understand a word of what they meant.”
“To be honest, neither could I. It wasn’t just indirect; it felt like they were talking about nothing at all.”
“What was it about?”
My brother sank into a chair in the dining room, looking exhausted, while the butler stood beside him.
Somehow, the cooks and the babysitters gathered around at a distance, overhearing the conversation.
“Isn’t it terribly rude for nobles to suddenly barge into a territory like that? Could it be that the baron looks down on us?”
“Reluctantly, I think that’s not far from the truth.”
“What the hell is going on?”
“Judging by how they acted, I doubt their real purpose was to visit this manor. Maybe they wanted to observe or investigate something within the territory.”
“Well…” Lansel spoke up.
“I asked the villagers, and it seems some of the men who came with them wandered around the village and asked questions. They apparently checked the fields and protective fences and inquired about this year’s harvest and damage caused by wild rabbits.”
“That was their goal?” My brother frowned, “But wouldn’t such an investigation usually be done quietly, without letting the house know? If that’s not the case, maybe we really are being looked down on.”
“Cannot deny that.”
Afterward, Henrik went to report to Mother, and my brother left the house, still scowling.
Bettina was instructed by the butler to stay in a room with me.
With all this unsettled tension, I never got a chance to speak with my brother that day and ended up going to bed.
The following day.
After breakfast, I grabbed Bettina’s arm.
She looked at me with a surprised expression.
“Uh… oh, right. There’s no study today for your brother. It’s Saturday, after all.”
I didn’t understand and blinked back at her in confusion.
Well, of course, no explanation like that could be understood by a baby, so any surprise on her part was natural.
“You’ve been studying every morning recently. What shall we do today? Want to play ‘studying’ anyway?”
She laughed as she lifted me up and asked in a sing-song voice.
Of course, I couldn’t answer, nor did Bettina expect a response.
Humming softly and patting my back, she walked around the room a bit.
Suddenly, the door opened.
“Are you in there?”
“Oh, um? Lord Wolf? What brings you here?”
“I’m the one playing with Rudolf today. Bettina, you can take a break.”
“Eh? Eh?”
“I’ll play with him in my room. You don’t come along.”
Saying that, he roughly took me from Bettina’s arms.
Although her eyes went wide, she didn’t resist.
Well, it’s probably not unusual in a noble household for an older brother to spend a day off entertaining his younger brother.
The only odd thing was how much his attitude had changed compared to just a few days ago.
“Um, well, I’ll be in this room, so call me if you need anything.”
“You can rest and do whatever you want. Even in the Kingdom’s Capital, most workers get the day off on Saturdays.”
“But I can’t just leave it all to you. For example, Lord Wolf, you can’t change Rudolf’s diaper, right?”
“Hmph…”
“Lately, before he wets himself, Rudolf lets us know, so we’ve been having him use the chamber pot. If you notice the signs, please bring him early.”
“Got it.”
Wolf peeked at me, and I nodded quietly.
Nowadays, it’s easier to communicate my wishes through my brother than anyone else.
He took me into his room.
When I looked back, Bettina had already settled into her usual chair, picking up her knitting.
Usually, she would lay me down on the bed and do needlework or knitting nearby, so today’s schedule probably wouldn’t be much different.
Once inside my brother’s room, I sat on the bed and was finally allowed to speak.
“Tsuchinohi… what’s that?”
“You…” My brother’s eyes widened in surprise.
“You seem smart. Don’t you know such common things?”
“No.”
From the start, the top priority when I got a chance alone with him was to clarify this kind of common knowledge.
I thought I had to make him understand what I am before anything else could move forward.
As always, my baby mouth struggled to form words properly.
On top of that, my knowledge of this world’s language was still insufficient.
I struggled greatly but tried my best to explain haltingly.
My brother must have been somewhat frustrated, but he patiently listened.
I told him that about twenty days ago, I suddenly became aware like this.
My judgment and comprehension seem beyond that of a baby.
I can listen and speak somewhat by eavesdropping on the servants’ conversations.
Sometimes, like with yesterday’s thing about the Kuroaosou plant, some vague knowledge suddenly pops into my head.
Other than that, I know nothing.
Please assume my knowledge of this world’s common sense is that of a baby.
He listened and solemnly nodded, saying, “I see.”
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