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People usually learn something new from experience.
This applies even to students who prefer the knowledge in books over experience.
Just because they are distant from experience doesn’t mean they should look down on it. In the case of the former, they are often called bookworms and naturally fall behind.
As if to prove this, I was once again learning from experience.
“Now it’s my turn to ask. Who are you and what do you do?”
If you are grabbed by the collar and asked this question without having done anything particularly wrong, it is quite difficult to answer.
“……”
At a distance close enough for our noses to touch, I saw Lena’s frowning face.
Because of the height difference of about two heads, she had to tiptoe while grabbing my collar.
If I wanted to, it wouldn’t even be a big deal to shake her off, but I wanted to avoid deepening any unnecessary misunderstandings.
I slowly raised both arms.
“Well, first of all, calm down.”
“…Answer the question. What do you do?”
“Hmm.”
In the brief moment, she must have come to her senses, as Lena’s speech returned to formal language.
Now, if I answer well, I can clear up the misunderstanding smoothly.
But.
Where should I start?
The fact that I was Benjamin’s disciple. My crossing the sea. Or even before that, the fact that I was from the empire.
Every single one of those things shouldn’t be carelessly spoken.
As I hesitated to answer, Lena put even more strength into her grip.
“I said answer me!”
That’s when it happened.
Creak.
The door of the house in front of us slowly opened, and a person’s shadow appeared from inside.
An elderly woman.
Softly curved eyes and clothing that exuded a strong sense of everyday life.
I thought the somewhat transcendent impression coming through that gentle atmosphere greatly resembled someone I knew.
The old woman alternated her gaze between Lena and me, then opened her mouth again.
“Lena. I thought something was going on outside because it was noisy, but what on earth is this about?”
“Uh, Mother…”
Mother.
So, that person is none other than Benjamin’s wife, Susan Oslo.
Lena was noticeably flustered and let go of my collar, starting to fidget.
In a way, it was natural. Just as I didn’t know how to answer Lena’s question, Lena also had no way to explain this situation without knowing my identity.
It seems things have gotten quite tangled from the start.
Here, the person who caused the confusion should step up.
I brushed past Lena’s right side and took a step forward.
“……?”
A suspicious gaze flew from Lena, but I didn’t mind.
Placing one arm on my chest and politely bowing, I greeted Susan, who was standing at the entrance on the stairs.
“Nice to meet you for the first time. My name is Eugene.”
“Eugene?”
A moment of silence.
“…Could it be…”
With wide eyes, Susan hurriedly looked me over from head to toe.
If I were to list what was reflected in her gaze, it would be something like this. I had a travel bag that seemed to have come from far away, a face still bearing the aftermath of coal mine labor, and gray hair.
Crucially, Susan should know the name ‘Eugene.’
Soon after, as if she had grasped the facts, Susan showed a greatly surprised expression.
Susan stepped aside and opened the front door wide.
“Lena. And Eugene. Come in.”
“Wh-what, Mother?!”
“Lena.”
Shh. Susan put her index finger on Lena’s lips.
“Come inside.”
In the house I entered for the first time, a familiar atmosphere wafted over me.
A two-story house.
Amidst the green-toned walls adorned with wooden furniture that exuded the charm of time, an unknown floral scent lingered in the interior.
A cozy space with a sense of life.
Even though the structure of the house and the people living in it were different, looking at this house reminded me of the Oslo residence in Leman.
Following Susan’s invitation, I sat on the living room sofa and freely traveled into the imagery of memories.
“……”
“……”
At least while I was lost in thought, I didn’t have to mind Lena, who was sitting primly on a nearby single-seater sofa, glaring at me.
A chilly silence.
There was a limit to escaping reality by recalling memories.
I turned my gaze and looked around the house again.
Although similar to the house in Leman, the main residence in Frauzen was much more spacious.
I think he said he had five daughters.
Even excluding Benjamin and Dorothy, it means five people live in this house. Naturally, many rooms and a large space would be needed.
While thinking that, I turned my head towards the stairs.
There was something.
“……?”
Peek.
In the middle of the stairs. I noticed two pairs of eyes looking at me through the gap between the railings.
Green eyes that closely resembled each other.
As if they thought they were secretly peeking, the moment our eyes met, they were startled and ran up the stairs, disappearing.
Apart from being puzzled, I had a feeling I knew who those two young children were.
The fourth and fifth daughters.
They seemed to be the youngest daughters―probably twins―of the Oslo family.
I thought about speaking to them, but it was difficult to act readily with Lena’s sharp gaze on me.
“Sorry for the long wait.”
The cold atmosphere that seemed like it would go on forever was dispelled when Susan returned from the kitchen.
In her hand was a teapot full of floral scent.
Pouring the fragrant tea into three cups, Susan slowly parted her lips.
“I received a letter about a week ago. A letter saying that ‘Eugene’ had left to board a ship heading to the Federation.”
“…I see.”
So Benjamin had written a new letter.
I was certain she had recognized the name Eugene because of the letter he had firmly mentioned sending before.
“If it were a telegram, it would be different, but mail has to cross the sea, so it takes time to be delivered. Even after a month had passed since the date he left, there was no news, so I was a bit worried that the crossing might have failed.”
Susan smiled softly as she looked at me.
“It seems you went through a lot of twists and turns.”
Even now, there are faint soot stains here and there on my skin and fingertips.
Although it would be faint enough not to notice at a glance, it seemed visible to Susan’s eyes.
I slowly nodded.
Meanwhile, Lena, who didn’t understand the situation, was tilting her head with a puzzled expression.
“…Mother. So who is this person?”
“Oh my. ‘This person’? I think I heard you calling him a stalker or asking what kind of guy he is.”
“Eek, I didn’t say what kind of guy…”
Seeing Lena clenching her fists and trembling, I wondered if this kind of thing happened often, even normally.
“Yes. It’s not something to joke about.”
Susan put away her smile and cut to the chase.
“Eugene Oslo. Nineteen years old. He learned magic studies from Benjamin for three years and crossed over to the Federation; he’s your older brother.”
“!”
I was surprised.
Eugene Oslo.
A name with their family name attached.
It meant that Benjamin had used that name in the letter, and Susan had accepted a new family member she had never seen before without hesitation.
“……”
Can I be accepted as a member of the Oslo family so easily?
Meanwhile, there was one more person who had a similar thought.
“My older brother?”
“Yes.”
“If it’s been three years… and if he crossed over to the Federation…”
“Yeah. You can tell by his gray hair, right? He’s from the empire.”
Although Susan explained step by step, it was obvious that it wasn’t a problem that could be resolved just by slowly explaining it.
Lena, who started sipping tea with trembling hands, whispered to me while gazing at me with gentle eyes.
“I’m sorry. I haven’t talked to the children in detail about the letter. Please understand if they are a bit surprised.”
“No, it’s alright.”
Susan didn’t seem to know.
That I was just as surprised as Lena, if not more.
From the empire.
I’ve been called a barbarian countless times just for having gray hair. Those from the federation express their feelings of disgust and contempt without restraint just based on my hair color.
But this family was different.
Susan directly brought up the topic of my being from the empire, and Lena suddenly found herself face to face with someone from the empire.
I couldn’t find any trace of disgust in their attitudes.
Even Lena’s surprise seemed to be nothing more than confusion stemming from the fact that the imperial man who suddenly appeared was her older brother.
Do they know?
Do they know how much help and comfort I am still receiving from the Oslo family, as well as from Benjamin and Dorothy?
I made a decision right away.
I am an outsider from the empire.
It was more precious for this harmonious family to continue their peaceful daily life than for me to be called an older brother.
After finishing my tea, I deliberately put down the cup with a clink.
After confirming that their gazes had gathered, I slowly stood up from my seat.
“It was nice to meet you today.”
“What do you mean?”
I have no intention of causing them confusion or being a burden.
It would be disrespectful to the Oslo family who raised and cared for the beggar boy under the bridge.
The next time I knock on the door of this house will be after I have properly settled in Frauzen and entered university.
I clearly conveyed that intention to Susan and Lena.
However.
The reaction that came back was completely different from what I expected.
“Eugene. It seems you have a big misunderstanding about family.”
Susan grabbed my hand with a serious expression.
“The world is cold. To live without shivering from the cold, you need someone to embrace. It is human to live while relying on others, and being able to embrace and rely on each other is what family is. It is an extremely precious relationship. There is no debt or loss in it.”
“……”
“Family is completed by being by each other’s side. Trying to leave for our sake… that’s putting the cart before the horse.”
By the time I listened to Susan’s gentle scolding, I found myself sitting back on the sofa.
I think I heard similar words in the winter three years ago.
Unless you keep a bonfire in your heart, how can you share such warmth?
I was about to nod, moved by Susan’s words.
“…I, oppose it.”
A strained voice.
Lena, who had been listening to Susan’s story with her head bowed, threw out that one line and went upstairs without looking back.
Susan smiled bitterly.
“Lena cherishes family so much that it’s a problem.”
