Chapter 62

Let's Go Home [Part 2]

Initially, Leonard planned for the Stuart family to freeload at Joshua's store. But Joshua's father, Daniel, rebuked him with, "Don't say such stupid things!"

The living space in Joshua's store is only on the third floor, but there are still many spacious rooms left unused. Leonard heard that it used to be the employee dormitory but is only used by Joshua alone after his enrollment. Leonard, who didn't expect to get rejected, anxiously asked the reason.

"Which rich Count in this world freeloads at merchant's store!? You'll pay rent? That's not the problem here, okay? Eh? Find a cheap rent in the royal capital? What are you saying? Isn't it obvious you should buy a proper mansion if you're going to live in the royal capital? Are you really a noble? Don't you have to put on an appearance and show your pride? That can't feed your stomach, you say? Ahhh, alright, I understand! I will arrange it, and you just need to pay the money, okay? Hm? If possible, a cheap one? Likeー Iー saidー..."

Daniel kept forgetting to use honorifics when he's talking with Leonard for a long time, but it's not that Leonard cared. He just listened to Daniel's preaching obediently.

Feeling helpless seeing Leonard like that, Daniel spent every effort to buy a mansion in the royal capital that wouldn't be embarrassing for the Stuart family, who isn't willing to spend even an extra bit of money for their food, clothing, and shelter.

If it's like this, let's buy you the grandest palatial mansion... Daniel half-jokingly decided.

"Eh? D-Daniel-san? Umm? Why does it have three extra zeros?"

"Leonard-sama? Three extra zeros? Just what kind of mansion do you think you will live in? The price in the royal capital is high, you know?"

"No, I'm fine with the suburbs..."

"...if you live too far from the academy, Emma-sama will have trouble commuting to school, you know?"

"...alright, Daniel. That house is close to the academy, right. There will do."

"Right? This mansion is a pretty good property."

"...! D-Daniel-san? It's good that it's close to the academy, but... now that I see it... isn't it... too big? We're only a family of five, though?"

"Leonard-sama, please think about it well. Both the mansion and the garden are quite big here, so... the cats will be happy, right?"

"...alright, Daniel. Let's go with that place. There will do."

Leonard was a simple man.

Daniel knew.

That this man will spend his money without care as long as Emma and the cats are involved.

And just like this, a mansion boasting one of the largest lands in the royal capital became the Stuarts' property thanks to Daniel, who understands their assets more than Leonard does.

It's the story of when Daniel went to the royal capital for the purchasing procedure in Leonard's place because they decided on the mansion just by looking at the drawings on the royal capital map.

When Daniel saw the actual building for the first time, he thought, "Ah, crap, did I overdo it?"

But that's a secret. The Stuarts' mansion at the royal capital is just that big and luxurious. Because it's a little away from the main street, it's hard for people to see it. That's what Daniel at least thought was a relief.

・・・

*knock knock* When the siblings knock not on the main gate but on a small door for employees, it opens immediately as if the person inside has been waiting.

"Meow~"

A big calico cat nimbly opens the door for them with its forefoot.

"I'm home, Koumei-san!"

"Meow♪"

Fluffing, Emma clings to Koumei's neck and enjoys the soft fur.

Koumei always welcomes her like this whenever they return from the academy.

It becomes a daily routine, just like in their student years when Koumei was waiting for Minato to come home at the house's front gate.

The gatekeeper, who was scared of the big cat at first, was also touched by the cat's action and gently looked over Koumei, who only try to open the door when Emma and the brothers come home.

"Welcome back. Young Masters, Young Lady."

The gatekeeper greets them grinningly, but the three siblings go "Uwehhh," and their faces crumpled.

"Grandpa Evan, please stop calling us that way, I beg of you-"

(*T/N: Grandpa here doesn't mean he is their grandpa, it's just a way to call senior citizens)

"Hohoho, you are all Young Masters and Young Lady from my perspective."

The past middle age gatekeeper with conspicuous gray hair denies the siblings' protest while locking the door properly.

The gatekeeper was born a noble, but then, his territory management stopped functioning. While he was living like a homeless, the Stuart House took him in. It's been 10 years since then.

He used to work as Arban's coachman in the royal capital, but as he got older, taking care of horses became harder to do, so he had been nervous whether he would be dismissed from his position anytime soon.

"Evan-san, can you be the gatekeeper for us?"

Arban said it so lightly, so Evan thought that he only bought a small house. He delightfully accepted as he was happy that he could still work, but...

"...um...that... to be the gatekeeper of such a big mansion... is a little..."

Seeing the mansion he was guided to, Evan trembled.

The job he thought was only to keep the house safe from kids' pranks turned out to be guarding a mansion that could only be targeted by an organization-level attack.

"It's okay! We have cats at home."

Leonard, who exchanged places with Arban and came to the royal capital, said so reassuringly.

From Evan's position... "So what!?" he couldn't help but retort in his heart. Still, he got totally convinced after seeing the real thing.

Is that something you can call a cat...

The figure snuggling to Emma in front of him is definitely that of a cat, but it's so... huge.

Nevertheless, it wasn't long for Evan to get used to Koumei, who knows the time when the children will come back and diligently wait for them in front of the door. He doesn't hate fluffy things.

・・・

"Koumei-san, let's take a nap?"

The cat happily replies to Emma.

"Meow~"

Koumei follows behind Emma, who's pointing at the big hammock in the garden as the weather has gotten warmer.

She came back with something strange slightly attached to her, but there's no problem.

I've cleansed it off with a meow.

"?? It looks like my stomach started to calm down! I have a feeling I can eat dinner tonight."

Emma mutters while being wrapped by the cat's body on a hammock.

"Meow~"

Hoping that she could continue to take her favorite nap with her favorite Minato forever, the cat wraps Minato gently and swears she will always protect her with a meow.

Author's note: The fluff's been lacking, so here's Koumei-san's appearance in a long while.

Translator's note: This is so cute and so heavy at the same time