Kays Translations
Just another Isekai Lover~
Chapter 225: The Boys’ Gathering Continues
I breathed a sigh of relief as I sank into the bath.
The etiquette lessons had occupied half the day, but the icehouse was complete and Nero had officially become my attendant. All in all, it had been productive. The day was not over, however; our evening etiquette practice would begin soon.
“Nero, thank you for agreeing to help me.”
“There is no need to thank me. I intended to do this so I could repay everything you have done for me.”
“You did?”
“Yes. I planned to study in the royal capital until I became a proper servant, then travel to the Heine Margraviate.”
“I see.”
So that had been his plan. I felt ashamed for thinking everything had ultimately worked out because of money. I could not deny that my donation to the orphanage had included a small ulterior motive, but I would continue supporting the children even now that Nero had joined me.
“Nero really does have delicate features. With different clothes, people might mistake you for a girl.”
“Please stop staring at me like that!”
Nero quickly covered his face with both hands. That only made him look even more embarrassed, and the three of us sank deeper into the bath to hide our laughter.
“Axel, that’s rather rude to Nero. Oh, and you may call me Ijidol if you like.”
“You can call me Axel too. I’ll call you Nero. And Ijidol, you’re hardly one to talk—you have delicate features as well.”
“Wait! Why are you looking at me like that?”
Ijidol covered his face just as Nero had. Axel, who had started the teasing, turned red and sank until only the upper half of his face remained above the water. If he was going to be embarrassed himself, he should not have said anything.
“Julius, don’t misunderstand me. I was only teasing them.”
“O-of course. I knew that.”
Axel glared at us through narrowed eyes. Nero and Ijidol edged away from him.
“It wasn’t like that! Julius likes girls, right?”
“Of course I do!”
The bath abruptly fell silent. Why was everyone looking at me as though I had made some extraordinary declaration?
“I see. Then you admire refined ladies like Princess Daniela.”
“You certainly looked happy when she praised you.”
“Idiot! Anyone would be happy to receive praise from a princess.”
The two of them gave me unconvinced looks while Nero nodded thoughtfully. Wait, Nero—why were you taking note of your master’s preferences? You were not planning to report this to Lelie, were you?
“I assumed everyone had a preferred type of girl, but perhaps I was wrong…”
“I like cheerful girls.”
“I think I prefer someone calm.”
“What about you, Nero?”
“Someone kind, I suppose.”
“You don’t have to choose an answer merely to match ours.”
What followed was the sort of harmless conversation boys have when no adults are listening. By the time we left the bath, we were all pleasantly warm and relaxed. As I cooled down with the water Nero brought me, Brother Alex arrived.
“You were in there for quite a while.”
“We had a great deal to discuss.”
“I see. I’m rather jealous. I don’t have friends I can relax with like that.”
He looked strangely distant. Brother Alex possessed an air of elegance and reserve that made him difficult to approach. Perhaps he was lonely too. I decided to ask him to bathe with me tomorrow.
After the bath came dinner. We could have bathed afterward, but since we had been sweating during our stress-relieving practice in the garden, I chose to wash first.
When dinner was placed before them, Axel and Ijidol tensed. Nero would eat later and stood behind my chair.
“The actual evening party will use a standing buffet, so tonight’s table-manners lesson will be fairly light. Please enjoy your meal.”
“Understood, my lord.”
“Thank you very much.”
Some of the tension left their shoulders. Dinner proceeded in a relatively relaxed atmosphere, although everyone remained conscious of their manners. I would have liked Nero to eat with us, but servants did not sit at the family table.
Even as the youngest son, I was still a noble and had to observe noble customs.
“You both have good instincts. Once you master the basics, you’ll only need to remain mindful of them.”
“I can actually taste the food this time.”
“It’s delicious.”
Brother Alex chuckled. Their words implied that lunch had been so stressful they had tasted nothing at all. I understood perfectly; I could identify everything on my plate tonight too.
“The rest comes with experience—and that includes you, Julius.”
“I know, but do you have something in mind?”
“No existing tea party suits our needs, so I’m considering holding one here.”
That made sense. If we hosted it ourselves, we could set whatever conditions we needed. Still, organising a tea party and sending invitations normally required time.
“Do we have enough time to prepare?”
“Don’t worry. I’ll invite people close to us.”
“People close to us?”
In the royal capital, that could only mean…
“You don’t mean His Majesty the King or Her Majesty the Queen, do you?”
“Of course not. Probably.”
Probably—the most frightening word imaginable. Princess Daniela and Lady Meeka would be manageable, but not His Majesty and Her Majesty. Axel and Ijidol would be terrified, and my stomach would tie itself in knots.
Boy talk.