Cradling the Groanwood basket at her feet once again, Annamaria set off walking.
As the basket swayed, the Groanwood groaned in unison.
‘This voice, it strangely sticks in my ears, doesn’t it?’
But if it was useful, even their groaning sounded endearing.
She loaded the basket onto the horse-drawn cart tied at the foot of the slope, took the reins herself, and traveled along the rural road flanked by wheat fields on either side.
Early summer.
The fields shimmered golden with wheat swaying gently in the breeze.
The cart entered the oak forest, and after a while, the view ahead opened up.
Two manor houses stood side by side against a backdrop of gently rolling hills.
One was a grim fortress-like manor with four black-painted spires that seemed to absorb light.
The other was an elegant mansion with a gently sloping white roof that glittered in the sunlight, its sunlit areas sparkling with iridescent colors.
The black manor was Romano Manor.
The white manor was Fullranet Manor.
Seeing the two manor houses standing side by side ahead, Annamaria muttered to herself, “I understand the need for joint governance, but to have that partner…”
Galileo, sitting beside her on the driver’s seat, said wearily, “Ah, there you go again.”
“I can’t help it. That person…”
Before she could finish, Annamaria suddenly pulled the reins and brought the cart to a sharp halt.
“Wha—what is it?”
Galileo stumbled forward as Annamaria dropped the reins and jumped down from the driver’s seat.
“Sorry, Galileo! You’ll have to move the cart to the manor.”
“Whaaaaaat!? I’m a Cat Dragon, you know.”
“You can do it. And you know that the household won’t mind if a Cat Dragon drives the cart. Our Fullranet family is one of magical blood. Whether it’s a Cat Dragon driving a cart or training wolves, no one would be surprised.”
With a grunt, Galileo settled back onto the driver’s seat, gripping the reins with his soft pink paw pads, muttering under his breath.
“That’s true, but it’s tiring. What’s going on, Annamaria?”
“Rosaria is here! She’s coming this way with the Knights.”
“Is that a problem?”
Annamaria clicked her tongue in frustration, ‘I should’ve come back earlier. And of all days, Father isn’t home today. And at the very moment, it’s not Count Romano who comes, but Rosaria herself.’
Gathering up the hem of her cotton dress, Annamaria ran off, glancing back as she replied, “If I show up before her all muddy like this, I don’t even want to imagine the nasty remarks she’d make! I’m going back to the manor quietly to change.”
Taking advantage of scattered groves to keep herself out of sight, Annamaria dashed away as carefully as possible, her back hearing Galileo’s sighing voice.
“Why is it always like this with you all?”
Inwardly, Annamaria responded, ‘Why, you ask? There’s only one reason. It’s because that person is Rosaria Romano!’
***
Dashing back fiercely to Fullranet Manor, Annamaria burst into her room.
Her chamber, located on the manor’s second floor facing the southern balcony, was bathed in bright sunlight, offering a fine view of the town of Parsa in the distance through the window.
But inside, the room was in utter disarray.
It looked as if a magician had secluded themselves here for a hundred years, then a thief had rifled through everything.
On the dresser lay carefully arranged dried frog carcasses.
The bookshelves were packed with magical tomes crammed horizontally and vertically, with overflow piled on the floor.
All the drawers of the chest were half-open, with blouse sleeves, shawls, and the upper half of a cursed doll hanging out limp.
Having spent the morning collecting Groanwood and listening to their groans, the faint echo of “Uuuuuu… Uoooooo…” clung stubbornly to her ears even in the silent room.
Out of breath, she stripped off her dirty clothes, washed her hands, feet, face, and combed her hair.
From the closet left open, she picked out a blue dress and put it on, adding earrings and a necklace.
“P-Perfect… I think.”
Standing in front of the mirror, Annamaria peered at her reflection, shoulders heaving.
Once her heartbeat settled from the full sprint, she should look like a graceful Countess.
Probably.
She lightly tapped her cheeks and ears with both hands, trying to dispel the lingering groans still ringing in her ears.
It didn’t work.
Resigned, she decided to ignore the groans, took a steadying breath, straightened her back, and put on a composed expression as she left the room.
Descending the stairs to the entrance hall while gracefully sweeping the hem of her dress, she called out, “Kast!”
From the back of the first floor staircase emerged the black-clad elderly steward.
“We are departing for the joint family meeting. The Romano family appears to be close by.”
“Yes. A messenger servant has arrived ahead. Today, it is not Count Romano but the lady Rosaria who is coming.” Kast answered sullenly, and inwardly she thought, ‘I know that’, but nodded silently.
“What is the report from the subordinate Mage Corps?”
There existed a group of magicians who had served the Fullranet family for generations.
Their status was that of mages—on par with Knights.
Just as the Romano family employed Knights paid by their revenues and commanded the Knight Order, the Fullranet family employed magicians to form the Mage Corps.
The Kingdom of Trie organized not only a regular army but also a magic army that wielded magical power as a weapon.
That was the strength of the Magic Nation Trie.
The neighboring Barth Kingdom was not a magic nation.
They opposed Trie by hiring magicians and forming a magic army, but their capability was far inferior to Trie’s.
The Kingdom of Trie’s magic army stood out among neighboring nations.
After all, it was a magic kingdom founded by magicians.
The steward answered, “There is no sign of unknown magicians crossing the Padova Mountains.”
This was a standard phrase, conveying “no abnormalities today.”
“Understood. Then let’s go.”
Kast, taking the lead, stood before the massive double doors of the entrance and lightly ran his hand over the surface.
The heavy doors opened smoothly, as if pushed by the wind, without a creak.
It wasn’t that the frail old man possessed unusual strength, but because he also used magic.
In front of the opened doors, about twenty mounted Knights waited.
At their head, riding a white horse, sitting upright, and staring directly ahead, was a slender, graceful young person—though actually a woman.
Her soft silver curls floated gently, and her eyes were a glacier-clear blue.
Her face was impeccably beautiful and dignified to a maddening degree.
She was Rosaria Romano, the daughter of Count Romano.
Like Annamaria, she was a Countess destined to inherit the Romano family and become the next Countess.